MILLIONAIRE RUM-RUNNERS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3360, 15 August 1927, Page 8

MILLIONAIRE RUM-RUNNERS.

American prohibition laws have had disastrous effects on tho morals ol Canadian police officials arid even members of Parliament, according to evl deuce before the Royal Customs Commission which has just resumed its sittings. Extensive corruption, making possible a large system of liquor smuggling across the Canadian border, has already been disclosed to the commission. " It has been revealed that £8,0(10,(100 worth, of wines and spirits poured into the United States in a single year through one Canadian port, Windsor. Windsor, opposite Detroit, is the principal centre of the trade, but the whole, Canadian border of 3,300 miles lies open. Lake Erie has its own Rum Row. the region about Niagara Falls offering ready access to the frontier. The recent repeal of the Ontario prohibition laws has brought much legitimate liquor revenue to that pro vince. Forty thousand, Americans cross the international bridge between Buffalo and Fort Erie every Sunday to slake their thirst. Smuggling traffic goes in tbe other direction. The royal commission, during sit tings extending over many days, obtained admissions of bribery involving railroad and public officials, distillers and brewers. Complicity has been charged against a special Dominion prosecutor and a former member of the Dominion Parliament. Investigations so far have covered conditions in Western Canada and Ontario : the story of the Quebec situation lias yet *to be told. Testimony from many sources proves that bootleggers operate under the guise of large business organisations, with the alleged assistance of the men expected to check their activities. Rum-runners, varying from the more successful operators with high-powered craft to the humbler sort in row-boats, abound near Windsor. Motor-cars, trucks, and the Detriot ferries are used, and even the international railroads. Goods vans loaded with liquor have been sent over the boundary as empty, according to evidence submitted to the commission; false bills of lading have been issued with the connivance of officials. and stolen United States goods van seals used to deceive Customs officials. The principal witness before the commission has been one “Frenchy” Savard, born near Winnipeg, who admitted doing business last year to the amount of He complained, however, that his profit was only £IOO,OOO out of so large a turnover. Prices at Windsor, lie said, were Co to £6 a case, and for these goods he received £7 to £9 in Detroit, less “graft” which had to be paid there. The commission, however, managed to establish that “Frenchy” was a messenger boy not many years ago, and that he is now a dollar millionaire many times over. Another witness was a man who used to be a medicine pedlar at fairs. Now be is a bootlegger worth from £2,000,000 to £3,000,000.