The New York herald., 1921-06-23
SEIZE FAKE TICKETS
FOR DEMPSEY fight
Detectives Nip Wholesale Plot
to Defraud Fans by Arrest
Of Eight Men.
OTHERS ARE INVOLVED
Rickard Says COunterfeitS
Would Deceive Gatckecpcrs
and Handlers.
OTHERS ARE INVOLVED

Central Office detectives under COM
mand of Inspector John Caughlil ar
rested five men last night and locked
them up at Headquarters charged with
printing and distributing counterfeit
tickets to the Dempsey Carpenter
fight at Jersey City on July .. Specific
charges of forgery. counterfeiting and
men, and the Government also will
bring charges against them. The pris-
oners gave their names as Carmine
De Mattco of liz East Eleventh street
and 1913 Attorney street, Louis Cohen
of 1904 Washington street, Hoboken:
Abraham Lasp of % Willett street.
Abe Held Of 175 East Seventy ninth
street and Arthur a. Foster of 1870
Myrtle avenue. Brooklyn.
Shortly after midnight this morning
Detectives Kane and Brierton. acting
on information said by the police to
have been obtained from the five prison.
ers. arrested Carmlne Lounge of 167
Hester street. Sebs stian Fagela OF 125
Mott street and James Tichio OF 1ls
Mott street.
They were charged also with counter
feiting. forgery and grand larceny, and
soon after their arrest the police re-
ported that they had located in base
ment in Riv.ngton street near the
Bowery the printing presses and sup
plies from which the tickets were
printed.
Inspector Coughlin said that he had
not been able to learn how many coun-
terfeit tickets have been distributed but
he believed the number will reach several
thousand. The bundles Of tickets dis
covered when the men were arrested
were taken to headquarters and later
shown to Tex Riclsard, promoter of the
fight, and his treasurer. George Ridge
way. Both said they were remarkable
limitations and would deceive not only
the gatekeepers at the fight but prob
ably even the printers and handlers of
the genuine tickets.
The police Began working on the case
last Monday when Tex Rickard told In
spector Coughiin that man In Reading
claimed to hold tickets which never had
been sold. The trail led from Reading TO
n,
August Mayer charges he got in touch
with Cohen and De Matteo. from whom
he arranged to purchase $4,000 worth Of
$40 tickets for ss,7o0. The detective
met the two men yesterday afternoon
at Eighth street and Third avenue and
climbed into car which De Matteo was
driving.
Mayer handed over a package pur-
porting to contain s3.700 and received in
return package which the detective
charges Cohen and De Matteo said had
in II 100 $50 tickets. While this was
going on four big cars, each occupied
By detectives. drew up near the De
Matteo car, and when the exchange had
been made Mayer fred two shots Into
the air. the signal agreed upon. The
cars OF the detectives Immediately pock-
etcd De Matteo's car and Cohen and De
Matteo were arrested. After they had
been questioned the other men we're
taken to Headquarters.
Inspector Coughlin said last night that
the Eve men had confessed and impli-
Gated others in their scheme. They also
told the name of the printer and en-
graver who made the plates. and the
police say they will make several more
arrests.
Detective Mayer said last night that
during his negotiations with Cohen he
was told that tho printer who made the
counterfeit tickets WAS making counter
felt fifty cent stamps which are so nearly
perfect that they are beng sold in post
offices. He also said that Cohen offered
to let him In on n scheme TO counter
felt $50 notes.