Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday BOY'S CrNEMA 13 A. racketeer is "taken for a ride" by a rival and killed. When his brother found the body he swore revenge, A brave girl becomes his ally in his dangerous task. Starring DOROTHY BEVIER, TOM .SANTSCHI and CHARLES MORTON, The Ambush—and Afterwards. THE Bowery, New York City, where live some of the most desperate criminals in the world—men who I .tiover hesitate to use tlie gun when in tight corners or up against some rival gang. Racketeers and bootleggers for the most part, making big money "running " illicit liquor in and around the city. A dangerous spot and generally seeth- ing with sinister activity, but at this time, with the hands of the clocks approaching one in the morning, all seemed quiet and still. Yet at one end .of A narrow nnd squalid street there hirkcd three shadowy forms, hat brims pulled down over foreheads, coat-collars turned up about necks, hands thrust deep into overcoat pockets. Still as statues the\ were, till sud- denly the roar of a high-powered engine shattered the silence, and almost instantly a tarpaulin-covered lorry came sweeping out of a garage some hundred yards down the road. Straight towards the three waiting men the heavy vehicle came, rapidly gaining speed. "Now '" came the hoarse wliisper from a thick-set fellow who was ob- viously leader of the trio. On the instant, guns flashed from overcoat pockets and almost instantane- ously three shots craslied out. the bullets narrowly missing ttie diiver and the man who sat next to him on the on- coming lorry. Cursing violently tliej- quickly snatched out their own re- volvers, but before either could fire their assailants ngain loosed their guns at them. There came a sobbing gasp from the man beside the lorry driver as a bullet took him clean Ln the chest and. slump- ing sideways, ho pitched from the vehicle to the road. Clutching fran- tically at the steering-wheel witli one hand, the driver fired back at those three shadowy figures now but a few yards dist<»nt. Whether he hit tliem or not he did not caro over much—but he did fervently hope to get the lorry past the ambush. But there was no escape for him. Again there came three shattering re- ports, and with never so much as a sound the driver crumpled in his seat, three slugs imbedded in his limp body. Out of control now, the lorry rocketed on, swaying dangerously, threatening to crash on to the pavement at any moment. But with a terse commaiul from their leader tihe killers sprang for- ward, and. heedless of the risk they ran, the.v leaped on to the vehicle and quickl.v got it under control again. Behind came hoarse shouts, the run- ning of many feet, and then the loud reports of revolver shots. But the men who rushed from the garage, from whence had come the ambushed lorry, wore much too late, for in a matter of ■seconds the heav.v vehicle had dis- appeared round the end of the road at a wild, reckless speed. A private apartment, luxuriously fur- nished as a drawing-room, in the Blue Dragon restaurant. Seated in deep armchairs, their bodies tense, four well- dressed men, but with the unprepossess- ing countenances of crooks, and a rather pretty, fair-haired girl—all looking in- quiringly at tlie imposing figure of the man who had just slammed the tele- phone receiver savagely back upon its hooks. "What the heck's the matter, boss?" ventured one of the seated men. '"Matter?" Piccardi. owner of the restaurant and one of the most powerful racketeers in New York, clenched his hands as he fixed his hirelings with his smouldering grey eyes. . "Big Boy's the matter, curse him ! Just ''ad word from the garage that he ambushed the lorry running out to Gondoza's, shot Jake and Mike, and made off with tha cargo. The swme ! But we'll get him for it—hell we will !" His satellites were on their feet in an instant, revengefid expressions upon their coarse features, hands clasped tightly around the butts of guns that la;.- concealed in their pockets. Each of them was ready to set out at that moment to settle with Big Boy, the rival gang- ster who for .so long had been a thorn in Piccardi's side. He it was who had .stolen a goodly portion of their trado in the last few weeks, audaciously en- croaching on their territory. And now the successfid raid on their cargo of contraband liquor—that was the very last straw I "We'll get the dirty skunk in hi.i apartments, boss," growled Tony Havers, Piccardi's chief lieutenant, hia pig-like c.ves flashing ominously. But Piccardi waved the suggestion aside with an angry motion of his hand. "No good—his house is full of burglar alarms. If we broke in he'd be warned. The only way is to tak? him unawares." He bit his nails savagely, fingered the small, neatly clipped moustache that adorned his upper lip, meditating the while. Then suddenly an ugly smilo, crept into his face, and his e.yes settled themselves on the fair-haired girl who still reclined in her chair as if un- interested in what had occurred. "Liba, Illy pretty, this is where you can provo how very real your affection is for me. Big Bo.v's going to pay, and pay dearly for having the darned nerve to cross my path, and you can help materially in getting him." "Me?" Lita Alvaro, a cabaret star who had recently fallen on evil times and drifted into the Bowery, where sha had .soon become acquainted with mo.st of the gang leaders there, got languidly SfptemUer 2Ctli, VMl.