Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12
GIANT RUM RING
|. DEALT DEATH BLOW
IN NEW ORLEANS
Federal Agents Arrest Eight
Men and Seize Radio
Station.
AL CAP0NE BELIEVED
LINKED WITH GROUP
Syndicate Thought to Be Largest
Illicit Liquor Band in
World.
5y the Associated Press.

Bv the Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS, April 1.-THE Fed
eral Government struck a death blow
today at a gigantic band OF bootlegeerS
and rum smugglers with the arrest Of
eight men and the seizure Of a radio
station here. Authorities said they had
evidence the ring was supported By
interests having millions Of dollars and
operated from the Mississippi Gulf
Coast, Canada and British Honduras.
Flushing OF the band after weeks OF
investigation by large corps of Fed
eral agents has uncovered in the
opinion of prohibition oficers. the
largest existing Illicit liquor ring in the
world. It represented, they said. o
curious liaison between the underworld
Canadian distillers and Mississippi off,
Gals and business men.
Seize Radio Station.
Poised for several days, the agents
sprang out today in New Orleans and
simultaneously seized the powerful
radio station in a dwelling in GENTLY,
suburb, and arrested the eight men
on charges Of conspiracy to violate the
Federal prohibition law. Other arrests
were promised by Monday. Before the
sweep is over District Attorney Edmund
E. Talbot said the arrests may reach
100.
Some Of the prisoners admitted they
had given wrong names to the authori-
ties, and the records officially were cor
rected to list them as Albert Morrison.
ALDER Hahn, Al Hart, Joe Miller. Cecil
Squires, Md. O'Neal, Charles Andres
and Harry Golden. Golden was ar
rested after being caught tapping the
syndicate's telephone wires to get in
formation, officers said, which he adj
mitted would be used by a gang Of New
Orleans bootleggers in a scheme to hi
jack the syndicate's liquor.
Shipped from Vancouver.
Morrison and O'Neal were described
by officers as representatives Of Van
couver, Canada, distillers, who handled
the rings orders. Hahn, Hart and
Miller, the authorities said were from
Chicago and took charge OF the land
distribution of the liquors. Squires was
arrested as he walked into Morrisoris
quarters in Canal street apartment as
the officers made the arrest.
District Attorney Talbot said the ring
brought liquor from Vancouver distillcrs
by boat to Belize, British Honduras.
where it was reshipped on steamers to
the Gulf Coast to be met outside the
12-mile limit by luggers which would
slip around the Gulf Coast and up the
Pearl River
On Pearl River, he said. the ring had
leased a pecan orchard and several lum-
Der plants that were used as a base for
the liquor supplies. The liquor then
would be moved by motor truck to
freight cars. where it would be shipped
out labeled lumber or cross ties"
Link Al CapOne with Ring.
1--WE can't very we'll prove It." said
District Attorney Talbot, but evidence
convinces the investigators that AL Ca
pone furnished much of the money for
the importation Of rum through this
syndicate for Chicago and New York
consumption"
Federal agents obtained complete EVIL
dence, the district attorney said, by tap
ping telephone wires used by the syndi-
Gates managers BY listening to con-
versations, he said, they had sound case
involving rum running, bribery and
operation Of illegal radios. An agent, he
said. heard Morrison talking by long
distance to a representative Of Van
couver distillery:
II have Just forwarded fifty grand
net profits for the last few months"
Morrison was quoted as saying.
Smaller Fry" Confess.
Authorities said they had obtained
confessions from some Of the smaller
fry" who had involved the higher
ups"
Mr. Talbot estimated that at times -
many as hundred rum ships would lay
off the Cuffs rum row at one time
and that well over a million dollars
worth of whisky had passed through
the Pearl River base.
After they had given names, the
commissioner warned that II any of
them gave fictitious names they would
not be entitled to bail and soon several
Of them announced new names. All of
them were charged with conspiracy
and all held for $4,000 bail except
Andres, the radio man. whose bond was
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