Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
SMOKE DEVICE
EASILY OBTAINED
Rum Runners Latest Weap-
on Creates New Industry
for Auto Mechanic.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
the timing gear of another machine and
proceeded Immediately to install the
contraption.
He drilled a hole near the first cylin-
der, pointing out that the connection
at. this point would cause all six Of the
cylinders to function as smoke producers
when given shot" of oil from the
sprayer. The hole could be placed at
any other point on the manifold he ex-
planned, but the efficiency of the smoke
screen would not be as great.
One end Of the three feet OF copper
tubing was connected to the newly drill
ed hole Another hole was drilled under
the front dashboard and the other end
of the tubing was put through 1t and
attached to the spray can which the.
mechanic has filled with dirty crank
case DRAWINGS.
Mechanic Insists on Test.
There was no attempt at disguise of
the mechanics operations, for there
was no reason for him to envelop his
activities with secrecy. The Maryland
law. while forbidding the use Of smoke
screens does not make it illegal to
install one On an automobile. The In
stallation of such devices Is just an
other legitimate source OF income for
the mechanic. -. -- -sal},a.
The installation was finished in about
a half an hour, and the mechanic in
sisted on giving the apparatus test
before accepting his fee, which was
$275,
A smooth stretch of Southern Mary
land highway was selected for the test.
The reporter was told to step on the
rY.1oo An A0Chaa
near the 40-mile-an-hour mark, the
mechanic showed down on the pump Of
the sprayer.
Fire and then a huge cloud of light
gray smoke belched from the rear of
the car, completely celebrating the
highway behind as well as everything
else within 80 or 40 feet on either side
of the road. The exhaust muff1er
groaned and shrieked from its new ex-
perience. The mechanic gave the pump
another push. more oil poured into the
exhaust manifold and the smoke volume
increased In density. The screen was
trees and the surrounding terrain we're
thoroughly enveloped in evil smelling
smoke.
Advised to remove Evidence.
The mechanic smiled The test had
been successful. You should not have
any trouble now" he said. THE COPS
are giving you fellows hell with these
things up In. Washington, so you had
better take 1t of until you want to
use it,
The car was stopped, the spray can
be disconnected from the tubing and
concealed under the rear seat. The
tube also was taken of and hidden.
Into the freshly drilled hole in the
manifold exhaust where the oil is shot
into the intense heat to be transformed
into smoke, the mechanic screwed a
plug which prevented the exhaust fumes
from discharging prematurely under the
hood of the car. The apparatus can
now be put into operation in few
minutes.
The widespread use OF the smoke
screens and the new business it has Gre
ated followed the enactment of the
Jones law, Only few rum runners
resorted to the use Of smoke barrages
to escape capture before its passage,
but police believe nearly all liquor cars
now running between southern Mary
land and Washington are equipped with
a smoke throwing device.
The increased use OF these smoke
screens is not only endangering the lives
of the police who chase the run runners,
but those Of the motorists who travel
the southern Maryland roads. AS re-
suit. A. C.. Thompson, Prince Georges
County constable, announced yesterday
he would appeal to State authorities in
Baltimore to adopt new and drastic
measures to rid the highways OF the
fast-traveling, smoke-belching, liquor"
laden cars.
Eight Complaints Received.
Within the last two weeks Thompson
declared he received eight spec1f1c COM
plants against the bootleggers Tor
Smoking" without justification motor
lists on Measure rides in southern Mary
land while in one instance. rum run
ner. in a playful mood laid down
6oreo smoke barrage in front of group
If children who had just been dismissed
from school.
"Tbe smoke screen is no longer a
m mace to the police the constable
said, but it is being used by the un-
scrupulous liquor runners as a play
thing, perhaps for the want OF little
more excitement.
"The other dav one of the rum cars
headed toward Washington with load
shot past a machine containing a man
and bis family near Mattawornan
Swamp and pumped out binding
smoke cloud. The. bootleggers looked
back and laughed as the driver strug-
gled to bring his car to stop. When
it did come to a halt, the machine
rested about inches from a danger
Gus cuivert."
The rum cars also are a menace,
Thompson said, because of the excessive
speed at which they operate. Travelling
between so and rs miles an hour even
| through towns and villages, he eX-
planned. makes it exceedingly hazardous
for other machines to get in their paths.
The smoke alone Is dangerous enough,
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