The Barrel MysteryFlynn, William J. (William James)
General
The Barrel Mystery
Flynn, William J. (William James)
Detective and mystery stories; Fiction
Then I sent Locino to New York and gave him thirty-five dollars with
which to buy one hundred dollars' worth of the counterfeit money from
Boscarini. I saw to it that the genuine money was secretly marked for
the purpose of "getting" it on some member of the gang when the raid
would come and in which I contemplated taking Morello and Lupo
together with Cecala, Boscarini and others.
Locino contrived to meet Boscarini at Mulberry and Prince Streets, and
the two talked it over. An appointment was made by Boscarini to meet
Locino again on the same day.
One of the things I had ferreted out meanwhile was to locate the
headquarters for the distribution of the bad money as being at No. 231
East Ninety-seventh Street. Secret Service men had hired apartments
across the street from this place, and were watching every one that
entered and left the place. Their view was interfered with by great
boxes of macaroni and other Italian groceries piled high in the
windows of the store. My men also learned that it was here, behind the
macaroni boxes, that secret conferences were being held between
Cecala, Morello, Lupo and others. A conference would never last more
than fifteen minutes. The store was run by Morello, Lupo and others.
It was a wholesale store. The small Italian grocers in New York were
compelled to make their purchases there at the peril of being wrecked
by a bomb if they did not. To this store went Boscarini when he left
Locino at Mulberry and Prince Streets. At the Ninety-seventh Street
store Boscarini met Cecala and several others of the gang. Returning
to meet Locino, Boscarini handed over a roll of bills to the Pittston
man. Secret Service men saw the bills handed over. Locino handed the
bills to me. When the bills were examined they were found to be
counterfeits of the same make as those previously sent to Locino in
the letter.
Even then we made no arrest. It would have been a foolish piece of
business at that time, for I was busy on other ends of the case
pulling in valuable threads of evidence. After the lapse of a week
Locino came to New York from Pittston and purchased more of the
counterfeit money from Boscarini, giving in return genuine money,
which was secretly marked.
Finally the time arrived when the government had evidence which was
deemed sufficient to convict most of the band. The raid was made. When
Cecala was seized and searched there was found on him two of the
genuine bills with the secret marks which I had placed on the bills
given to Locino.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account