Word: rum
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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...decisions of the tribunal concerned the claims of an American in New Zealand. William Webster, a Maine man, bought 500,000 acres of land in New Zealand from native chiefs during the five years prior to 1840. His medium of exchange was described before the commission as consisting of rum, duck trousers, blankets, tobacco and powder. Other speculators purchased large tracts of land, and soon 650,000 acres more than the total area of New Zealand had been sold in all. To complicate matters, Great Britain annexed New Zealand in 1840. Only titles recognized by the land court were recognized...
London cables last week left U. S. drys jubilant and wets glum. They reported Sir Broderick Cecil Hartwell, "rum-running baronet," as listed in the Official Gazette for bankruptcy...
...early days of the rum fleet were however concluded by the American coast patrol, which seized several thousand cases of contraband liquor belonging to Sir Broderick's company. The Baronet admitted that this disastrous coup exhausted his funds. He gamely stuck at it, however, and announced that he would next try to land cargoes through the "Bahamas International Trading Co." if he could finance the new organization. But the British press frowned upon the venture. The influential London Daily Mail warned prospective investors against it. The apparent result was Sir Broderick's recent bankruptcy...
...nearly 40 years he followed his hazardous calling, North Sea or Gulf of Guinea all one to him in the line of trade. Profoundly pious he peddled Medford rum or flour with the equally clear conscience of the times. Regretfully we leave him at 80, a ruddy-cheeked old man, on a little farm of his own; "the wind has got around to the south," as he returns from a visit to the young orchard...
...much was clear. Readers of the Daily News again perused the headline that had attracted them. Across the top of the front page, right over the picture, ran the huge black letters: RUM ENDS HER DANCE OF LIFE...