1922 ❖ BOOZE RUNNER PIRATES

ANACORTES AMERICAN Newspaper

30 November 1922

"A Stuart Island correspondent sends the following story of how a "booze runner" fell the victim of pirates and was put ashore last week on Stuart Island, San Juan County, WA.
        The schooner Daisy, with a cargo of $50,000 worth of liquor, cleared from Vancouver last Wednesday evening for Estenado, Mexico, and while coming through Active Pass was hailed and boarded by the crew from a speed boat. The crew of the schooner was held up and the owner of the liquor, who had the schooner chartered, was beaten up, bundled into the speed boat and given the choice to be landed at Turn Point, Stuart Island, or thrown overboard. As he valued his life he chose the landing. He scrambled with difficulty up the rocks to the light station. He wanted a boat to get to Victoria or a chance to telephone, as he was helped over to E.T. Ericksen'splace, where Eric Erickson took him over to Reed's Harbor, and Barney Mordhorst took him to Roche Harbor, and from there to his car to Friday Harbor, where he got in touch with Vancouver. The speed boat had made way with the cargo of the Daisy. The man gave the name of Harry Talbot, with a home at Los Angeles, California."
        Friday Harbor Journal

We have no photos of the pirates or the schooner Daisy but here is a photo of one of the local residents who helped rescue the pirate victims.  

Mr. Bernard Mordhorst
(1843-1936)
Stuart Island, San Juan Archipelago, WA.
Original photo from the archives of 
the Saltwater People Historical Society©