THE RUM-RUNNERS
Carl and Grace had luck in catching the boat. Sailings from Mogador
are few and far between, but the English freight steamer “Resolute”
was at the wharf, loading for a return trip to New York. Inquiring of
the vessel’s master as to the chances of securing passage, Carl was
directed to the purser’s office, where he made arrangements for himself
and Grace. Besides themselves, three other passengers had been booked
for the trip.
Shortly afterward the steamer weighed anchor, and Grace and Carl,
standing at the rail, waved farewell to the shores of Africa.
Carl soon made friends with the other men passengers, and much to his
amazement, soon discovered that the “Resolute” was a rum-boat, operated
by a New York bootlegging gang. Captain Billings and the first and
second officers, he learned, were in the pay of this gang and were
known to be ruthless in their methods of dealing with any member of
the crew who saw fit to disagree with them. Billings was an American,
who prior to taking up this calling, had been master of a Gloucester
fishing schooner. Although legally without right to take charge of a
steamer of the size of the “Resolute,” he had been given papers by
the English concern, which, to all appearances, operated the steamer
as a freight boat, but which, in truth, was but a subsidiary of the
rum-running organization.
He learned, too, that the vessel had stowed away in its holds, some
ninety thousand gallons of whisky and brandy, with a value of perhaps
seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This liquor had been taken
aboard at Cadiz, in Spain, to which port it had been originally shipped
from England and France. From Cadiz the ship had gone to Mogador, which
was listed as one of its ports of call, to take on a miscellaneous
cargo. This, Carl was assured, was but another step in the concealing
of the true nature of the steamer’s operations.
Carl was told that if trouble arose he must not be surprised. Out of
Cadiz, the crew had mutinied, but were subdued by Billings and his
gunmen, who even now were somewhere on board the boat, ready at an
instant’s notice to quell whatever disturbance might arise. At Mogador,
the crew had deserted the vessel, and a new one engaged from the
riffraff of the wharves.
Naturally, Carl had many doubts as to the truth of his informant’s
statements, but these doubts were driven from his mind the following
morning. He had been awakened by loud voices and general uproar. Upon
investigating, he found that the crew had discovered the true nature of
the cargo, and had demanded more pay. Their demands being refused, they
had tried to persuade Billings to put back for Mogador. In this, too,
they failed.
Then they had tried more direct action to obtain their “just rights” as
they called them. But, to their chagrin, the four gunmen, of whom Carl
had heard, were upon them, with threats of gun play if they did not go
aft. The men could not resist now and were willing to cry “quits!”
Billings, however, wished to set his new crew an example, so three of
the men, at his command, were clamped into irons and made prisoners
below deck.
Then to show the men that he could play square with them, although
everyone doubted it, he promised the crew a bonus at the end of the
voyage and plenty of whisky during it.
From that time on, Carl and the rest of the passengers were wise
in staying within the confines of the passenger deck. The crew was
literally drunk at all times. How they managed to do their work was a
mystery to Carl.
The slow tedious passage to New York was quite uneventful after the
uprising had been taken care of, with the exception of the storm they
encountered the fifth day out. Early that morning a gale sprang up,
increasing in velocity until, by noon, it was a roaring hurricane.
The “Resolute” was slowed down to almost a standstill, her engines
running just enough to keep her head on to the wind. During the storm,
which lasted over fifteen hours, the decks were continually swept with
great waves, which tore away rafts and boat, broke ports twenty feet
above the water line and flooded the staterooms. One of the passengers
ventured out on deck during the storm and was picked up with a broken
leg, having been thrown heavily against the cabin walls by a great mass
of water.
The crew sobered up considerably during the storm, while the three men
in irons were willing to promise anything if they were released.
Some seventeen days later, Carl was told that they were nearing New
York. Long before reaching port, however, wireless messages were sent
out to the effect that the ship had developed some slight boiler
troubles, at the same time giving her location, but adding that no
assistance was needed. Knowing that there was nothing wrong below
decks, Carl figured that this was but a code message intended for the
bootleggers, who were awaiting the arrival of the vessel.
When the ship was about ten miles from New York, Captain Billings gave
the command to cast anchor. At nine o’clock sharp that evening, a red
rocket was sent up. Within half an hour, an auxiliary schooner, the
“Viking,” commanded by a former Customs guard, was lying alongside the
“Resolute.” Under the direction of the Captain and the watchful eyes of
the gunmen the crew was immediately set to discharging the treasure of
liquor.
This work kept the men busy the entire night. Early the next morning
two fast motorboats came up and drew alongside the steamer. The men
boarded the “Resolute” and with the aid of the latter’s crew a large
number of cases of whisky were put on board the motorboats, which then
sped away.
Hardly had they departed with their treasure, however, when one of
the motorboats was stopped by a large powerboat. This took place near
enough to the “Resolute” to enable Carl to read its name--“Buzzard.”
The crew of this latter boat was heavily armed, and resistance being
useless, the cases were transferred from the smaller boat to the
“Buzzard,” which Carl now recognized as one of the much spoken of
pirate outfits gotten up to terrorize other rum-running vessels. The
commander of this vessel no doubt had an understanding with Captain
Billings so that the latter’s employers, the New York bootlegging gang,
would be cheated out of the liquor as well as the price the rum-runners
had paid for it.
The other motorboat, as well as the schooner “Viking” got away, but the
“Resolute” was picked up by a Government dry navy patrol boat. This
patrol had been on the lookout for a fleet of five English rum-laden
vessels, some twenty miles out at sea off Fire Island. These English
ships were supposed to be the mother ships of the rum-runners. The
patrols had been given orders to board and capture the English vessels
at high sea in order to test out a custom house ruling to the effect
that the Federal authorities had the right to seize and search beyond
the three mile limit.
A comparatively small quantity of liquor was found on board, but a list
was found of the foremost New York hotel managers, evidently bootleg
customers. The vessel and cargo, as well as some three hundred thousand
dollars in gold, found in an iron chest was seized by the authorities
and taken to New York, where the officers and crew were confined to
jail. At the court hearing the next morning, the Captain explained, “I
delivered the liquor on the high seas and not within the jurisdiction
of the United States Government. The liquor still on the ship is bound
for Bermuda and not for your country. I was at the wheel and when the
prohibition boat came along I took it for a pirate ship. Even when I
heard the voice through the megaphone, ‘Heave to, we are Revenue men,’
I thought they were pirates and at first I intended ramming their ship.
On second thought I demanded that they turn their searchlight on their
flag and crew. When this was done I could see that they were indeed
Revenue men and I was glad to have them come aboard a British boat
outside the three mile limit.”
The judge questioned Billings as to how he had come into possession of
so large an amount of gold and was informed that it was customary for
rum-running captains to demand gold, because of the large amount of
counterfeit money the bootleggers had succeeded in passing in payment
of the liquors.
However, the prisoners were soon released. After a visit from the
British Ambassador, the wheels of official Washington began turning and
it was ruled that the three mile limit must be observed in the search
of foreign vessels. The pressure brought to bear probably did not have
“the freedom of the seas” so much in mind as the fact that three miles
from shore meant easier work for the rum-runners in their efforts to
land the contraband.
In the meantime Carl had landed and re-established himself in New York.
The accounts in the newspapers as to the seizing of the “Resolute” were
amusing to him owing to the way facts appeared to have been juggled. He
related his story at the club that night to several of his friends. One
of them, a Doctor Rowland, was rather surprised and proceeded to tell
his side of the story.
“My chauffeur, John, was arrested last night by a dry agent, while he
had twenty cases of brandy in his car, which came from the ‘Resolute.’
He had gotten the liquor at an East River dock, from a motorboat, the
crew of which was dispensing the liquor to a number of customers who
had paid for protection. However, John’s load was seized just as he was
about to enter my garage. The cases were unloaded into a truck standing
nearby and John was placed under arrest and ordered to accompany the
agent to the police station. After they had ridden a block or so, they
let him go. The joke of the whole affair was that John was arrested by
a man undoubtedly posing as a dry agent. He might have been one--but
how do we know? I inquired and learned that the seizure of the liquor
had not been reported to the authorities. So I am the loser, to the
extent of two thousand dollars.”
The two men enjoyed a hearty laugh as Doctor Rowland continued, “Last
month, our friend White’s chauffeur was held up by two gunmen just as
he was leaving the dock with a load of liquor in the evening. You know
certain policemen are tipped off to stay away from that particular
section for an hour or two on certain nights. The gunmen jumped into
his car and pointing their revolvers at him, forced him to drive past
an empty lot. When there he was kicked out and the thieves drove off
with the car, liquor and all. White found the car standing in front of
his home the next morning.
“There is no questioning the fact that certain men accept bribes to
have the booze removed from the boats, then put the holdup gang on to
the trick, for a consideration, and still further benefit probably by
dividing the booty itself. Just plain double-crossing.
“Last week the Federal grand jury censured several dry agents for
taking large quantities of liquor out of government warehouses where
it had been stored after seizure. These agents, however, claimed that
they did not sell the stuff, but gave it away to their friends and
relatives. Who wants to believe them?
“There are all kinds and forms of rum-selling going on and the men
engaged in it make big and easy money. I understand that a certain
party here in New York bought several yachts and is sailing them
between New York and nearby English possessions, engaged in the
bootlegging business. His yachts keep outside of the three mile limit
where the rum-runners meet them with hard cash. He is making a lot of
money and is running no risk. Once the stuff is on land there is no
lack of buyers. And some way is always found to supply their wants.
In fact a friend of mine told me that in one of our boroughs whisky
is distributed from oil delivery wagons in the conventional oil
cans. These wagons have regular routes, calling on their established
customers once a week.”
“Look here,” said Carl, “you are a good writer; why don’t you write a
story about these pirates, the double dealing crooks and dishonest dry
agents. It would make corking good reading and the people would see
that our country, after all, is not as dry as the Sahara.”
“No, thank you. I don’t want to be a ‘marked man.’ You know they would
get me in the long run, even if they had to ‘frame me’ and ‘frame me’
they would. You, as every one else who wishes to, know too well the
custom in this respect. And if they did ‘frame me,’ they would have so
very little respect for decency and honor that they would call me a
liar, even if I had made a sworn statement in advance that such would
be the case.”
“Yes, thinking it over,” said Carl, “it seems best that we raise no
objection to their crooked business and simply pretend that we know
nothing about it.”
“But it is a fine state of affairs when a law, such as the dry law,
causes untold evils. It not only makes law and home breakers, but it
makes liars and hypocrites. It causes children to disrespect their
parents; it causes divorces and as the records show, it fills the
jails more than ever. Doctors are against it, as it undermines health
and in many a case death has been the result of the lack of alcoholic
stimulant. Besides it costs the people more in the way of taxation
to make up the losses in revenue which were formerly derived from
breweries, saloons and distilleries. Now the balance has to be struck
by taxing the dear public.
“While home-brew is much in vogue, most of the stuff would kill an
elephant. We are surely getting ourselves into a nice mess, even to the
extent of getting into difficulties with foreign diplomats and their
countries. And what is probably worst of all is the frightful use of
deadly drugs and its disastrous consequences.
“There is no getting away from it. It undermines the morals and
health, and how many murders have already been committed on account of
it.”
“It’s a great life if you don’t weaken.” Carl laughed. “Yes, it’s
a great life if you don’t weaken! But what becomes of the country?
This may go on for some years, with conditions getting worse daily,
while our dry advocates and agents will continue to tell us through
the papers, and otherwise, that every day in every way the country is
getting drier and drier.
“That they are deliberately distorting the truth of the situation and
quoting figures and so-called facts, which they themselves do not
believe, will not deter them in their efforts to make the people like
it. That is their big job--make the people like the medicine the quacks
prescribed for them.
“One of the surest indications of public opinion is the way politicians
and candidates use the conditions as they now exist in their efforts
to get into office. Prior to the going to the polls, these candidates
appeal to the people’s reason, or state of mind, as they call
it--appeal to them to abolish the dry law; to regain the liberties
they have lost. Oh, yes, these candidates, if elected, will restore
those lost liberties! Oh, yes, they will--not. But the people fall for
it--and that helps, from a political point of view.
“As you have, of course, found out through your own observations,
these pre-election promises are never kept. After election, promises
are memories only--and then often only in the minds of the people
who elected that particular candidate to office. He immediately even
discards the memory of his promises.
“From the voter’s point of view the outcome is to be regretted, as is
true of many other issues that arise from time to time. But it shows
the sentiment of the people. If they were for prohibition and the
consequent results of such enforcement as we have had foisted upon us,
office seekers would never dream of appealing to them as they do.
“But to get back to those who do preach prohibition, even if they do
not practise it. Do you know, that many of these ‘private’ dry agents
get big pay from wealthy individuals, who accumulated their wealth
while the country was wet?”
“You mean to say,” questioned Carl, “that individual contributions are
made to make the country dry?”
“Of course. Where do you suppose these fanatics get the money with
which to carry on their lecture tours and campaigns? They haven’t any
money of their own to speak of, and the government doesn’t pay them.
The government has its own dry crusaders.”
“Oh, I see,” Carl resumed. “These private individuals are making a good
living by advocating, for a price, the doctrine that it would be a
good thing for the welfare of the people and the country, if they were
deprived of a glass of beer or wine.
“I have no objection to the abolishing of strong drink--such as brandy
and whisky, but it is idiotic hypocrisy to believe that a hundred
million people should change their custom overnight. Did you ever think
it over? If the customs of a nation can be changed overnight, at the
command of a few, what sort of stuff must the people be made of?
“I can see where an individual here and there could give up voluntarily
a customary indulgence for a short time, as we often do around New
Year’s, and then it is a matter of testing one’s power of will, but it
is beyond conception to believe that an entire nation can be dictated
to, and made to abide by a law that makes it a crime to indulge in a
glass of four per cent. beer when the day before it was within the law
to consume one hundred proof.”
“No, Carl, you haven’t got that quite right!”
“And why not?”
“You can drink all you want, or rather, can get. All the liquor you, or
any other wealthy and wise man, may have stored away in your cellar
is yours for the drinking. The law does not specify that you must not
drink it. It is not criminal to try it, but it is illegal to sell or
transport it to your home.”
“That is idiotic!” shouted Carl.
“But it is a fact,” came the retort.
“This would favor, no doubt, the well-to-do, who are well able to pay
the price of replenishing their private stock.”
“Of course. The poor devil cannot afford a cellar full. His stock at
best, no doubt, is a flask on his hip--if he has the coin, and then he
runs the risk of being arrested for having it on him. They could even
take his trousers away from him, if they felt like living up to the
very letter of the law. His trousers would be termed the vehicle of
transportation.
“That is the one reason why so much home-brew is being made. Some of it
would make a rabbit fight a bulldog, but the people want it--and they
pay the price. As you know thousands have died drinking the stuff.”
“Too bad. But what about our government which caused this law to be
passed?”
“It is responsible for all this misery, for the lawlessness, that is
seen on every hand. It is just as much responsible for such conditions
as England was when she forced upon China the use of drugs. You know,
China did not want the drugs, so England warred upon her, with the
result that millions of Chinamen have died from the use of the drugs.
“Then, too, for years the unscrupulous Chinamen, or his agents, sells
the drug to the ever increasing American trade. It is stated that since
our country became dry, more of the deadly drugs are used here than in
all other countries of the world combined.”
“And the government at Washington stands for that? Impossible!”
“But what can they do? The government tries to stop the smuggling
of drugs into this country. But as the people want the drug, either
because of the high cost of alcoholic stimulant, or the scarcity of
it, they are forever devising new schemes for bringing it in, so that
the government, while it does prevent the smuggling of some of it, is
unable to prevent the drug from getting into the country. Once in the
hands of the peddlers in this country it is an easy matter for it to be
distributed among their customers.
“And not only are they supplying old hands at the game, but they are
continually creating a new demand, by teaching the habits to others.
Why, we read in the papers of school children and young girls barely
out of their teens using drugs. Were conditions the same before
prohibition? No! You didn’t hear of children getting drunk, and getting
drunk is wearing a halo compared to taking dope.
“If half the money used in the enforcement of the dry law and the
preaching of its propaganda was spent in an earnest effort to rid this
country of the drug peril, there would be fewer jobs for keepers in
insane asylums.”
“Yes,” agreed Carl, “you are right there. And thinking of it, it is not
alone health that suffers from such an evil. The nation will suffer in
the end. Look at China. Prior to the use of drugs, China was a great
nation. Some of the most useful of the inventions of the ages have come
from China. What is it as a nation? The use of drugs made it stagnant.
Its culture died out and it ceased to be a factor in the progress of
the world. I wonder if that was England’s object when she forced drugs
upon China. I understand, too, that in India, today, more drugs are
consumed than prior to England’s taking hold there.”
“That may be so. You know a nation or a people can be better exploited
when in such a condition.”
“Well, let England do what it wants. The duty of each and every
American, however, is to look out for the welfare of his country.
He must remember that America comes first and should do everything
possible to keep the American people from being exploited either from
within or without.”
“Quite right. But what do we want to do? It is against the law to sell
liquor, but not to drink it. Come into the locker room, I have a little
left.”
“Yes, it is a great life if you don’t weaken.”