The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-08-20
BY MABEL WALKER wILLEBRANDT.

UGSG V1CLOIy.
"We've got enough to do. We
don't want the job, but if the coast
guard gets orders to clean out rum
row, it'll be cleaned out"
The orders were given. Even
congress was aroused. An addi-
tional $11,0OO,0OO was appropriated
for boats and equipment.
Coast guard boats have been
breaking up icebergs, chasing snug
glers, and performing other peri
louS and hazardous work since the
early days of our government. 1t
is a splendid service, marked by eff
f1ciency, courage and high morale.
In eliminating rum row they
modified, kept quiet, risked their
lives, took punishment and misun-
derstanding, but accomplished re-
suits just the way they have per-
formed every other duty assigned
to them throughout the history of
their service.
Florida remained prohibition
scandal until men from my special
assistants force could join forces
with the coast guard two years ago.
We held council and determined to
mobilize and cut off bootleggers'
supply of imported whisky for the
winter trade.
Fleet on Scene
I dispatched as legal adviser to
the captain of the flagship of the
special patrol of the coast guard,
John H. Smith, one of the staff
attorneys under Arthur Henderson,
chief of the bureau of border cases,
in my division of the department of
justice.
At midnight, Jan. 9, 1928, the
marine and aerial bootleggerS of
Florida found the east and west
coasts of that state lined with
secretly dispatched special fleet of
eleven destroyers; nine 125-foot and
twenty-five 75-foot patrol boats;
eight 36-foot picket boats. two cut
tiers and two amphibian planes, and
plane tender, manned in all by
approximately 120 commissioned
and warrant officers and 900 men,
all of whom and which had been
withdrawn from the east coast and
sent to Florida waters to cooperate
with the land and sea forces regu-
larly stationed there.
Immediately upon its arrival, the
special armada swung into agrees
sive and vigilant patrol action. The
destroyer fleet was divided into
squadronS of tours, each squadron
maintaining four day patrol of
the waters beyond the twelve-mi1e
limit.
The intervening waters, namely,
those within the twelve-mile limit,
were guarded by the ITS and rs
foot patrol boats and cutters, and
the coast line by the picket boats
and smaller speedy inshore craft
stationed there. The duties of the
aerial patrol included detection of
illegal air and sea activity and in
land enforcement agents
in locating stills.
First Vessel Taken
The first liquor laden vessel to
fall into the armadas net was the
lettered and numbered
motor boat V-16734. Within three
hours after the fleets arrival, this
vessel was observed about a. M,
June 10, 1928, in Biscayne bay, run
ming without lights toward Miami
Upon her arrival at the foot of
street, about eight |
men were observed in the act of |
her LIQUOR cargo into six
minus back seats,
which we're parked near the boat.
In emerging from behind a high |
wall covered along the top with |
oarbed wire entanglements, where
they had taken concealment, coast |
guardsmen caused considerable
which served as an
alarm to the bootlegger longshore-
men and at which they all attempt
I'd to escape.
One of the two bootleggers who
happened to be in the water I'M
oading, was captured, but the other
effected his escape by submerging
and swimming away under water.
Not being as young and as feet
If foot as the others aiding him in