Whisky Smugglers

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1922, Page 4

Whisky Smugglers

SEAPLANES ARREST A ■ SCHOONER. NEW YORK, March 7. Dramatic and spectacular in a high degree was the first sea raid by the C.S.. Prohibition authorities against liquor smugglers on the Southern Atlantic coast.

VYhisky has been coming north in a veritable flood and tile authorities have begun combined land, water and air warfare agains this illicit traffic.

Eleven seaplanes, painted in battleship grey, and each mounting a ma-chine-gun capable of firing 100 shots a minute, took part in the raid. The prey of this formidable squadron was the British schooner Annabelle, from a West Indian port. She was captured forty miles south of Miami, near the tip of the Florida Peninsula, with 11,500 eases of whisky aboard, valued at £OOO,OOO her crew of twentyone men being taken into custody.

Instructions bail been issued from Washington on receipt of certain information there to look out for and “get” tile Annabelle.

The seaplanes had been stationed along the coast at Charleston, Jacksonville, St Augustine and Miami, and submarine chasers, acting as scouts, wirelessed the whereabouts of the schooner to tke commander of the Air squadron, who, by means of the radio on his own plane, ordered the other units to join him at a designated point at sea. j With languid interest the crow of the | lAiinabeile watched the approach of the | first flyer, for seaplanes, buth private and public passenger-carrying cruft, are common enough in those latitudes, where easy flights are made to Cuba, and to British islands that are. growing rich because of the anti-drink laws in America.

But, trailing their leader like a flock of migrating geese, came the ten other plants. They manoeuvred in circles over the vessel while the astonished skipper grew more, and more uneasy. His worst fears were confirmed when one seaplane took the water, glided alongside, and put an armed revenue officer aboard, the machine-gunner covering the crew with his weapon to discourage any attempt at resistance. “Me resist!” laughed the skipper (utterly, in reply to the boarding uflieer’.s warning. “With that there popgun poked into old Annahelle’s waistline ami ten others pointing down from tne ’caverns. No sir! Not so‘s you’d notice it. What d’yer want me to do?” “Take her into Jcwfish Creek,” ordered tin* revenue man. And in ,Jowlish Creek, the Annabelle. is anchored, pending further developments.