Evening star., 1937-01-24

No. 8.
THE ROBERT WEBSTER CASE.
w yHEN Secret Service men get
M together in moments of re-
" " Taxation - few and far
apart-strange cases are
recalled Always the talk turns to
the heroism of Robert King Webster.
On his way to get counterfeiters in
Bimini, the Bahamas. he saved the
lives of three companions. and by plac-
ing his own life in jeopardy prevented
tragedy of the deep seas that would
have remained an unsolved mystery. A
boat set afire and sunk without trace,
no one would have lived to tell the
story.
All this happened 38 miles off the
coast of Florida, on the high seas,
and no outsiders as witnesses.
Webster was on his way to Bimini
to consult authorities about counterfeit
notes used in the liquor importation
business.
On instruction from headquarters
the Secret Service agents contacted
the commandant of the Coast Guard
base at Fort Lauderdale. Fla, and Sc
cured the services of revenue cutter.
Several guardsmen were ordered to
accompany Webster on his trip
through extraterritorial waters. They
sailed on the morning Of August 7.
tI6,y Iad Y0accn6 nIlf nf
sight of land the captain Of the cutter,
Sidney ]. Sanderlin, saw rum-runner
and gave chase.
With the Coast Guardsmen this was
all in the days work, but it was ex-
hilarating to the Secret Service man
a guest aboard the lugger. Webster was
like boy on vacation.
The rum-runner was fast-moving
boat, faster than the Coast Guard cut
ter. To make the race more interest
ing, the Coast Guardsmen fired a shot
at the vessel ahead. The rum-runner
would not have been overtaken had
not the motor stalled.
Overpowered, the rum-runner sur
rendered easily enough. 1t was man
ned by a notorious character, Horace
Alderman. His helper, Robert F.
Weech, was the only other person on
board. These two desperadoes were
enough to keep police force busy.
Their pictures adorned many rogues'
galleries.
Alderman was in the cabin when
the Coast Guard cutter drew along
side. The Federal men expected no
trouble, six against two. Contrary to
expectation, Uncle Sans men ran
into a motion-picture thriller.
Twenty cases Of contraband liquor
were discovered and ordered trans
ferred from the rum-runner to the
cutter. This done, Alderman and
his companion were told to go aboard
the Government vessel. The two men
were unarmed so far as the Coast
Guardsmen knew. They had "frisked"
the prisoners.
Comdr. Sanderlin, in charge of the
cutter, went to the cabin and started
radioing Fort Lauderdale for tnstruc-
tionS. He was not sure whether he
should proceed to Bimini on Secret
Service business or return to land
with the two rum runners already
caught.
BY the time the first spark flew
from the radio Sanderlin was shot
in the back by Alderman. In some
mysterious manner the prisoners had
smuggled pistols aboard the cutter.
A COAST GUARDsMEN nearby
tried to shoot Alderman. The
Churchman's automatic jammed. Al
derman shot this man, Jodie Hollings-
worth, through the head, destroying
an eye. Then the rum-runner seized
the wounded commanders gun and
transferred it to Weech, the helper.
Both desperadoes were now armed
and looking for trouble. Alderman
then shot and wounded another Coast
Guardsman coming through the
hatchway to the aid of Sanderlin.
Other Coast Guardsmen, with
Webster, stood in the stern Of their
boat as Alderman came out of the
cabin fiourishing his pistols. Before
they realized what happened the Fed
eral men had their hands up.
Nov, you birds, you're gonna get
what's coming to you," Alderman de-
clared. I'm gonna kill every one
Of you, one by one, and sink this
boat. Sink it out asight, with all
hands aboard"
One of the men, Victor H. Lanby
Of the Coast Guard, made a move.
1t was probably unintentional. Alder
man shot him in the right chest. The
bullet lodged against Lanby'S spinal
cord The injured man fell down
the hatchway. He died from hem
orrhages.
There goes onel" Alderman shout
ed. Now, you guys, say your prayers"
They stood like men in a trance.
Wondered what would happen next.
Wondered what to do. Nothing much
they could do, except take a chance.
Death glared at them. Alderman had
a maniacal look in his eyes. In
moment hot lead would belch from
the weapons in his hands. One by
one the men would drop. That was
the threat.
Wholesale execution was about to
take place when a sound like machine
gun shots split the air. At this inter-
ruption Alderman ordered his con-
federate, Weech, to investigate. Frank
Lehman, motor machinist mate, was
IN the engine room-unknown to AL
derman-working on tine engine. When
Weech acted rather slowly, Alderman
backed through the cabin door, left
Weech to cover the men and shot at
the motor machinist mate, whose en-
CINE had back-fired. Weech was or
dered to break the gasoline pipe lines
in the Government patrol boat and
set fire to the fluid.
weech broke the ppie line. He
H.