GUN-RUNNING PLOT.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19462, 29 December 1934, Page 9

GUN-RUNNING PLOT.

SEARCH FOR RECRUITS. TALK WITH GANG LEADER. The story of the man who, as the head or an international gang, has been secretly searching the country ten e crutls to take part in P l ° t 0 J out gun-running operations in a.ha m less-looking schooner from_ an Lnfcl sh port daily grows more sinister, states the Daily Mail. “Game for Anything.” \ London man, whose identity must be'kept secret, told a reporter a remarkable story ol' his cncountei with the gun-runner. ••1 am of a decidedly adventurous turn of mind, and it was through my saving to a friend that I was game for anything’ that 1 met the gunrunner,” lie said. ‘‘.My friend arranged lor u. las t will describe him) and myself to have a |uik in a London public-house. j was a well-dressed, prepossessing man, dark, clean-sluivcn, and slightly j I built. , . . . I “lie led up skilfully lo llu: suh.iecl. I or gun-running. He suggested lii'st of I ;tl l running what he called a Dealing bonze palace,’ and added Ilia! nm pal I won Id lie to act as nominal owner of Hn> vessel and leader of the. scheme, j though aeluall,v he would he Ihe leader while, prelending lo obey my orders, j “There arc obvious reusuua to ex- j

plain why he wanted this ruse carried out. One of the most obvious is that the authorities know him and are hunting for him. Plans Discussed. “When he suggested running, the ‘booze palace’ I gave him the opening he wanted by saying that the only things I would not touch were dopesmuggling and the white slave traffic, lie immediately mentioned gun-r,mining to revolutionaries in Spain. “I gave him to understand that I was willing to take part, lie then told me liis three-masted schooner, lying at Hull, could be used. “I discussed plans with him, and insisted that he must arrange for his vessel to be registered as a yacht, and not as a business ship, to make the authorities at any ports less curious aho-ut tier. “We parted on the understanding that lie should find out bow this could he done and communicate with me later. He sent me a telegram from Hull saying that the estimated cost, of the scheme would" lie between £7OO and £BOO, and flxing an appointment in London. “Ccrlain cvenls prevented me from ‘eo-operating’ with him further. So far as I know lie is still seeking recruits wil.li money to llnanco him. He lias plenty of resource and imagination. and lie always carries a gun.”