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about

September 16th, 1924 - The lighthouse keeper of the Turn Point Light, noticed a small craft drifting Northward up Haro Straight. The Beryl G, a fish packer turned rumrunner was discovered near Sidney Island floating with no one aboard and the cabin smeared with blood. Missing was the captain, his teenage son and their cargo of liquor.

The case might never have been solved, if not for an undeveloped picture in young William's camera, which when developed, showed a picture of the murderers!

lyrics

THE BITTER END

In the days of Prohibition, through the tides of the Haro Straight
Rum boats ran illicit cargoes under cover of the night
The small time operator facing danger at each turn
From the pirate & hijacker, the Coast Guard and the Revenuer

It was the keeper of the Turn Point Light
Who first found the Beryl G
Drifting upon the morning tide, a grisly sight to see
From her deck down to her cabin the signs of blood in every place
What had become of her cargo and her crew, he could not find trace

But if you sail on “Rum Runner’s Row”
It’s danger you will find
For the sharks that lurk these waters, they’re of the human kind
And let there be no illusions, you will never know a friend
From a pistol to the gallows and all the way to the bitter end

Harry Sowash, Owen Baker & Charlie Morris made a plan
That they would rob the whiskey runners
Disguised as US Customs men
So they combed the San Juan Islands in search of opportunity
Until just off Sidney Island where they spied the Beryl G

They shot Wm Gillis where he stood
When they knew that he was dead
That’s when they cut young Willy Jr. down with a blow to his head

Oh, if you sail on “Rum Runner’s Row”
It’s danger you will find
For the sharks that lurk these waters, they’re of the human kind
There is murder and deception and on this you can depend
It’s a short step from the gallows all the way to the bitter end

It was the keeper of the Turn Point Light
Who first found the Beryl G
Drifting on the morning tide, what a grisly sight to see

Now they say that Charlie Morris got life in prison for his crime
Harry Sowash & Owen Baker were to pay with their lives
To sail that sea of sorrow with the hangman for a friend
Just a short step up the gallows and on their way to the bitter end

So if you sail on “Rum Runner’s Row”
It’s danger you will find
For the sharks that lurk these waters, they’re of the human kind
And let there be no illusions, you will never know a friend
It’s a short step from the gallows all the way to the bitter end 

credits

from Stirring Up Ghosts Vol 1&2, released June 1, 2015
Bruce Coughlan – vocals (all tracks) acoustic guitar (2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24) wood flute (1, 5, 10, 13, 14) whistles (1, 5, 14, 20, 24)
Laurence Knight – electric bass (all tracks) vocals (7, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23)
Nolan Murray – fiddle (5, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24) mandolin (4, 5, 6, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24) 5-string banjo (5, 14, 22, 23)
Joby Baker – drums (4, 20, 21, 24) Whurlitzer piano (4) vocals (20)
Ian Cameron – fiddle (1, 11) mandolin (1)
Noel Chalmers – military drum (20)
Aaron Chapman – vocals (14)
John Cowan – vocals (15)
Doug Cox – dobro (21)
Jack Duncan – percussion (1)
Colleen Eccleston – vocals (21)
Bear Erickson – elec. guitar (20) vocals (20)
Geoff Eyre – drums (2, 8, 17)
Tatiana Hancheroff – vocals (17)
Daryl Havers – accordion (3)
Dave Keogh – vocals (14)
Larry Knechtel – Hammond (15)
Craig McGregor – acoustic guitar (7, 10, 13, 17) elec. guitar (3, 17) octave mandolin (8) mandolin (9)
Jim McWilliams – bagpipes (20)
Sandy Marshall – bagpipes (20)
Chris Nordquist – drums (14, 15, 19, 23)
Gord Maxwell – vocals (2, 3, 11, 18, 22)
Aiden O’Brien – uillean pipes & whistles (4) vocals (4)
Paul O’Brien – vocals (4)
Peter Padden – vocals (2)
Eric Reed – elec. guitar (23) mandolin (6, 16) vocals (16)
Phil Robertson – drums (5, 12, 18, 22)
Mike Sanyshyn – fiddle (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17, 22) mandolin (8, 12, 22)
David Sinclair – elec. guitar (4)
Victor Smith – fiddle (9) whistles (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13) silver flute (17)
Shawn Soucy – drums (3, 9, 10, 13) percussion (8, 9, 10, 13)
Robbie Steininger – acoustic guitar (1, 5, 22) elec. guitar (18) dobro (18, 22)
Chris Stevens – 5-string banjo (7, 9, 12)
Ed Wagstaff – bagpipes (20)
Valdy – vocals (24)

All songs, music & lyrics by Bruce Coughlan (SOCAN) except: The Ballad of John Rae by Bruce Coughlan & Jim Smith (SOCAN)
All tracks produced by Laurence Knight except: Laurence Knight & Steven Drake (15, 23) Joby Baker (4, 21, 24) Bruce Coughlan (6, 14, 20) Mastered & re-mastered by Joby Baker Thank-you to our families, friends and fans for all your support and inspiration!!
Thanks to everyone who contributed to our Kickstarter Stirring Up Ghosts initiative. Special thanks to Rob Armstrong, Katharine Barrett, Bob Chenoweth and the Lexvolds. Special thanks again to Dave & Paula Reed whose initial contribution made this project possible.

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Bruce Coughlan Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Pacific Canadian-based recording & performing artist, Bruce Coughlan has spent decades making Acoustic Roots Music Music of all descriptions. An expressive singer and rock-solid guitarist, Bruce is driven by one guiding principle: It's all about the Song. ... more

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