Jack DeLysle and Rum smuggling

While the Mound House has had a variety of interesting resdients, one of the most colorful was a British promoter named Jack DeLysle. DeLysle came to Southwest Florida amid charges of smuggling rum from Cuba to the United States during the alcohol free era of Prohibition. The following narrative describes the event and is pulled from newspaper accounts from the time.

Jack DeLysle in front of a Ft. Myers home

THE INCIDENT

The Uralia, a schooner containing a ship load of whiskey was wrecked on a sand bar below Naples during heavy northeast gale Saturday, the fifteenth of January 1921. Three days before the ship had set anchor off the coast of Naples and when the storm hit the crew attempted to secure the boat in Gordon’s Pass and became grounded on a sand bar. A large number of cases of alcohol washed ashore and were then salvaged and were either hidden in mangroves or stolen and changed hands.  The vessel originated in Mobile several weeks before the incident under the name Frank M. and sailed under an American flag. It then sailed to Tampa, Naples, and Key West before it anchored in Havana. It was here that the boat was loaded with alcohol and changed its name to Uralia and its flag to British. Its destination was meant to be Pensacola but the Uralia was forced to drop anchor off of Fort Myers due to the storm.

THE CREW

The crew originally consisted of Jack and John Delyse, Captain Brindley L. Coats, a Spaniard, and a black deck hand named Cleveland Bodden or Bedden. Jack DeLysle, had previously served in World War I as a captain in the air service and “acted as one of the official air photographers for the British government.” DeLysle met his wife and two year old son in Havana and sailed back to Fort Myers with his family on a separate ship. At the time of the shipwreck DeLysle and his family were living in a suite at a Naples hotel and “apparently caring little for expense. Among the incidentals added to the furnishings of the suite was a handsome piano.” When police arrived at the shipwreck, the crew consisted of John Delysle, the Spaniard, and Cleveland, John claimed that he was merely the engineer and that the captain had fled the ship.

THE INVESTIGATION

Major William, federal prohibition enforcement officer, arrived in Fort Myers from Tampa and worked alongside Sheriff Frank B. Tippins and Officer John Barnhill to investigate the illegal alcohol aboard the ship. They estimated that originally the Uralia held close to 995 cases. The cases were labeled “Soap” and marked in blue chalk with the number “12.” While most of these cases disappeared, the officials were able to find a couple of cases labeled “Country Club” whiskey. The alcohol in these branded boxes appeared to have originated from New Hope Kentucky before Prohibition was enacted, at that time it was shipped out of the country to Cuba. The officers stated that the liquor is a very poor grade, at least the bottles discovered by them. The investigators discovereed Cleveland’s diary and found that he was employed by Captain Coats three months prior to the incident; he and the captain met the DeLysles in Mobile Alabama and chartered them for this trip. They then sailed to St. Andrews Bay and then down to Tampa where the DeLysles came aboard. It appears that on the cruise down south between Key West and Cuba Capt. Coats and DeLysle had a quarrel “over whether they should bring back with them a load of Chinamen or a load of booze, the former claiming it was more profitable to smuggle in Chinamen to the United State.” Once they arrived in Havana Coats registered the boat as the Uralia under Cleveland’s name since he was a British subject.

THE TRIAL

The DeLysle brothers were taken to Tampa for a trial before Walter O. Sheppard, the United States Commissioner. The two brothers were represented by their attorney R.A. Henderson. Cleveland was called as a witness during the trial as was Will Tomlinson and J.O. Whidden.

Both brothers were declared innocent after it was found that a number of the witnesses had been caught with liquor and one of them at least had been convicted several times previously for illegal sale of liquor. The testimony of one man, that he purchased illegal liquor from Jack DeLysle, was thrown out after several witnesses proved that Jack DeLysle was not in Fort Myers on the day the witness said, nor for two days prior to that time.  The jury acquitted the DeLysle brothers after only ten minutes of deliberation and with not a single dissenting vote. 

CREATURE FEATURE #25 - American Oystercatcher

 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus palliatus) 

A wide variety of shorebirds inhabit the Florida coastline, each filling a unique ecological niche between land and sea. And of course, that is where human encroachment is at  its greatest along the Gulf Coast. As such, many of these species are listed as threatened or endangered, or, as in the case of the American Oystercatcher, listed as a “Species of Special Concern” by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The FWC estimates that there are only about 1,000 of these individuals living in the State. But little is known about the movement, migration, or the population of these birds.

 The Oystercatcher, with their dark brown back and white underside and a bright red bill, is one of the largest and heaviest of our shorebirds. In flight, a diagonal white stripe on each wing forms a “V”pattern.

These birds need extensive sandbars and mudflats in which to forage and nest. They are very sensitive to human disturbance and require remote locations to thrive, which is very hard to find on the coast of Florida. Oystercatchers usually nest in shallow depressions scraped out of sand and surrounded by water.This makes them subject to predators such as raccoons, foxes, dogs, and cats.

 According to the FWC, Oystercatchers get their name for their habit of snatching oysters from slightly open shells. They use their powerful bills to open mollusks and sort through shells on the beach in search of food.

      

PLANTS IN PROFILE #26 - THRYALLIS (Galphimia glauca)

Summer rains bring back a vibrant and colorful element to the vegetation at Mound House. Many species who wait out the dry weather of late spring return more robust and vigorous than ever. In the scientific and medicinal gardens portion of our site, be sure to check out the beautiful golden flowers of the thryallis, in full bloom just in time for summer.

A medium sized, evergreen shrub, these hardy low maintenance plants have become popular in Florida as landscaping hedges and for adding color to lawns.

A native of the tropical regions of southern Mexico and Central America, thryallis does well here on Estero Island and can tolerate the sometimes tough conditions that come with growing on a 2,000 year old shell mound. 

Traditionally, thryallis is used to treat asthma and allergies in Latin America, and is even employed in the treatment of mental disorders.     

CREATURE FEATURE #25 - American Avocet

AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra Americana)

This remarkable wading bird is a migratory resident of Estero Island, but occasionally  turns up on our beaches in its magnificent breeding season plumage. Usually found in grey and black plumage, the striking coloration and elegant profile of the American Avocet stands out among our shorebirds. Standing on the longest of legs they feed on invertebrates with wide sweeps of their delicate upturned bill. When nesting, the Avocet is remarkably aggressive towards predators, sometimes, physically striking crows and hawks. American Avocets may lay eggs in their own nests or use the nest of other shore birds. This also occurs with other species of shorebirds who leave their own eggs to be raised by Avocets.  The young can leave the nest after only one day, feeding, walking and even diving on their own.

The birds shown in these photographs were observed feeding in the surf on the south end of Estero Island.

(Photos courtesy of Ellen Fernandez)

PLANTS IN PROFILE #25 - Saltwort

 Saltwort (Salicornia spp.)

There are several species of saltwort present on Estero Island and several of them can be found growing naturally along the shoreline at Mound House. These low growing fleshy plants are extremely salt tolerant and can even spend hours at a time immersed in salt water. These plants are able to retain the sodium found in salt water. As such, the genus Salicornia includes many varieties also known as glasswort. This name taken from the ancient practice of using the ashes of Salicornia to make soda ash, a component in glass making as well as in the manufacture of soap. Also known as “sea beans,” these plants are edible and are used in salads and can be steamed or sautéed.    

Volunteer Spotlight

Mound House staff would like to take this opportunity to thank volunteer Geri Biggs for her invaluable service as a kayak tour volunteer. Her experience and patience in teaching kayaking skills and making visitors feel comfortable is a major contribution to our kayaking programs. Quietly sharing knowledge and understanding of our islands’ back bays and tidal creeks with inexperienced nervous visitors in wobbly kayaks requires a unique talent that Geri graciously provides.

Geri comes to us from the Chicago area. She has taught at all levels, from 2^nd grade to High School, and it shows in her patient and outstanding lessons while kayaking. She also coached high school Track & Field, Cross Country, Soccer, and Girls Basketball.  After Geri and her husband retired 10 years ago, they began enjoying winters on beautiful Ft. Myers Beach. They have 5 children and 14 grandchildren.  Nine years ago the Biggs sold their house to one of their daughters and now enjoy the freedom of living and traveling in their motorhome. They have visited 48 states, most provinces of Canada, and Mexico. Some of her many hobbies include nature photography, kayaking, and any sport or physical activity. Recently, Geri donated dozens of stunning, matted and sealed images of native wading birds, shorebirds, and birds of prey in our area for use as reference. This resource has already come in useful as we give kayakers a close up view of the birds they may have seen only far in the distance. This valuable addition of images is deeply appreciated by staff and visitors alike. Geri shared with us, “This area of Florida is an excellent place to explore nature especially in a kayak. I enjoy volunteering at the Mound House because I meet interesting people and share my love to the water.”

Thanks again to Geri and all of our amazing volunteers that help keep Mound House running!

Moment of Zen

It is this time of year the beautiful jacaranda tree explodes in purple blooms. If you have a chance, stop by and see our jacaranda tree's stunning flowers. If you have any pictures of jacaranda trees you have taken in Southwest Florida or our trees here at Mound House you would like to share please send them to brent@fortmyersbeachfl.gov and we will share them here in our Moments of Zen.