RUNNING THE RUM BLOCKADE.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1924, Page 2

RUNNING THE RUM BLOCKADE.

it 1 STRA MAN AND N.Z. CARLE ASSOCIATION. LONDON. March 8. ’1 lie newspapers and others are protesting agaiii't the glowing activities oj rum runners, which are inflaming ITiilcd Stales opinion against Britain. Despite the rec-'nt agreement undo v.hich British rum-ships may he seme! if it bin an Ilnur’- journey ei the American coast, it is stated that ling fortunes are being made by a ilect ol twenty-eight rutn-r'tnitors, which are -an: to fin font I‘wlled hy a Biiiish liatanet Iron) aboard his yacht. Sir John Stewart. Dundee, whisky distiller, who committed suicide last month, made a desperate attempt to restore his broken fortunes by chartering a vessel, whereby lie ho; ed to make a ] ri tit of £I2O.OTt annually, lie oi Iv committed suicide when unable to borrow enough money to stock the vessel v. 1 1 h whisky. Further light was thrown on the romance of rum-running in llic High CVurl of Cliattoer.v to-day. when the Spike Trading Company sued Captain Campbell for the proeecds of sale of 203 V east's of whisky. The com puny alleged that ( am; bell was trying to walk off with C’RhOOO. The defence sin .-es-fnlly plead"d that the. eon tract v. ns illegal, as it was part of a conspiracy to brio!: the laws of l !:<;> I'niied States. F.videnee showed that the com] any sliippet! a cargo of whisky to Newfoundland in the sailing vessel Alary Limahi'th. Captain Campbell being in ( barge of the sale of the (algo. Re cabled tin>B7 front New York, but rein ed to give a detailed statement of accounts. He made an affidavit wherein he stated that the crew got: drunk ami mutinous and that there was even blond-lied, including an attempt to murder Captain Horsv ill. and the mate of the vessel. Defendant ('intended that he owed the company nothing, as much of the money had keen iiseil for bribery, or to meet blackmail. The Judge said that the defence was uii creditable, but it could he justified, so If refused to make an order to force Campbell to render an account.