LIQUOR FOR AMERICA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18619, 15 July 1930, Page 2

LIQUOR FOR AMERICA

ENGLISHMAN ARRESTED. ALLEGED ILLICIT BUSINESS. A smartly-dressed, keen looking young Englishman in Harris tweeds, denying in a perfect English publicschool accent that he was ever an Oxford man, was arraigned in the United States Federal Court recently as a bootlegger of vision and genius. He was accused of having plotted a scheme to provide America’s best families and- most exclusive yacht clubs and yachtmen with “grade A” liquor, guaranteed not to offend palates of the most, exacting gourmets. He gave his name as Edward Tatham, of London, and was arrested on a Toronto-bound train in Grand Central station. With him special Federal agents took away four travelling bags containing, according, to them, two social registers, an extensive list of society leaders in New York, Philadelphia and Boston and all details of a scheme for supplying plutocratic American wines and spirits at a reasonable profit. After a night in gaol, because he was unable to find the bail of £4OOO demanded, Tatham was taken to the Federal Building to. confer with the Assistant United States Attorney, Mr R. D. Watts. According to the Federal agents, Tatham had been moving about in a leisurely manner through the smartest social sets for several months, taking orders for liquor and securing an impressive list of prospective clients. Mr Watts indicated that the list might be made public later, an announcement which caused a sensation.

Big cargo vessels owned by a syndicate supposed to be backing Tatham’s plan, said Mr Watt, were to bring loads of good liquor from Canada and England and special agents were to be employed to take it ashore and deliver it to clients. Millionaires owning yachts might add the thrill of rum-running to the satisfaction of being sure of their liquor. It was alleged that some leading yachting clubs had agreed to sail to Tatham’s ships, outside the twelvemile limit, and load their own stocks —yachts are seldom examined by the Customs agents.

Mr Watts said the list of clients was divided up by cities and read “like the dream guest-list of a newrich hostess.’.’ , 11 v

It was further stated that there was at least one other Englishman in New York implicated in the plot. The case was unique, it was added, in that, although the conspiracy was considered complete, no liquor had been actually run into the country.

Tatham was remanded, and subsequently released on reduced bail of £IBOO.