Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-07-09

aircraft had been seen near the sotol distillery
was therefore of more than the usual interest
to the members of the Customs Service, and
shortly after they learned that the ace had
cracked up a plane on landing with load at
San Antonio.
The smuggling ring then lost another plane
when Cecil Scherer damaged ship in landing
at q field near Gaerrero Mexico. This Is .
town some 40 miles south of Eagle Pass, and as
the Mexican officials were at hand, they
promptly seized the plane. There was but one
more aircraft left for this particular group to
fly their contraband cargoes with, and this was
q Commandaire.
The customs officers felt fairly sure that in
one way or another this plane would come into
the possession Ct the ace and they decided to
concentrate on this angle Of the case.
CONE months prior there had been report
- of small but very handy little field over In
Mexico near a ranch that was convenient iof
unloading The airfield had served as the back
ground for a violent squabble between rival
smugglers One of these men later became
fugitive from justice. and when map OF the
approximate location Of this desirable neio
came to the attention Of the United States
customs Office, the pilots decided that It might
that the ace might also use 1t on some OF his
mysterious flights A watch Of the air route
leading toward this field WAS made from .
customs hangar near the Rio Grande, but
though the Communicative was seen to ny over
the border. it failed to return By that same
route and q new cast had to be made by the
customs agents.
September and October had passed and early
November was on the calendar when the SNUG
gler plane was located among four other planes
on q small field outside Of San Antonio. man
was stationed to watch events, and the air
patrol began to check up on its own planes
in the customs hangar.
The next few days passed without incl
dent though flight was made to a strategic
point near Cotulla, Tex. in the vain hope Of
locating q plane with contraband. But one
afternoon near sunset an automobile drove
slowly by the obscure little field where the
suspected Commandaire was kept. No one got
out of the car, but the fact was duly reported
and the following morning the same car drove
up again with two mechanics who began work
on the plane. This news was flashed back to
the customs pilot, T. R. Deuel. who was waiting
with Mounted Inspector Tim Oden in their
hangar. The next morning mechanics had
begun to pump up the tires and warm the
motor of the Commandaire A sharp watch
was maintained by the officials. BY O'Clock
all was ready. So when the ace stepped into
the cockpit Of his plane and took Oh on q
compass course of 800 degrees north, this fact
was at once teephoned to Deuel. and Oden, and
within five minutes of the time that the wheels
of the smuggling plane had left the ground
the customs plane was also in the air.
But 1t flew south, not north, as the Govern
ment inspectors had decided to watch from an
airfield near the international boundary line
with the hope that they might be- able to
intercept the smuggler on his return with .
cargo from Mexico. Under the laws OF the
United States it is illegal to land from for
eign country anywhere In the Nation without
advance notice of such intention, and without
landing at an official port Of entry. It is
only by means Of such restriction that the
customs laws can be enforced, and infringe
ment Of this regulation Is very seriously re-
garded. The pilot Of plane who dies across
the international boundary line in violation Of
such laws is liable to . heavy fine, quite apart