What time does the crime picture start?
8:15, in about 3 minutes.
2 loggias.
This is William Kennedy,
bringing you the second of a series of short pictures
exposing the rackets of America,
the syndicate of crime,
a series of short pictures
presented to the American public as a warning,
to arouse them against a growing national menace:
The modern racketeer.
Wait till you see the actor that takes you off.
1935-- the total gold bullion
in the United States' treasury and mints
was $9.5 billion.
1935-- the crime combine of the racketeers,
entrenched in 88 cities of over 100,000 population
and reaching into thousands of surrounding towns,
robbed the American people of $15 billion,
huge sums extorted from the businessman,
a steady flood of pennies, nickels, and dimes
drained from the purses of the homeowner,
the laborer, and the housewife.
On the east coast, perishable foods--
a quarter of a cent levied on every head of lettuce,
a cent on artichokes,
a fraction of a cent on every type of produce.
When wholesalers refuse to pay tribute,
the racketeers prevent them from moving shipments.
Hundreds of carloads of fresh vegetables
rot on siding.
Across the street from 100,000 American schools,
attractive games are installed
in stores, shops, and restaurants,
and in one city alone,
the racketeers harvest $80,000 a week.
Can you tell us how many kids there are
in that school over there?
3,500.
You get much of that trade?
Quite a bit.
How about building it up?
We'll install a nickel game for you.
So they can go hungry handing you their lunch money?
Get out of here.
Well, if that's the way you feel,
we'll only install 3, and you'll like it.
A home run! There it goes! Oh...
Aw...
I can beat that.
You better not spend any more.
Lend me a nickel, will you?
Out of my way.
The pacific coast--
a group of restaurants refused to buy meat
through the racketeers.
They try to buy it direct.
What's the big idea?
Where you taking the load?
Paris cafe.
All right, Joe.
Why, you can't get away with--
sit down!
Nothing like a good kerosene flavor
on a steak.
You're next.
October, 1935--
Al kruger, a notorious racketeer,
comes up for trial.
He has previously been arrested 11 times
on charges ranging from grand larceny
to felonious assault.
Dismissed each time, he finally faces a jury.
Be seated.
Have you reached a verdict?
We have, your honor.
You may state it to the court.
We find the defendant not guilty.
I wish to state that your verdict is one that destroys
the confidence of law-abiding people
in the integrity and justice of the American court.
You can leave here with the knowledge
that you have rendered a blow at law enforcement
and encouraged those who violate the law.
They will probably praise you.
I do not.
Jury discharged.
And so Kruger is again given his freedom
and returns to collect his share
of the $200-million plunder
taken each year in his city.
So what?
Entrenched and protected, the crime combine
strikes swiftly at those who oppose it.
Ward Bryant, publisher
and leading crusader against the rackets
receives a telephone death threat
against himself and his family.
He makes a public reply.
I have been ordered
to stop making the syndicate of crime pictures.
The gentleman who phoned added, "or else."
For his information, I shall continue to make them,
and my papers will continue their present policy
of open attack on racketeers
and the directors of organized crime,
who are the really dangerous enemies of society.
His phone call is only further evidence
that the racketeers have the American public
pretty well whipped,
when a citizen has to sacrifice the safety of his family
to ask for security and decency.
These same racketeers laugh at your laws.
They make a joke of your courts.
They rule by the fear of their bullets.
They must be smashed by the power of your ballots.
Let's go.
Who threatened Bryant?
I don't know, but it's about time
somebody told him to pipe down.
He's been doing enough yelling in his papers
without making those pictures.
Ah, he's just racing his motor.
Yeah, well, he's racing it so loud,
the public's liable to wake up one of these days.
The public's been played for a sucker so long,
they'll never wake up.
Yeah, but that's where you and I think different.
If he keeps on bringing our names out in the open,
he can make it plenty hot,
and I'm going to stop him before he stops us.
You stick to your milk and produce business
and leave Bryant alone.
I'm still running the show, and I say let him yell.
He can't hurt us without any evidence,
and he isn't going to get any.
Pick me up here at the office at 1:00.
Go get yourself a drink and cool off.
Ok.
And forget Bryant.
Sure.
Say, waiter,
some bourbon and ginger ale.
Hi, Herman.
Hello, Eddie.
Hello, Mr. Blake.
Hello, Herman.
I see you got the bad news.
Yeah.
That ought to cause a lot of trouble.
Yeah, I shouldn't be surprised.
Probably blow the lid right off the city hall.
Mm-hmm.
Oh, excuse me.
Oh, I forgot. Miss Lee's waiting for me.
Did you get a look at that crowd out there?
I'll say. Boiled shirts all over the place.
How's your routine, Mary?
Swell. It's in the bag.
Good. How about your number, Eddie? Is it clicking?
It will knock Broadway for a loop.
Never mind Broadway. Concentrate on the customers out there.
Now, this is the biggest play we've ever had from downtown,
and if our show gets over, we'll be packing them in.
So go out there and give them everything.
Say, we'll have them right on the floor.
We're having a tough enough time keeping the seats filled.
Go on out there.
Come on, kids.
Hello, girls. Excuse me, will you?
Hello, miss Lee.
Hello, Herman.
How are the collections?
Just fine. You really got something
in this numbers game, miss Lee.
Mr. Heimich says he thinks
it's going to catch on here in the Bronx
even better than Harlem.
From the looks of that money, I think he's right.
Well, if it keeps hauling in, you can quit the cabaret
and move right in to park Avenue.
I drive a Rolls-Royce swell.
We'll stick to the cabaret.
All right, but rolls-royces are better.
Let's see... Seems to me,
I had something else I wanted to tell you.
Never mind. It will come.
Oh, I remember. I saw Mr. Blake when I came in.
Where? In the bar.
In the bar? Was he drinking?
Yes.
What's happened downtown?
Who, to me? Nothing. I wasn't even downtown.
No, not you. What's happened on Broadway?
Any extras out?
Oh, yes. That publisher was murdered,
the one named, uh...
That explains it.
The name...
Never mind, Herman. Just sit down and rest.
A- b-c-d-e-f-g,
h- I-j-k... Bryant!
Thank you.
How are things, Lee?
Fine, thank you. Hello.
Hello, Lee.
Come and see the show.
How is the show, Lee?
Go in and see for yourself.
I will.
Hello, Johnny. Want to go in and see the show?
No. Uh, sit down a while.
How have you been?
Ok.
Why didn't you let me know you were here?
I was busy reading this about Bryant.
Did you know him?
Yeah, a little. Swell fellow.
He had a swell wife and kid, too.
Be plenty tough on them.
Wife and kid?
Yeah.
You're a funny fellow, Johnny.
When you come out of your shell, you're really human.
Well, I don't like to see
decent people pushed around.
When something big breaks down there
in your old stamping ground,
it kind of gets under your skin, doesn't it?
What makes you think so?
It's the only time I ever see you take a drink.
Oh, no. This is just a celebration.
We found out who stole Mrs. Blausmeier's laundry.
Oh, that must be something.
It was.
Are you on the level?
Why, sure.
Well, that's a fine finish to a great police career,
looking for laundry in the Bronx.
Well, it's better than being pensioned off
with the fire horses.
Say, I'm not kidding myself.
I'm no use to them downtown anymore.
When things like this happen, they need you plenty.
You and your whole flying squad
ought to be back there in action.
Say, they don't believe in kicking the rats
into line anymore.
Nowadays, you're supposed to
kiss them and tuck them in.
Your friend Mclaren seems to think so, too.
Well, he's only a captain.
He takes orders, too.
And you'll go on being loyal
to Mclaren and the department.
Yeah, that's it.
And looking for laundry.
Nice clean job.
Well, someday Mac will be back up on top.
Then he won't have to worry about me anymore.
Say, I thought you didn't let mugs
come into this place.
I don't when I know them. Who's he?
That's crail. I sent him up to sing sing
a couple of years ago.
Hello, Blake.
Well, I see the parole board
has let you loose on the public again, huh?
Yeah, no thanks to you.
Well, I see where they cut
the big shot detective down to size.
Sure must be tough not to be able
to kick the boys around anymore
and make them tip their hats to you.
Yeah, but they still do.
Ha! To a Bronx flatfoot?
Oh!
Yeah. As long as I'm part of the force,
they'll keep on tipping their hats.
Remember it next time.
I guess I'll go downtown and see what's going on.
You haven't lost your gentle touch, have you?
I'll see you soon.
Don't hurt your knuckles.
What's the trouble?
Put him under arrest for destroying property.
Huh.
Now, come on.
I mean, you're making it worse. Come on.
You're sure you saw Fenner go inside the hotel?
Well, yes, sir. I didn't pull away
until after he went in.
What time did you leave him?
9:55.
Could he have had time
to get down to Bryant's office by 10:15?
I guess so.
I'm not paying you to guess.
Well, he could have if he grabbed a fast car right away
and got a break with the traffic.
Yes?
Detective Blake to see you.
Send him in.
That's all. Wait for me.
Yes, sir.
Hello, Al.
How are you, Johnny?
Big night for you, huh?
How?
Secretary and chauffeur working overtime.
Oh, that happens a lot.
Well, your rackets must be doing all right.
About 5,000 last week.
500,000.
Ha ha ha! I can't count that high.
Have a chair, Johnny.
Thanks.
I thought you were homesteading up in the Bronx.
What are you doing down in this neck of the woods?
Oh, just poking around the old hangouts.
Cigar?
No, thanks. I'll smoke a pipe.
What do you think of Bryant's death?
I was just reading about it.
Yeah.
It's too bad. He was a nice fellow.
They'll probably try and hang it on you.
Well, a couple of the boys from headquarters
were up here half an hour ago.
They were very nice about it, though.
Well, that's the trouble with them. They have to be.
You'd have taken me around the corner
and rolled up a newspaper.
Yeah, I suppose I would.
But I didn't get much out of you
the last time I gave you a going-over.
You came close to it.
I wish I'd known it then.
You'd have got some more.
I wanted to get you on that rap.
Good old days, eh, Johnny?
Yeah. You've traveled a long way since then.
You would have gone a long ways, too,
if you'd thrown in with me
the first time I asked you to.
Yeah, I suppose I would.
You would have been a great help
in this business, Johnny.
You know more about the inside of this town
than any bird that ever lived in it.
But if I'd gone in with you,
I'd have done it to nail you.
Oh, no, you wouldn't.
You never double-crossed anyone in your life,
not even a crook
if he told you something in confidence.
Sure, you rode the pants off of all of us,
but you always let us know where you stood.
Well, you've always known what I thought of you.
And you're the only fellow I'd take it from, too.
But I'd still like to have you throw in with me, Johnny.
I'll stick with the department.
After all the kicking around they've given you?
Yeah.
Well, you're a sucker.
All you'll ever get out of it
is a petty larceny pension.
I could do more for you in a year
than you can earn in a lifetime on the force.
Well, maybe I like to make my money the hard way.
Well, I'll probably still be asking you
10 years from now.
If you live that long.
Ha ha ha!
Oh.
Blake's the name.
How about getting out of here?
I asked Johnny in here.
And I'm asking him out. No Bronx detective's
going to hang around this office.
Listen, Fenner--
never mind, Al.
After he took a swing at me.
I don't think much of him, either.
See you sometime.
So long, Johnny.
Oh, I forgot to compliment you, Fenner.
Nice, clean job you did on Bryant.
What's he talking about?
You know what he's talking about,
you 10-cent thug.
I told you to leave Bryant alone.
Yeah, what's the matter with him?
Fenner, someday you're going to get wise
to the fact that that strong-arm gangster stuff
went out with prohibition.
You're not running liquor anymore.
You're in big business.
I pulled you up out of the gutter, and you take a chance
on ruining a $200 million gold mine
to satisfy a grudge.
Well, it's a fine way to pay me back
for all I've done for you.
Oh, I wouldn't pay you back that way, Al.
Hello?
Yes, Kruger talking.
Yes, sir. Right away.
The bosses?
They're liable to knock the props
right out from under me
on account of this Bryant mess.
If they do, it will be the last thing
that will ever happen to me.
You knew that.
Swell, having to cover you up
to save my own neck.
Who are they, Al?
If you knew, you wouldn't sleep much tonight.
How are you, gentlemen?
Who did it, Kruger?
Bryant?
I had an idea that's why you called me.
Yes, but you haven't answered the question.
Now, I wished I knew myself.
Wasn't anyone in the organization.
Very interesting.
How did you arrive at that conclusion?
Well, I checked on them-- Driscoll, Vinci, all of them.
Did you check on Fenner?
Well, yes. What makes you pick him out?
Just that he's a little inclined
to that type of work.
No, not anymore.
He's getting too fat on the profits to want any trouble.
He was at the hotel.
So of course, you don't suspect him.
Well, certainly not.
He's been doing all right, hasn't he,
getting that extra 2 million for you
out of the raise in milk?
Hmm. And did it occur to you that Bryant's death
would cause an investigation?
Sure, but I'm not worrying.
There's nothing like a good investigation
to make the public happy.
This one won't make you happy.
The mayor had a talk with the governor tonight.
He's convening an extraordinary grand jury.
What good will that do him?
And thanks to your letting things get out of control,
it will cost us an extra million dollars this time.
I think you're beginning to slip, Kruger.
I suggest that you locate
the weak spots in your organization...Now.
There aren't any.
I'd still look around, if I were you, Mr. Kruger,
because if you make just one more mistake,
you're through.
What do you mean, through?
There's just one way to interpret it.
That's all, Mr. Kruger.
You've been in the police department
for 30 years, captain Mclaren.
31.
We find that you have an excellent record
and a fine reputation
for honesty and integrity,
yet you've been very outspoken
against the attempts of previous commissions
to solve the racket problem.
Why is that?
Are you asking for a Frank opinion?
Yes.
I've had that attitude because half the commissions
were nothing but political sops,
thrown to the public to keep them quiet.
The other half did just what they were supposed to do.
They investigated, wrote a report on it,
took a swing at the police department, and went home.
Their work was of no help?
No. We don't need investigations and reports.
Every policeman on the force knows about the rackets.
We know what they are and how they're worked,
and they'll keep on being worked
as long as the penalty for running a racket
is no more than for breaking a bottle in the street--
a misdemeanor, 30 to 90 days in jail.
What if stronger laws were passed?
You'll have to go further than that.
You'll have to wipe out the corruption behind them.
Does this corruption reach into the police department itself?
There have been rumors of its reaching into the other grand juries.
That's why they went home.
That's possible.
This one's not going home, Mclaren.
Then you'd better make it your job
to find out where the racket money goes,
who the top men are that buy protection.
The governor's taking a crime bill
before the legislature next week.
It gives this jury something the others never had--
complete power to fight the rackets,
to cut off their source of revenue
and discharge corrupt officials.
We're recommending the appointment of a police commissioner
who will be given the same power.
Will that help to wipe them out?
Yes.
Would you accept the post?
Police commissioner?
With our complete backing.
Yes, on one condition.
What is it?
That I have your full support in anything I do
without having to explain it or answer to you for it.
That's a large condition.
And a necessary one. Plans are no good
when they leak ahead of time,
and I have seen some leaks in high places.
If those terms are satisfactory,
you can let me know. And thank you for considering me.
We don't care to waste time. We accept,
and we'll recommend your appointment at once.
Will you be ready to take charge?
Yes, I will.
Patrolmen Jack Owens,
Raymond Keeler, Alfred Quinn,
Frank Rader, Richard Philips,
Edward lynch...
Police department cleanup!
Read all about it! Police department cleanup!
Extra! Paper, mister? Extra! Paper?
Hey, Garber.
Yeah?
Didn't you forget something?
Thanks.
Hi, boys. Hello.
Hello, Johnny.
Hi, boys.
Hi, Johnny.
Say, you better get these loafers working, Kelly,
or Mclaren will swing his ax at them.
Hey, Johnny.
Yeah?
What's on your mind?
I've got some bad news for you.
What?
You were washed out this morning.
Hey, what are you doing, framing up on me?
No, I'm on the level, Johnny.
Fired?
Well, where's the discharge?
They sent it up from headquarters.
Ha. Inefficiency.
It's a rotten deal
for Mclaren to give a man with your record.
I thought he was a friend of yours.
Yeah.
Good news, miss Lee.
Mr. Slasser sold more numbers yesterday
than any day before.
How many?
I forgot to ask him. Why?
Never mind. How much have you got there?
2,180. No. Uh, 2,800 and, uh...
Let me see the slip.
Mmm, did Slasser do this adding?
No. I did.
That's just what I thought.
How much is 7 and 4?
Which ones? 10.
Perfect. Now, suppose you just collect
and let Slasser do the adding.
It would make it a lot easier that way.
How much did you make in Harlem today?
I don't know yet. Nellie hasn't come in.
There was something I wanted to tell you about Mr. Blake.
It was important, too.
So you forgot?
Oh, I'll remember it. I got so much on my mind.
Yes, I know. Well, before you forget,
put the money in the safe, will you?
I know it was something,
I won't rest until I think what it is.
Come in.
Hello, Nellie.
Hello, miss Lee!
That's all.
If this keeps up, you're going to be rich.
$4,500 yesterday, miss Lee.
And the game is spreading all over Harlem.
The boys all around the pool halls
are spending their money on the numbers
instead of dice.
And when a colored boy stops crapshooting,
that's something.
Rose, how many times have I told you
not to use this on miss Lee's hair?
You ain't putting the wave in the hair right, either.
Give me that comb.
Shoo! Get on out of here.
These no-account girls.
You can't learn them nothing.
Honestly, miss Lee, you ought to let me come back
and take care of you.
No, Nellie. You've graduated.
You keep on managing the Harlem end.
You thought of this game,
and you're the one that deserves to get rich from it.
Sometimes I wish I hadn't thought of it.
Madame Nellie LaFleur. Phooey.
7...And 4...
And 18.
Who is it?
He isn't here.
Who did they want?
Mccloskey.
That's you.
Hello?
He hung up.
How many had the winning number yesterday, Nellie?
One.
Who?
Me.
Nellie.
I've been writing my preacher's auto license number,
and it showed.
People will think you're cheating.
I didn't tell anyone.
Oh, miss Lee, I remember
what I had to tell you.
What?
Mr. Blake got fired from the police force last night.
Somebody's kidding you.
No, it's true.
Hello, Johnny.
How are you, Lee?
Say, I never thought you'd get over this way.
Well, what are we going to do,
stand here and swing on the door?
Why, no. Come on in.
Say, what are you in an uproar about?
Herman said you got fired.
Yeah, that's right.
Sit down. Make yourself comfortable.
Who did it?
Mclaren.
And you're the one that was always telling me
when Mclaren got to the top,
everything would be just fine and dandy.
Well, I was wrong.
Well, it's time you got wise to yourself.
Around this town, the only reason friends pat you on the back
is to find an easy place to break it.
Yeah.
You're a friend, aren't you?
Well, I guess you're dumb enough to think so.
No, no. I'm not dumb.
You like me pretty well.
Well, that goes both ways.
If women and home life had been in my line,
I'd have fallen for you a long time ago.
That would have been kind of nice, wouldn't it?
Yeah...
Until you went crazy
being married to a man who was never home.
Sort of wondering if it was an optical illusion.
Yeah.
It isn't in the cards.
And you can't beat the cards, can you?
No.
Johnny, I suppose you
didn't get enough salary to save much, did you?
Oh, I'll get along.
I suppose you'll be looking for another job.
Mm-hmm.
I was wondering if you'd like to come in with me
and help me run the numbers game.
Say, you've got all the help you need.
I won't have. It's getting bigger all the time.
Some weeks it takes in from 10,000 to 12,000.
12,000? In that penny-ante game?
Uh-huh.
Well, last time you told me about it,
you were getting nickels and dimes.
I know. But they're crazy about it in Harlem,
and now it's going over in the Bronx.
I wish you'd come in and help me run it, Johnny.
You'd make a swell job of building it up.
You'd make a lot of money for both of us.
Hey, you're pretty regular, Lee.
You'll do it?
No, not a chance.
See, any money I'd make would be coming out of your pocket,
and I don't take any money away from women.
Not me.
Well, I thought I'd tell you about it anyway.
Well, thanks, just the same.
I'm sorry you got kicked out, Johnny.
It's going to be kind of tough
to start into a new game after all these years.
Yeah, I suppose so.
What are you going to do?
I'm going to take in the fights.
They got a good card on tonight.
Don't hurt your knuckles.
Hello, Johnny.
I just wanted to thank you for the kick in the teeth.
Would you prefer charges, commissioner?
No. Just throw him out in the street.
Come on.
See where Blake goes.
Ok, boss.
This is it, boss.
Mind if I sit down and have a drink?
It's waiting for you.
Oh, you knew I was coming.
I had a good idea
from the way your man out there was tagging me.
You don't miss much, do you?
It's a habit.
How was the main event?
Ah, they should have had you in the ring.
That was a sweet punch, Johnny.
Well, he had it coming to him.
You're finally washed-up, eh?
Yeah. Plenty.
And a lot of thanks you got from Mclaren and the public.
Yeah, not even that petty larceny pension you were talking about.
From now on I'm going to see what it's like
looking out for number one.
Well, that offer's still good.
I'd like to have you in with me.
Doing what?
I got a hunch we're going to have some trouble,
with Mclaren and that jury on a tear.
If there are any weak spots in the organization,
I've got to find them now,
and you'd be the first one to spot them.
I want you to look over the whole setup,
and the only one you'll have to answer to is me.
You've got a lot of confidence in me.
Why, I've heard guys that you've sent to prison
say that if you ever made a deal,
you'd see yourself dead before you'd go back on it.
How about it?
All right, Al.
Oh, where you been?
I just heard about Blake.
Uh-huh.
Yeah. I understand he's moving in on us.
That's right.
You're having him check up on us, eh?
Right again. Any objections?
Yeah, well, I'm running the milk and produce end. You keep him away from it.
Why? You got something to cover up?
No.
Well, that's good because he's going to check up
on your outfit along with all the rest,
whether you like it or not. If he oks it,
all the cracking down Mclaren can do won't hurt us.
Suppose Mr. Blake double-crosses us.
You've got him wrong, Nick.
Yeah? Well, he's still a cop to me.
Well, if it makes you happy, you keep right on thinking so.
Are you coming down to the garage tonight?
No. I suppose you're going to take him there, too.
That's the idea.
You know, that hat on the bed might be bad luck.
For you or for me?
Blake gone yet?
Yeah. He just went out with Al.
He's got room 318 upstairs. Get going.
Ok.
You go down to the garage and tail him when he leaves there.
I want to know every move he makes. Check all the phone calls
and get as much dope as you can. Go on. Snap to it.
Right.
Ok.
This place used to store bootlegged liquor.
I raided it once.
I sat in the building across the street
and watched you.
Second-floor window. I saw you.
You'll be surprised at the change.
No. This way.
Oh.
Attaboy.
He's the guy.
Hi.
Hi, Blake.
How are you, Blake?
Ok.
Threw away your club, did you?
Well, I don't need one working with you fellows, do I?
Are you through?
167,812.
Right.
Oh, we don't believe in letting the banks handle our records.
Yeah, I noticed that.
All the cash and business money is handled right here.
So, most of the business is cash?
Yeah. All except a few of our regular corporations.
How much, vinci?
Come on.
122,300.
What's the matter?
Aren't they collecting anymore?
Fellas on the east side didn't do so good this week.
Johnny, you better give
Vinci's loan sharks the once-over.
Ok.
He won't give my outfit the once-over. Keep him away from it.
What are you afraid of?
I don't like the way your face is fastened on.
Well, I'll be down tomorrow morning.
Give you a chance to change it.
That's calling him, Blake.
Cut out the squawking, Louie.
He's in here to help us.
How's this for good news?
310,196.
Not bad for one week's take on pinball games.
I wouldn't cry about it.
Thinking of opening a bank account?
That's right.
What do you think I joined this outfit for?
I've been talking to some of the other fellas about you.
Yeah? Well, what have you decided?
Al is sold on you and wants you in. That's ok with us.
We're glad to have you around, but we like proof.
We're expecting some real help from you.
You're going to get it.
If you fail us, we'd be awfully disappointed.
I can imagine.
Hello, Wires.
Oh, hello, Mr. Blake.
I guess that kind of stuff is out from now on.
Yeah. I'm sick of it myself.
Have a cigarette?
Thanks.
What are you doing these days?
Oh, I'm working for Fenner. Produce business.
Yeah? Gave up the old wiretapping game, huh?
Oh, sure. There's no money in that.
Well, I'm glad to see you're doing so well.
See you again.
Thanks, Mr. Blake.
He just came in.
He's whistling. It works great.
What's happened, mister?
Anything wrong?
Oh, it just went off by accident.
What's the matter?
Did you hurt your ears?
All right. Out of the way, kids.
Come on, boys. Move them out.
Hey! Hey!
Come on. Get out.
All right, boys. Push it in.
First it was my loan shark racket. Now $200,000 in jewelry.
You ain't getting it any worse than the others.
Looks phony to me. Those cops couldn't have found those hideouts
without being tipped off.
Yeah. And it all happened since Blake got in.
Get that truck unloaded
and get it out of here.
Hey, what's going on here?
Glad you dropped in, Fenner.
What are you trying to pull?
We're changing things around so the honest produce men
will have a chance to do some business.
I'm running a legal wholesale business here, Mclaren.
You can't close this plant.
Why not?
You going to call them off,
or have I got to get a restraining order to make you?
Go get your restraining orders and injunctions
and anything else you need.
The police used to waste a lot of time getting them
trying to stop you. From now on we act first.
We'll let you waste your time getting them.
Maybe you can stop us.
And don't forget to tell Kruger.
That flatfoot.
Yeah, if he wants trouble, I'll give him plenty of it.
Hello. Get Chamberlain on the phone.
I don't care where he is. I said, get him on the phone!
Better forget about the lawyers and locate Al.
And Mr. Blake, too. I want to ask him a few questions.
Hello, Chamberlain?
You'll have to move that car.
I'm waiting.
You've been here for over an hour. Move on.
Forget it. This car belongs to Al kruger.
Hello, Donlan.
Say, what's the idea of the ticket?
Afraid Mclaren will fire you if you don't get rid of him?
Nope. He's already weeded out all the rats.
Leave him alone, Johnny.
Oh!
Come on. Get up and learn to keep your mouth shut.
Stop him.
Call the wagon.
Someday you'll learn that you can't be pulling that stuff.
Yeah? Well, someday I'll run into you
when you haven't got the cavalry around.
Call your lawyer, Al.
Solitary, huh?
Yes, sir. Nice and private. All for yourself.
Thanks.
Hello, Mac.
How are you, Johnny?
How's the jaw?
Ok.
How did you get here ahead of me?
Oh, Donlan phoned you were on the way over.
Did he get hurt going off the horse?
No. But your punches messed him up.
You ought to learn to pull them, Johnny.
Well, they'd look phony.
We've been watching Fenner's men.
They've had you covered every minute.
Yes. One of them followed me here.
Yeah?
Here's some more stuff to work on.
Raids?
Yeah. The sooner the better.
You're getting them worried, Mac.
Have you found out who bosses Kruger?
No. All I know is there is somebody higher up,
and he controls everything.
If we can nail that bird,
the whole works will fold up from the inside.
Does Fenner know who it is?
No. Nobody except Kruger.
Do you think you'll be able to get it out of him?
Oh, no.
Now, Fenner is Kruger's number-one man.
If anything happens to Kruger--
and I'm going to see that it does-- Fenner moves up,
but I'm not going to let him
because I'm going to step into Mr. Fenner's shoes.
How?
I don't know yet.
Is that all you got to tell me?
Well, that's all for now,
except keep on smashing them
as fast as you get my instructions.
When the break comes, I'll know what to do.
In the meantime, you've got to play the cards
the way I deal them, Mac.
Only one thing tough about it.
What's that?
Kruger. Oh, he's a rat as much as the rest of them.
He'd knock me off in a minute if he found out.
But I'll hate to cross him.
Because you haven't given him an even break.
Yeah, that's right.
I haven't given you one, Johnny.
We had another man on the force
that tried to smash that mob.
They didn't kill him.
They threw acid in his face.
His headlights don't burn anymore.
I handed you a rotten job, Johnny.
Ah, forget it, Mac.
I asked for it, didn't I?
All I know is handling mugs.
I'd have taken the job if I had to ride a horse
or hand out traffic tickets.
Kruger's lawyer is in the office with a writ for you.
All right.
Take care of yourself, Johnny.
Sure.
As soon as I'm set, I'll let you know.
In the meantime, keep hammering, especially Fenner.
Blake. Nobody else but Blake.
Nobody touched us till you brought Blake into the outfit.
You think I'm a sap?
We're talking about Blake.
So am I.
I gave the guy a break.
If he's double-crossing me--
Yeah?
Send him in.
Thanks for the fast legal service, Al.
Hello, stool pigeon.
Say, what is this, a wake?
It might be.
Nice picture of Mclaren.
The boys think you're working for him.
I'm wondering.
I'm not.
I suppose your bird dog told you.
I mean that thing you've had trailing me
since I've been in the outfit.
What have you got to say?
Sure, Al. They're right.
I just sold you right down the river.
Yeah. The cops said they were sorry they kicked me off the force.
Mclaren sent me a basket of flowers for hitting him in the jaw.
Yeah, said if I wanted to come back,
he'd give me the whole Bronx to wander around in.
I wouldn't clown, Johnny.
Finally got wise to you.
You're through.
Oh, no. I'm just starting.
Copper.
I don't like guys who put their hands on me.
Let's keep this a business meeting.
Start talking.
I went to work for you, Al, because you wanted help.
I didn't come to you. You came to me.
So you think I crossed you, huh?
Well, I couldn't get a dime a dozen
if I handed this whole mob over to the coppers,
and you know it.
I can see now why you needed help,
and you need lots of it.
You going to let him talk his way out?
Shut up. Keep talking.
Keep on talking.
I've never seen it fail.
Whenever mugs get into a jam,
the first thing they do is they start knifing each other.
Yeah, I thought you were smart, Al.
Have you got anything to suggest?
Let Mclaren have his fun. You can't stop him. As soon as he's made a showing,
the grand jury will fold up right under his nose
and leave him without any backing.
They always do. You know that.
Meanwhile, we sit back and wind up broke.
No. But go to work.
Stop playing cops and robbers.
Quit tapping telephone Wires.
Spend your time building up new rackets
so then when Mclaren comes up for air, he'll find a dozen more going.
Just pull them right out of the hat, eh?
I suppose you've got one.
Yes, I've got one. Numbers.
Just talking about a new racket.
What's the odds against picking the right number
from one to 1,000?
Why, 1,000 to one.
That's right. And the payoff is 600 for one...
If anybody picks the right number.
Now, here.
Now, a lot of people will try and pick that every day
if $1.00 would win them 600.
What are you trying to sell us,
the penny-ante game Lee Morgan is running
up in the Bronx and Harlem?
Well, it's so penny-ante that she's cleaning up 12,000 a week
just around a few neighborhood stores,
and most of the bets are dimes and nickels.
7 million people in this town, and all of them looking for easy money.
You just offer them 600 for one,
and this thing will spread like a 4-alarm fire,
and they won't be buying one number. They'll be picking 4 or 5.
But if you want to control the winning number,
you can pay off on racetrack bets and manipulate the totals.
All it needs is organization.
Get a million people in this town buying numbers,
and this one racket will clean up 300 million a year.
Why, it's a cinch. It's easy.
You boys better beat it.
Mr. Blake and me want to talk over
a little business.
Come on, now.
Give him a chance to get this thing set up.
You going to call another meeting or something, boss?
Tell you all about it at the next meeting. Sure.
See you later, boss.
Everything's going to be all right.
Call us later, ok?
You bet. You bet.
Sit down, Johnny.
Thanks.
Let's go to work...
What makes you think we're going to retire?
Because there ain't gonna be any room for you.
Our company's organizing a numbers game
all over the city, and that lets you out.
Lets us out, nothing!
I started this game here, and I'm going to keep it going,
and so is miss Lee.
You and no other gunman's going to tell us what to do.
You have us wrong, sister.
We're businessmen. We don't carry guns.
Oh, you don't?
No. We're just telling you.
Well, then I'm afraid we'll have to ask Timothy about it.
Yes, ma'am.
Timothy.
Timothy...
Throw those gentlemen out on their ears.
They took the money away from me--
the numbers money, the bag, everything.
Who did?
I don't know. Some men. They stopped me on the street
and told me to keep my face out of there.
They said I couldn't even make collections anymore.
They did, did they?
What are you going to do?
I'm going to tell Johnny Blake about it.
He'll run those mugs off the 93rd street dock.
I guess I'll go upstairs and turn in.
You did all right tonight, Johnny.
Hey, has Fenner come in yet?
He's in the coffee shop.
Hey, where did you get that shiner?
An oversized bouncer up at the Bronx.
What were you doing up in the Bronx?
Taking the numbers game over for Fenner.
We were doing all right until we tangled with this Morgan dame.
Have a seat.
Just where did you get the idea
you were going to take over the numbers game?
I have taken it over. By tomorrow, it'll be in the bag.
You're going to keep your hands off.
I'm going to run that game, Fenner.
Since when did you get to be a big shot in this outfit?
Tonight.
You ain't got a crew to do any organizing.
Well, I will have from now on.
He's working for me just the same as you are.
I didn't give you any orders to take over.
He's to have it, eh?
That's right.
I used to be number-one man around here, Al.
You're kind of kicking me downgrade, ain't you?
You'll still be number-one man
if you quit stepping out of line.
So you call this stepping out of line, eh?
This, and a publisher named Bryant.
Thanks, Al.
Ok.
Yeah, there's another thing
we might just as well get straight.
Lee Morgan started this game.
She's going to keep on getting
a small-time break or part of it.
When this outfit takes anything over, it takes it all.
If you're going to run it, you're going to run it right.
Ok.
Take it easy.
Louie, call it off.
I said, call it off.
I understand John Blake lives here.
That's correct.
I'd like to see him.
What's your name, please?
Lee Morgan.
I'll try his room.
Mr. John Blake, please.
Right. I'm sorry. He doesn't answer.
Are you looking for Johnny Blake?
Yes, I am.
My name's Nick Fenner. Maybe I can help.
Well, I've got to find him.
You're Lee Morgan.
Yes.
You run a numbers game up in the Bronx.
So what?
I hear they started running you out tonight.
Well, they won't get away with it.
It's a dirty trick.
I don't blame you for gunning for Blake.
Gunning for him?
He's the one that's taking it away.
That's a lie.
He's grabbing it to put himself in strong with Al kruger.
Go and ask him. He's in the coffee shop.
Oh, hello, Lee.
Johnny, are you taking the numbers game?
Yes.
Why?
Well, I can't tell you.
And I tried to take you in with me.
It sort of turned out better
to toss it to the wolves, didn't it?
Well, I thought they'd let you keep on running your end of it.
I guess that wasn't poetry
about friends finding an easy place to break your back.
Eh, give me 7-0-42.
I know I'm going to win today.
Yeah, sure.
I tell my wife this morning, I got luck today, all right.
Ha ha!
One buck on 7-7-7.
Shootin' the works, ain't you?
I just took 3 blondes to the seventh floor. See you later.
8-11. 301 on 9-87.
$10 on each of them.
I'll be around in the morning
with a clothes basket to collect.
Ok.
Oh, no such luck. Thanks.
What is it?
5-0-8 won.
Oh, that's my number! I won!
Really?!
Now I'll get that fur coat.
That's better than putting it in bank accounts.
If the tax boys find out how much you got,
they're liable to wonder where it comes from.
Yeah. Looks like I'd have to hire another box.
Looks like you'd have to hire about 10,
the way those numbers keep paying off.
You want to send some into Canada.
Is that what you do?
Yeah. It might be convenient sometime.
Well, you and the bosses must have had to hire a vault.
I don't know what they do with it, but they're not complaining.
Then how about meeting them sometime, huh?
Not a chance.
I'm the only one who knows who they are,
and I gather they want it to stay that way.
I guess you can't blame them for that.
Thanks.
Hey, uh...
What would happen, though, if you got lost?
They'd just pick somebody else and keep on going.
Fenner, I suppose.
No. I think it'd be you.
Me?
They think you're the best man I've got.
They do, huh?
But you wouldn't want it, Johnny.
It's a top job, all right,
but it's the last one a guy ever holds.
There's only one way out.
Yeah. That's the payoff for helping them, huh?
But you don't have to worry about getting it.
I'm not going to get lost.
You better keep your eyes open.
The boys are getting restless
about Mclaren still hammering their rackets.
He'll be washed up pretty soon.
Oh, yeah. Thanks.
How are you, Mr. Hollister?
Oh, Blake. I didn't recognize you.
Well, I guess it's been about 5 years.
All of that.
Oh, Mr. Kruger, Mr. Hollister.
Mr. Kruger.
How do you do?
I read that you left the police department.
You seem to be doing all right.
Have you had any more holdups?
No, no. I lost some jewelry a few years ago,
and it only took Blake about 6 hours to recover it.
Nobody was better on that kind of a job.
Well, I wish I'd known when you quit.
I'd like to have had you in the banking business.
Oh, there isn't enough money in it.
I'm glad to have seen you again, anyway.
Thank you.
Good-bye, Mr. Kruger.
Good-bye.
Swell fella. Yeah.
Hello, Mac.
I'm ready to go. Grab Kruger right away.
I can't cover an arrest like that.
But you've got him. Put him where nobody can get at him.
Well, what are you going to do, Johnny?
I got no time to answer questions.
Wait a minute. That's not all.
Crack down on Fenner's milk outfit.
Break it up, smash it.
This is the last move. Ok. You'll hear more from me.
Yeah, what's up?
They just knocked over your milk outfit.
Yeah? Which plant?
All of them. They even raided the Brooklyn place
and grabbed all the trucks, and that's all we got left.
If we don't do something about it, we're going to be washed up.
What's Al doing about it?
Nothing. He's going to let it ride, like he does everything else.
Yeah, but the numbers game's paying off big dough.
Sure. It's going to keep on paying off, as far as he's concerned.
Where is he?
He's checking up with the racetrack boys.
Listen, Nick. I'm going with you.
Get out of that car!
Where's all this protection
you were supposed to give us?
You're not beginning to coast on the profits
from the numbers game, are you, Al...
Letting the rest of us hold the bag?
I'm taking orders just the same as you are.
When the right ones come, I'll pass them along to you.
Until then, you keep your noses out of this.
We were just wondering.
All right. I'll see you a week from Thursday.
Ok.
Hello, Nick.
What's eating you?
I'm starting to take over the numbers game.
Are you at it again?
It ain't a very big one.
If Mike catches you back there, he'll crown you.
Yeah, but he isn't here.
Oh, look what happened.
Hello, Lee.
Hello.
Pretty soon you'll start coming around here in the mornings.
Beat it.
Who, me?
You.
I wouldn't stay.
He's no good, miss Lee.
She knows it.
So do I.
A lot of news there.
Who did it?
We're trying to find out.
I thought he was a friend of yours.
He was.
You don't seem very upset about it.
There's no use crying if the dice happen to fall that way.
Do you want to go back in the numbers game?
What are you trying to do-- kid me?
You started this racket.
You ought to have a share in it.
I suppose Mr. Blake will let me have it.
He'll have nothing to say about it.
I'm running things from now on.
If you want the Bronx and Harlem districts, they're yours.
If you need protection, you'll get it.
You don't trust me.
I don't trust anybody.
Neither do I.
We ought to work fine together.
How about it?
You're going to take it away from Blake?
Yeah.
Go ahead and take it.
The numbers game.
We'll find out who got Al sooner or later,
but we ain't got any time to start worrying about that now.
The question is, do I run this business from now on or don't I?
Well, that's all right with us,
but the bosses may have something to say about it if we ever hear from them.
I'll take care of that.
Why wasn't Blake asked in on this meeting?
Because he ain't gonna have so much to say from now on.
He's the one that sold Al
on sitting back and waiting for Mclaren to run down.
Well, it didn't work out that way.
I'm going to put the rackets back in full swing,
even if it means trouble with Mclaren.
Hi, Mike.
Hi, Johnny.
Bill. Hello, Lambert.
Driscoll.
Hiya, Blake.
I'm sorry I'm late. Say, what is this-- an election?
It's already been held.
And you're it.
Any objections?
A few.
Yeah? What's the first one?
The job was given to me.
When?
The bosses called me in 2 hours after the news broke.
You expect us to believe that?
Well, I told them you might have a few doubts,
but I couldn't persuade them to come down here and prove it.
Who are they?
Kruger tell you?
No.
So I think I'll keep on sitting in the driver's seat
till I hear from them personally.
Ooh, sit anywhere you want to,
but don't try and stop me from carrying out orders.
Got orders and everything, eh?
Yeah.
I'm to take charge of their money
and have it over to them by 10:00 tomorrow night.
Or keep it yourself, and no one will know the difference.
Say, the numbers business is doing all right, Lambert.
I don't have to chisel in on yours.
Half the money I take to them will me mine anyway.
Well, what do you say?
Do I take charge of their split,
or have you some other suggestion?
None that I can think of right now.
All right, then.
We meet in the garage tomorrow night at 6:00.
Ok, Johnny.
Hello.
This is John Blake.
The oceanic bank, Mr. Blake.
Mr. Hollister asked me to call you
and ask if you could drop over and have a little talk with him.
I believe it's concerning your checking account.
What's the matter? Is it overdrawn?
I don't know, but Mr. Hollister considered it important.
He'd appreciate it very much.
Tell him I'll be right over.
Mr. Blake.
Will you go right in?
Thank you.
Hello, Blake.
Well, didn't expect to see you again so soon.
Neither did I.
Mr. Thorndyke, Mr. Blake.
How do you do?
How are you?
Mr. Caldwell.
How do you do?
How are you?
Hey, did it take a board meeting
and an ex-government official to go over my account?
Nothing wrong with your account, Blake.
We want to know why you tried to take over Kruger's job.
You're the heads, huh?
Yes.
Well, no wonder the organization has been so well-protected.
Why did you try to take over the job?
I didn't try and take it over. I took it over.
Did you think we might object?
Well, why should you?
I've proven to you that I can run it better than anyone else.
Fenner isn't any good.
Yes, you've given us quite a nice bit of revenue.
Well, I've given you more than any four of them put together,
and you'll keep on getting it,
provided you give me a few breaks.
You know, I'm not in this for fun.
Satisfied?
Quite.
Blake, the job is yours.
Thanks. You're not making any mistake.
Incidentally, Mr. Blake,
you are the only one who will know who we are.
I understand that.
And the first thing we want you to do
is to collect our, uh...Royalties in the garage tonight
and bring them here.
I've already made arrangements about collecting them.
Yeah?
Will it be all right if I'm here at 10:00?
Uh, yes, yes.
Well, before we go into detailed instructions,
I suggest we all have a drink to Mr. Blake's success.
That's a good idea.
How about it?
Well, it will taste pretty good.
Ha ha ha!
You're making a mistake by not telling the public what you're doing, Mclaren.
The papers are beginning to blast at you. Let them.
But you haven't discovered a thing on Kruger's death.
Not so far.
What are you doing to investigate it?
I don't care to say.
I'll be perfectly Frank with you.
The jury is fed up they way you've kept them in the dark.
Those were the terms when I took the job.
And we expected you to deliver, but you're getting nowhere.
I know that you've broken up a few rackets,
but you haven't gotten the men that we want,
and if we don't get them, they're going to get us.
A lot of pressure is being brought to bear to have us discharged.
If that happens, all our work will have gone for nothing.
I think you'll have some action soon.
I hope so.
If something doesn't break within the next 2 weeks,
you're going to be let out.
Thanks for telling me.
Did you want to see me?
Yes.
Have these 40 men here 3:00 this afternoon.
Tell them to be ready for 24-hour duty.
Things are getting warm, eh?
Plenty.
Got your figures, Driscoll?
Yeah. 28,400.
Yeah, that's pretty bad.
I'll say it is.
First time I was here, it was about 170,000.
Won't stay this way very long.
Yeah.
Aren't you going to wait for Nick?
No, I, um...I'll get his figures later.
Right.
I'll see you at the hotel.
Ok.
All set to take them the money, eh?
Yeah. Shall I give them your regards?
That's a lot of dough to go southward, Blake.
If I ever find out you don't know them, I'm going to drop in on you.
Yeah, like you did on Kruger.
I'll be looking for you.
Hey, let's beat it, boys.
Hey, you. Throw me that bag.
Burn those papers.
Ok.
Let that silver go. Come on. Let's get out of here!
Stick 'em up!
Outside. Come on.
Come on.
There. Here it is.
That's it.
Come on, now.
Come on.
Everybody get out?
None of them got away.
They found a back entrance.
You mean, Blake told them.
Blake?
I saw him signal the cops.
Don't kid yourself he doesn't know who the bosses are.
He wouldn't have pulled this raid
unless he was ready to clamp down on them, too.
He said he was going to see them at 10:00,
and I can't warn them because I don't know who they are.
That makes it great for him.
I've got to get him before he gets to them.
Yeah, if you can find him.
I've got Wires tailing him. I'll find him.
You hear from Blake?
No, and he's 5 minutes late.
I'd feel a lot better if we got Fenner.
Are the men stationed?
Yes.
Hello.
Johnny?
Where are you?
112418th street. Did you get everyone at the garage?
All except Fenner. We couldn't find him.
Did you get the serial numbers?
Yes. The job's almost washed up, Johnny.
If we can grab them with the money that matches those numbers,
it's an airtight case.
They'll get it at 10:00 sharp.
I'm leaving here at a quarter of.
Yeah, and don't make a move till I come out.
One phony sign, you'll be out of luck.
I won't...
But I'm still worried about Fenner.
Oh, forget it, Mac.
We'll be having a beer at 10:30.
Yeah.
So he said, "my word, the warden's betrayed me."
Pardon me. You're wanted on the telephone.
Excuse me.
Surely.
Yes?
Has Mr. Fenner been there this evening?
Oh, this is Mr. Kagal speaking.
Well, when he comes in, will you please tell him that Mr. Blake phoned.
He wants to see him. It's very important.
He's at 1124 east 18th street.
Yes, I'll tell him.
Thanks.
Pardon me, but Mr. Fenner wants to see you.
Where is he?
In the office.
What's the idea, coming in the back way?
The cops are after me.
Do you know any places that Blake might be using for a hideout?
Yes. He's at 1124 east 18th street.
He says he wants to see you.
Yeah? How do you know?
Well, someone by the name of Kagal phoned.
Why? What's happened?
It's nothing except that Blake's done what I always said he'd do.
He's put the whole crowd in the spot for Mclaren. They're under arrest.
He's working with the police?
He's been working with them all the way,
and I'm going to pay him off.
There's no telephone listed at 1124 east 18th.
Well, there is a phone there, and I've got to find the number.
There's no number listed at that address.
It must be a confidential number. I'm sorry.
Uhh...
Are you all right, Johnny?
Yeah.
Has Fenner been here?
He's in there on the floor.
Say, drive me over to wall and 24th.
Don't you want to go uptown?
No, I've got some business.
I was afraid he was going to kill you.
Well, how did you know about it?
I told him where you were.
Huh?
I didn't know what he was going to do
till he told me you were back working
with the police again.
You know that, huh?
Oh, I feel like such a heel, Johnny.
And after the way I talked to you that night
in the hotel.
Oh, you didn't know. Forget it.
I tried to be sore,
but it seemed so funny not seeing you around.
You're all through with that, though, now,
aren't you, Johnny?
Yeah.
I'm so glad.
Now you can go back on the force,
maybe in the Broadway district.
Yeah.
Here's where I get off.
Are you all right, Johnny?
Oh, sure, I'm all right.
Go back that way, Lee.
I'll wait for you.
You'll have to wait too long.
Thanks for the lift.
You're aces, Lee.
I'll remember that, Johnny.
Good night.
Good night, Johnny.
Something's happened to him.
Wait. We can't break it up now.
Hello, Blake.
How are you, gentlemen?
How are you?
10:00 on the dot.
You keep your appointments.
I wanted to make my first job perfect.
Good. You can open it, hunter.
Did you have any trouble with Fenner?
We got along fine.
How does it feel to be head of the organization?
I've been waiting for a night like this for 15 years.
You deserve it.
Thank you.
Will you gentlemen need me any longer?
No. We'll get in touch with you next week.
Good night.
Ohh...
Ugh.
Go ahead in.
What's that?
Lock that door.
Hold it, Hollister.
I think Mclaren can use that. Get that box, boys.
Ok, cap.
Put the bracelets on them.
Yes, sir.
Have a look in that vault.
Johnny...
Hello, Mac.
Did you nail 'em?
Yes.
Well, that's that.
Who got you-- Fenner?
Yeah.
Where is he?
He's washed up.
You check the bullets he put into me
with those that killed Bryant and Kruger.
They're all from his gun.
You didn't miss a bet, did you?
One.
I was wrong about that glass of beer...
But we've had lots of them.
We'll be having more, Johnny. I'm taking you to the hospital.
It won't do any good.
Keep kicking them into line, Mac.
I will, Johnny.
I like to think
that when those mugs pass a policeman,
they'll keep on tipping their hats.