Evening star., 1934-12-29
I'M ALONE LINKED
TO RUM RUNNERS
Background of Murder
Thrown Around Vessel by
American Agent.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A lurid account Of pre-repeal liquor
smuggling practices that portrayed the
ship I'm Alone as the instrument of q
New York rum-running syndicate was
presented yesterday to the American
Canadian Judicial Commission.
A background of murder and in
trigue was thrown around the case by
former Senator George Wharton Pep
per, American agent, who is arguing
against Canada's claim Of 1886, 900 for
the sinking of the vessel of the
Louisiana coast by an American Coast
Guard boat in 1929.
The two commissioners-Willis VAN
devanter, associate justice Of the Su-
preme Court, and Sir Lyman Poore
Duff, chief justice of the Canadian
Supreme Court-heard the reading Of
a mass of afidavits as Dan Hogan.
a New York racketeer alleged to have
been part owner of the ship, sat in
Jail here ready to be called to testify.
Hogan, convicted of conspiring to
violate the national prohibition act,
was brough here from Northeastern
Penitentiary, Lewisburg, Pa, Thursday
night under heavy guard.
Ignorant of Ownership.
Capt. John Randell, skipper Of the
I'm Alone, sat with members of the
crew also awaiting the call to tes-
tify.
Who owned the I'm Alone?" he was
asked, after Pepper had declared the
ship to be of American ownership
and John Read, Canadian agent, had
said it had flown the British flag
legitimately and was Of bona fide
Canadian registry.
II don't know" the thin-faced
sailor replied. 1T is not the part Of
a master to inquire who owns the
ship over which he has charge"
Evidence of the ownership Of the
vessel came in an affidavit prepared
by Marvin ]. (Big Jim) Clark, who,
made his deposition.
The price paid for the vessel was
given as $4,000, plus a $500 commits
sion paid to George J. Hearn Of Mont
real, agent for the original owners,
whose names were not given, and $500
or $400 later paid to make up for diff
ferences in the exchange. The trans
actions were made in October of 1928.
Later Clark, his statement said, was
in contact with the vessel off the
Gulf Coast, and on several occasions
had unloaded the schooner off Trinity
Shoals, on the coast Of Louisiana.
Rather Let Her Be Sunk.
He said he had advised Capt. RAN
dell that he should never let the Coast
Guard put a line on the ship, but
rather let the vessel be sunk.
He said he had unloaded the I'm
Alone through contact boats and had
brought liquor at various points in the
vicinity of Iberia and Vermilion Par
ishes, Louisiana.
Another affidavit read was from
John Magnus, who said that in April,
1928, he had sold the I'm Alone to
one Christian Iverson for $4,000.
Another af6davit from one Alex
Bryan said that he had bought a S.
900 interest in it from Clark in q
transaction executed at the Monte
leone Hotel, New Orleans, in 1929.
Deciphered Code Messages.
Mrs Elizabeth Smith Friedman,
Coast Guard cryptanalyst, testified
she had deciphered q number of code
messages alleged to give instructions
for sailing of the I'm Alone and dis
position of the cargo.
Evidence indicated the messages
were exchanged between Belize, Brit
ish Honduras, and New York.
The call letter at New York was
Mocana and the cable address at Be-
lie was Carmelha.
Edison j. Shamhart, the customs Of
ficer, said the messages addressed to
Mocana went to q hotel and were sub
sequently relayed by telephone to
Hogan at an apartment Goo West
Fifty-eighth street,.
Before the start of the hearings,
which may last several days, Justice
Vandevanter and Sir Lyman paid .
call Of respect upon President Roose-
Welt.