RUM-RUNNING TRUST

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1924, Page 2

RUM-RUNNING TRUST

STUDENT’S SMUGGLING ADVENTURES.

LONDON, September 23

The liquor-smuggling tiaile of the United States is loming under the influence of a trust anil prices of whisky and other spirits in “Rum Row”— where tbe liquor ships assemble off New York—are falling to a figure which threatens to make the running of cargoes from this country an unprofitable adventure. A medical student who went out in a rum-running ship from Glasgow and has spent some months in '‘Rum Row”, acting as medical officer of the boat, and as se:ond supercargo, saiil to a reporter : We went out with 20,(ICO cases of good Scotch Whisky. Tbe cargo is peddled over the side of the vessel in lots of perhaps 301) or GOO cases at a time. We had an agent ashore who put us in touch with customers, who would come out under cover of darkness in a motor-boat capable of doing up to 23 knots. Wlieu the boat came alongside one of the party would he invited aboard and would choose the brands he wanted and pay cash down. Then he would return to the boat and the case.; he bad bought would be transferred. Tbe motor-boat would run them ashore to the lieaeli, where they would lie loaded on to motor-vans and taken to New York.

Tbe coast guards and tbe police had to he dodged, and they had also to take the chance of a hold-up by gunmen. I am sure the authorities could stop the traffle in a week if they really wanted to. but the fact is they are tolerant. RISK OF PIRACY. We nere always armed, he added, am! no mine than one man at a time \ras allowed aboard from a motor-boat because there was always tbe risk of a raid by pirates. A cargo of whisky and the ('intents of the safe—at times, tliorxamls of pounds—Mould have been valuable booty. Onre, an old submarine-chaser, with a machine gnu mounted fore and aft, descended on us. She Mas a pirate craft and her cicm- fired oil u.s. AYe returned tbe lire uith revolvers, and islie drew off. the appearance of a revenue cutter on tbe horizon piobablv frightening the raiders, who had to think of the chances of getting home.

The medical student stated that at the beginning of the year whisky was making Co lo.s to CO a ease, but the combine lias now forced tbe price down to £1 os. a ease, and gin is down to £0 10s. He went on:

At' this print the profit is not worth the risk. The combine is not at all scrupulous itr its methods of putting its rival out of business. It spies on rivals and hires gunmen to attack them when cargoes are being taken from the l>each. Spirits are not the only things smuggled in Rum How. More than oncO' one of the customers have called mo aside and asked, ‘-Have you got any cocaine for safe?” Cocaine and other drugs are said by boats from Antwerp, and I was told that the crews of tho revenue cutters were far keener about stopping the traffic in drugs than that in whisky.