Evening star., 1932-07-24
|S|X AUT0SCAUGHT
| IN SMOKE DRIVE
One Killed and Six Jailed as
Maryland Police Fight
for Safe Traffic.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, July 23.-Six au-
tomobiles have been seized, as many
men have been arrested and one COL
ored man has been killed, the Maryland
State police announced today as the
result Of campaign they have been
conducting against bootleggers' auto
mobiles using smoke screens and driv-
ing at 70 to 80 miles an hour on the
Washington Baltimore boulevard.
According to Lieut.. r. NJ Ridgely. q
Washington colored man is believed to
be the chief figure in the operation of
the smoke screen cars. Three times he
has attempted to run down State po-
licemen, according to Lieut.. Ridgely.
and has sent word that he plans to get"
one particular State policeman.
The State police, said Lieut.. Ridgely,
have declared war on this man and
intend TO put an end to his speeding
danger of every automobilist using the
highway.
Protection Of Traffic.
Enforcement Of the prohibition law
is not our business" said Lieut.. Ridgely.
But protection of automobiles on the
Washington boulevard from cars which
drive at from 10 to 80 miles an hour Is
our business.
For some time these cars have been
using a smoke screen generated from oil
and lamp black. The smoke screen ap-
paratus is attached to the exhaust
When prohibition agents approach them
the drivers Of these cars release the
smoke screen forcing the agents to
slow up. When these cars took to run
ming 70 and 80 miles an hour. it be-
came our business to take hand.
Last Thursday, after picking up a
number of other cars which used this
waiting at Dorsey's stretch, near Laurel
when one Of these cars came by. We
went after 1t and it let out a smoke
screen as 1t passed through Laurel at Q
speed Of at least 80 miles an hour.
Il was in a car following them, my
machine being driven by one of the in
spectors of the Motor Vehicle Commits
sioner who is an expert operator. The
car ahead was travelling 80 miles an
hour There was no doubt about that.
Dry Agents Join Chase.
I'VE passed Laurel and went on into
the District. Pronlbltlon agents joined
in the chase and at the District line
Washington police took part. At Mich
igan avenue and North Capitol street,
the car We were persuing struck tree
and the driver, colored man. was
killed Another colored man attempted
to run away but We caught him. The
car was loaded with 20 drums of liquor
The man who was killed was Eddie
Brown. His companion was William
Waite"
Not all of the cars which have used
smoke screens are under direction of
the one Washington bootlegger, accord
ing to Lieut. Ridgely, but he says he
feels sure that a number of them are.
Twice in the last week" said the
lieutenant this Washingtonian, who
is apparently hauling liquor from Anne
Arundel County, has attempted to run
down State policeman. This was at
tempted on the boulevard near Muir
kirk. where the road is wide.
The bootlegger's car with this Wash
ington man in 1t drove to the far side
of the road and attempted to strike the
policeman. Each time the officer man.
aged to jump aside. Again on the
Frederick road the same thing was tried
on another State policeman by the same
colored man."