REAL LIFE KETTLE

Evening Star, Issue 18532, 15 January 1924, Page 7

REAL LIFE KETTLE

ROMANCE OF LIQUOR SMUGGLING,

-“ RUMMY BILL ” M'COY. The muddle that characterises the United States dry laws with regard to liquor smugglers and tho three-mile limit has been emphasised again this week {says the Liverpool 1 Weekly Post of December 1), following the capture of a British vessel five miles from the coast. An official at the British Embassy at Washington has protested. Further details are now available o! tuo capture of the schooner Tomaka off the New Jersey coast. It is interesting to note in connection with her capture that for tho first time since “Ram Row” has become an institution and liquor smuggling has become a profitable trade, threepounders with solid shot were fired by American revenue cutters on a vessel nyin* the British fag, and a boarding party from the cutters had a lively scrimmage with tho crew on tire vessel’s deck. The skipper of the boat concerned is a Britisher —a romantic figure, who is a sort of Captain Kettle. The Tomaka is said to bo an old offender, and her captain, “Rummy Bill’’ M'Coy, has long been wanted by the authorities, as they say he is one of the leaders of rum smuggling, and is a man of courage and great resourcefulness. _1 or five months, according to Prohibition authorities and the coastguard, efforts have been made to capture M‘Coy. Late on Saturday (December 1) w T ord reached them that M'Coy, in his schooner, w-aa lying off Seabright, close inshore, with 200 cases for American customers, this being the last of 4,200 cases of whisky and other liquor ho had brought from tno Bahamas. Just as dawn was breaking the coast cutter Lexington sighted the To make., and sent a radio to the Seneca, another vessel, to join her. The look-out on tho Tomaka. sighted the Lexington, And the Tomaka headed for sea, but was soon overhauled by the two Government vessels. The commander of the Lexington ordered the Tomaka to heave to, but tho answer came back from the schooner -that she a British vessel outside of the three-mile limit, whereupon the Lexington’s commander threatened to blow tho Tomaka clear hack to Nassau. This having no effect, he sent a shot from one of his three-pounders across the fleeing vessel’s bow, which was follow'ed almost immediately afterwards by a shot from the Seneca whizzing by tho mainmast. The two cutters were So close to the Tomaka' that escape was impossible, and M‘.Coy brought her about, Tho Lexington sent a launch with a boarding party of five men, who, seeing they were outnumbered by the crew of the Tomaka, returned for reinforcements, and a larger launch with twenty men was sent to take possession. There was a lively encounter for a few minutes between the boarders and the crew, but in tho end tho crew was overcome, and tho schooner was tho Lexington’s prize. It was a rich hauL From M‘Coy’s trousers pockets there was _iakf;n 50,000 dollars in American money j 30,000 American dollars were found in a safe; and approximately 10,000 dollarwere taken from the pockets of the ert 'ln addition, there were 200 cases of whisky which M'Coy had bean unable to deliver, and tho schooner itself is worth 6,000 dollars. A New York wire saysi The master of the Tomaka, Captain M'Coy, and etoht of the crow have been charged by the American Prohibition authorities with smuggling liquor into the country. When he appeared before tho Collector of Port Duties lie made a successful plea for the restitution of 60,000 dollars which had been taken from him when ho was arrested. He was later taken under heavy guard to Brooklyn to answer a charge brought against him in tho Federal Court in connection with the case of the schoonerHenry Marshall, which was seized last winter. It was not until after this that it was stated that Captain M'Coy would be brought before the United States Commissioner to plead in connection with the charges arising out of the capture of the Tomaka. Captain M'Coy and the crew of the Tomaka were released on bail of 5,000 dollars each, pending hearing of tho question of extradition in New Jersey. In the proceedings concerning the schooner Henry Marshall, M'Coy was released on bail of 15,000 dollars.