Radio: Sequels

2 minute read
TIME

Last July VR6AY, Pitcairn Island, informed W21XY, Queens, Long Island, that ships were avoiding Pitcairn because of false rumor of typhoid, and that the islanders needed food and medicines. W21XY (Radio Amateur Dorothy Hall of Queens) got in touch with Manhattan’ British Consulate, got help started for Pitcairn (TIME, Aug. 1). Since then she and W2KSZ (Victor DeGhett of Brooklyn) have kept in regular touch with the island.

Just before Christmas the U. S. Maritime Commission freighter City of Dalhart hove to off Pitcairn. Out rowed a Pitcairner with two gift parcels, one for Mrs. Hall, the other for DeGhett. On the way home the City of Delhart’s Radio Operator Scruggs kept trying at odd times to raise Mrs. Hall or DeGhett. Last week as the ship lay in Hoboken, Scruggs caught De Ghett’s ear. Pitcairn had told DeGhetl about the gifts. Here they were at last Scruggs advised him to hurry over and get “the stuff.” “We’re sailing tomorrow,” he said, “and you ought to get it tonight. I’ll leave it with the fellow at the head of the pier. . . . Try to get here about 8:30.”

To an alert U. S. Coast Guardsman listening in, this was smuggling talk, pure and simple. At 8:30 three carloads of Customs men and two launches were patrolling the area by land and sea. A batch of Treasury men lounged elaborately around at the pier. Into this ambush walked Amateur DeGhett. At midnight he finally induced the T-men to stop third-degreeing and open the packages. In them they found a walking stick for DeGhett, a hand made basket for Mrs. Hall.

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