The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-08-30
THIS |SA
TALE Of
; 3C|T|ES
Costa Falls For An Old Game
But Il Had A Different
Ending To Others

costa Mllkovich. who resides At Col
umbia ave-. and Summer st. Ham
Inond. fell for an old game which va
worked in new way. However the
game has had a different ending IRON.
most of the ones which have been
worked on foreigners Of the Calumet
region The Hammond police have
rounded up two OF the tricksters.
Costa recently received g notice 10
vacate the house he was living In. ne
had ninety days in which to vAcate
MS is the basis of the game As it ha.
worked elsewhere
1Iilkovich was worryinr ov.r 70.
matter Then came Stevs I1uxttns
u ohry steve apparently was in the
same n bur he had way eut He
vas looking to5 8 frieno VINO h,o ss
mpon money as ne had 90 they coulo
SO into partnership and build q hous.
OF their own.
The proposition pe,nH~6 r~aa g.
Costa and he connded that he had N
600. This ends Steve Ljustfna'a part
In the game. He had located the mo
ney. Now comes Nick Matsiwicb or
indiana Harbor. Nick formed a chance
acquaintance with Costa. He also had
money and before long they were talk
ing about the pArtnership building too.
NICK know several places that were
Tor sale and they decided to 20 out
the next day and look for one
Next day as they were walking alone
Calumet ave- near Summer st they
met fellow who was holding his head
and complaining loudly of being sick.
He spoke broken English and was ov-
erjoyed when he found that Costa ano
Nick were Serbians as ne was. Then
he told them a sad story
The stranger lived in California bur
thirty years ago his father LIVED in
Hammond. He worked Tor the Nicke,
Plate r. r. and lived in a laborerz
camp One day the camp burned whi,s
the strangers father was the onlv mar
at home. All OF the laborers lost their
money and they accused the man of
stealing 1t and burning the camp. They
"ere going to lynch him. he ran
away.
In California the fugitive struck it
rlch-oil well and all OF that stun
Recently he went TO e fortune teller
while he WAS sick and was informed
he would never get well until he mad.
restitution to the fellows he had rob
bed. He had sent his son with az
600 to seek out his victims or their
children and. IN event he could NOT
nnd them, he was to return the rnonev
over to some benevolent institution
It made a hne story and CostA.s hear
was touched However. the stranser
could NOT stand the change Of climate
He was in a bad shape. He must get
back to California. If he could only
hnd an honest man to distribute the
money for him he would be happy.
Costa suggested turning tho matter
over 10 the police but the stranger
refused. saying his father had forbid
den him TO let the matter become pub
lie
Then Nick offered his services and
to show he was a man of means. dis
played his $1,000. Costa who was al
so willing to help, showed his bank
book The stranger said he couldn'd
read and would have to see real mo-
ney. So Costa drew his roll from the
bank. They also bought a travelling
bag.
Later they met in a secluded Dsr,
of Douglas Par kin Hammond rher.
Nick turned over his 81 600 as guar
anty Of honesty. The stranger v,rap
per 1t in a handkerchief and put II In
the grip. Costa parted with his IL
poo which was also placed in the grip
The stranger then ret him have y
glimpse OF the ft:.a50 as 1t was Dump
= into the handbag.
Then as Costa was the elder Of tn.
partners he was allowed to keep the
grip while Nick started to take the sick
nan to Chicago
Nick had the key to the grip. but
When he failed to return. Costa opened
I himself and found three bundles
worth about $50. The stranger had
'wapped rolls in the change. Costa
lnally notified the police and Detectives
finger and EinseIe sd some quick work
N the matter. Saturday they caught
'teve LJustina at Milwaukee and Nick
dataiwich at Indiana Harbor. Their
-ccomplice. the sick Californian. man
-ged to erude them at Milwaukee. buf
hey hope to nab him soon.