Sinking of the “I'm Alone”

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIII, Issue 37, 27 March 1929, Page 3

Sinking of the “I'm Alone”

A MOST COWARDLY ATTACK ENTITLED TO FREEDOM OF SEAS B ’ Telegraph—Copyright —Press. Assn. NEW KORK, March 24. News from New 1 , Orleans states that the crew of the British schooner I’m Alone, sunk by a United States coastguard boat’s gunfire, 200 miles off the Louisiana shore, landed there on Sunday, manacled and under heavy guard. They -were held in custody and were questioned by United States officials and the British Vice-Consul. Nothing has been made public.

In an official statement the headquarters of the coastguard says the pursuit and sinking of I’m Alone, a suspected rum-runner, was “in accord with international law, which authorises continuous pursuit of a vessel which has viola’ted the law within waters over which the United States has control.” Officers of the coastguard report that I’m Alone was at anchor ten or eleven miles off the coast when first she was sighted. When an attempt was made to board her, Captain Randall, a Canadian, brandished a pistol and shouted, “Any many attempting to board this ship will be killed.” He is being held a prisoner, and is charged with “interference of a merchantman with a Customs officer in his boarding duties.” No charge has yet been laid against the crew.

Captain Randall is reported to have admitted that he was engaged in rum smuggling, but says that he was outside American waters, and t was on the high seas when he was hailed by the coastguard. He has stated: “I did not stop because I knew I was within my rights, and I was entitled to the freedom of the seas. This is the most cowardly attack on a merchant ship since the submarine warfare.” He said he only carried liquors for the home port of the I’m Alone, which is Montreal, Canada. ENTERPRETATION OF TREATY. COMPLICATED NEGOTIATIONS. B; Telegraph —Copyright—Press. Assn. WASHINGTON, March 25. A diplomatic clash between the Governments of the United States and Canada over the I’m Alone case appeared probable to-night, following intensification of the situation by Mr *|Mcllon’s statement that the United States’ action in sinking the I’m Alone was fully justified under international law. The secretary of the Treasury has made public the report on the incident received from coastguard headquarters, which reviewed the history of the I’m Alone and repeated coastguard contentions that she was a notorious rum smuggler.

With the discovery that the- I’m Alone was of Canadian registry, the JOanadian Legation here has taken over the handling of the incident, and the possibility of unpleasantness is feared, due to Canada’s interpretation of the rum-running treaty with the United States. This treaty, although indentical with that between the United States and Great Britain, is in the case of Canada regarded as a separate paper, and the interpretations of the Canadian Government and the Treasury Department differ greatly. The main point of difference seems t

now to be on the' matter of the coastguard’s right to pursue the I’m Alone from the point where the vessels first met, ’ and it is expected lengthy and complicated negotiations between the two countries will follow. An investigation is now going on at New Orleans.