Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-29
Gutter WILL TEST
JOSEPHINE K SPEED
Race to Decide Whether Fir
ing Was. Necessary to
Stop Rum Boat.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated EreSS.
NEW YORK, January 2e.-The Jo-
sephine K, Canadian rum-runner cap
tured off Ambrose Light Saturday night
after her master had been MORALLY
wounded by a Coast Guard shell
steamed down the. bay today to race
with the c. G. las, the ship which
shelled and seized her.
The purpose of the race, which was
arranged by the Coast Guard board of
inquiry investigating the Smelling, was
to determine whether the cutter had
speed enough to overhaul the rum ship
without resorting to direct fire.
This question was injected into the
investigation by Gerald Campbell, Brit
ish consul general in New York, who
is participating at the request of the
Canadian Government.
Comdr. j. I. Bryan, presiding officer
at the inquiry, announced the race at
the opening Of today's session.
Josephine X Put in Shape.
The two vessels, one known as the
feetest craft in the rum service, the
other designed to cope with just such
speedsters, were to cover the same
two-mile course they raced over Satur-
day night, but this time there was q
starting gun instead of finish gun.
The Josephine K, the board of inquiry
was informed, had been put in shape
for today's race. Her steering gear was
damaged by one of the direct hits scored
by BoatSwain Karl Schmidt in Satur-
days battle.
The board heard testimony before the
race from c. G.. Birkett, executive officer
of the Coast Guard cutter Sebago, who
drew up alongside the Josephine K q
few hours after the Smelling. He had
been summoned by radio message from
the 145.
Tells Of Checking Position.
Birkett testified he checked the posi-
ton of the rum ship by gyro compass
and by radio compass, and determined
that she was 11.7 miles offshore.
E. Gerald Shepherd, representing the
British consul questioned Birkett in an
effort to establish that the Josephine K.
had been lowed back within the 12-mile
limit before he reached the scene. The
Coast Guard officer did not think she
had.
Birkett told the investigators that
shortly after he boarded the rum ship
he talked with Alfred Cluett, whose
brother. Capt. William P. cluett, was
killed. The officer said he inspected
Alfred Cluett's bank book and was sur
prised to see a balance of only $50.
st told him he must be newcomer
to this business" Birkett testified, "and
he said, This is my first and last
trip"
BOatswain Accused of Drinking.
One of seven witnesses produced by
the British consul general at the in
curry testified positively yesterday that
Boatswain Karl Schmidt, in command
of G. @. las, the cutter which captured
the rum boat, was intoxicated when he
boarded his prize.
OF six other members of the rum
runners crew taken before the board
of inquiry to tell what they observed
about Schmidt's sobriety, one said he
saw the boatswain drink a bottle OF
ale and the others had no evidence
to offer on the subject.
Schmidt denied he was intoxicated or
had taken a drink.
Louis Selig, Halifax seaman, was the
witness who declared unequivocally
that Boatswain Schmidt had been
drinking. Schmidt appeared to be
"very intoxicated" Selig said. HE
staggered"
Selig declared he saw the boatSWain
down "six or more" bottles of ale and
"a couple of whistles" He added that
Schmidt'S talk was incoherent, al
though he clearly caught one sentence:
ct was too bad the captain got shot"
Harry Jewell, also of Halifax, testi-
fled he saw Schmidt drink one bottle
Of ale.