Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-20
SUSPECTED AS RUM RUNNER.
Eleanor Boiling Boarded by Officers Of
Cape May.
BY WILLIAM T. CHRISTIAN.


Copyright, 1923, by the New York Times
and The Star in the United States and
throughout the world)
ABOARD THE ELEANOR BOILING.
Naval Base, Norfolk, Va, September
20.-Boarded on suspicion of being
rum runner off Cape May, delayed by
sluggish steam pressure and puffeted
about for "a hours by a severe north
east gale, the Eleanor Boiling. supply
ship of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition,
Is safe at the Naval Base today after
a 77-hour trip that was a great adj
venture for the men aboard serving to
fit them for their long trip to the South
Polar region.
Unable to get his bearings after slip
ping past Cape Henry, Capt Gustav
Brown put out anchor Tor the night,
but 1t was not many hours before the
buoys were lost sight Of Fearing that
the ship might drag ashore and break
up, Capt. Brown ordered all hands. to
stand by with life preservers in case
the ship was swept ashore oy the 60
mile gale that reached hurricane pro-
portions at 10 o'clock Tuesday night
and again at 2 am. yesterday
Downing life preservers was q new
experience for many members of the
crew. but every man stuck manfully
to his task while the Eleanor Boiling
bounced and slid on the huge waves,
apparently rejoicing in getting a taste
of the weather for which she was built.
Former Rum Runner.
The ship was a trawler in the North
Sea during the World War and later in
this country was rum runner max
ing successful trips between Montreal
and New York before she was caught
The crew was furnished with a large
supply of verbal ammunition Monday
at noon when q Coast Guard rum
chaser sent a boarding party to the
ship in the belief that she was a rum
runner, despite the fact that both sides
of the smokestack proclaimed that the
expedition. The attention of Warrant
Officer Grenager was called to this in
sigma when he hailed the ship, but he
came aboard any way after ordering
the Eleanor Boiling to heave to.
He was greeted as he came over the
rail by battery of motion picture
cameras. He continued on to the bridge,
where he made brief examination of
the ship registration papers and ex-
planned his visit by saying that he UNI
derstood Capt. Brown to say New York
instead of Norfolk when he asked the
destination of the Byrd ship.
Volunteer as Firemen.
The Eleanor Boiling spent practically
all Sunday adjusting and collaborating
her compasses in the narrows and at
Ambrose Light. Leaving Ambrose
Channel at $40 Sunday afternoon, the
ship made slow time. Rated at IA
miles an hour, she seldom turned more
than 5. This loss of speed Chief Engi-
neer Mcpherson attributed to the in
experienced firemen Two of the three
volunteers became sick from the heat
and members of the expedition party
agreed to take their places. Capt.
Ashley Mckinley. aerial photographer,
took over regular watch in the fire.
room, and Dr. Halder Barnes. assistant
physician, handled the fireroom for the
four hours.
Early Tuesday morning a storm that
Meteorologist Williams G. Haines said
was probably a part of the Florida
hurricane came blowing up the coast
taking an ADVANTAGEOUS time for its
arrival. The fire had been extinguished
on the starboard side of the boiler,
which was being cleaned, and the ship
was without sufficient power to move
her steering gear. 1t became foggy, and
the whistle was blown, but it damned
and blew for nearly two minutes. vast
ing much valuable steam. With steam
back in the boilers the ship passed
Hogs Island and came on down to
Cape Henry, arriving there late in the
afternoon.
The Larsen, another Byrd supply
ship. was brought into the same pier
at noon and the crew of the Eleanor
Boiling. up practically all night. con-
tinued their task of loading and trans
ferring supplies and equipment.
Byrd Upset by Delay.
Comdr Byrd met the ship at the
pier and said that he had been upset
by the delap but expressed his pleasure
that everybody on board and the ship
itself had come through the storm.
A few of the crew suffered all the
way down from seasickness. but the
majority found the voyage pleasant
one except for the time Tuesday night
when the situation appeared critical
The crew knew that it would be I'M
possible to get out an S 0 S over the
radio, which was out of commission. in
case disaster doomed. Capt. Brown
started into Hampton Roads. but was
unable to pick up pilot. He signaled
both the pilot boats and several naval
ships also hurrying to shelter inside the
Capes.
CITY OF NEW YORK DELAYED.