Evening star., 1922-04-06
T was what. in college. we used
to call good foot ball weather"

was what, in college, We used
to call good foot ball weather"
"a crisp, autumn afternoon that
sent the blood tingling through
brain and muscle. Kennedy and /
were enjoying stroll on the drive,
dividing our attention between the
glowing red sunset across the Hud-
son and the string of homeward-
bound automobiles on the broad
parkway. Suddenly a huge black
touring car marked with big letters.
"P. D. N. Y" SHOT past.
"Joyriding again in one of the
city's cars" remarked. "I thought
the last police department shake
up had put stop to that"
Perhaps 1t has" returned Ken
nedy. Did you see who was in the
carr"
mo. but I see it has turned and
1T was Inspector mean. First
Deputy O'Connor. / thought he rec
ognized US as he whizzed along, and
tions. O'Connor! haven't had q
chance to tell you before how pleased
I was to learn you had been appoint
ed first deputy. 1t ought to have been
commissioner. though" added Ken
nedy.
O'Connor. Just another new deal
election coming on, mayor must have
a show Of getting some reform done.
and all that sort OF thing. So he be.
gan with the police department, and
here am, first deputy. But. say,
voice. "I've a little job on my mind
that I'd like to pull Off in about as
spectacular a fashion as las you
know how. 1 want to make good.
conspicuously good. at the start
understand? Maybe Iil be broke
ments of Dismissalvilie. but 7 don't
care. I'll take a chance. On the
level, Kennedy, it's a big thing and
it ought to be done. Will you help
me put it across"
what is it?' asked Kennedy with
estimate Of the security of his tenure
o'Connor drew us away from the
automobile toward the stone para
pc overlooking the railroad and
river far below. and out Of earshot
to pull off a successful raid on the
Vesper Club" he whispered earnestly,
scanning our faces.
Good heavens. man." I calculated.
don't you know that Senator DAN
field is interested in
Jameson" interrupted OConnor,
reproachfully. 81 said 'on the level a
few moments ago. and ! meant it.
Senator Danfield he-well. anyhow.
If / don't do it the district attorney
will, with the aid of the Bowling
law. and am going to beat him to
being lost at the vesper Club. any
how. 1t won't hurt Danfield to be
taught a lesson not to run such a
phony game. I may like to put up
a quiet bet myself on the ponies now
and then-I won't say I don't-but
all reason. It's the crookedest gam
bling joint in the city. at least judg-
ing by the stories they tell Of losses
there. And so beastly aristocratic.
too. Read that"
O'Connor showed letter into Ken
nedy's hand-a dainty perfumed and
monogra mined little missive address
ed in feminine hand. 1t was such a
letter as comes by the thousand to
the police in the course of a year,
though seldom from ladies of the
smart set:
Dear Sir: notice in the news
papers this morning that you have
just been appointed first deputy com
missioner of police and that you have
been ordered to suppress gambling
in New York. For the love that you
must still bear toward your own
mother. listen to the story of a
mother worn with anxiety for her
or righteousness in this great city
close up a gambling hell that is send
ing to ruin scores Of our finest young
men. No doubt you know or have
heard Of my family-the De Longs
are not unknown in New York. Per-
al ~ HA
losses of my son Percival at the
vesper Club. They are fast becom-
ing the talk of our set. I am not
rich. Mr.. Commissioner, in spite of our
social position, but I am human, as
human as a mother in any station of
up that gilded society resort that is
dissipating our small fortune.S running
an only son. and slowly bringing to
the grave q gray-haired widow. as
worthy of protection as any. mother
of the poor whose plea has closed up
little poolroom or low policy shop.
(MRS.) JULIA DE LONG.
P. S-Please keep this confidential
at least from my SON Percival.
J. NJ. DE L.
We'll" said Kennedy, as he nand-
ed back the letter to O'Connor. "if
you do it I'll take back all the hard
things I've ever said about the po-
lice system. Young De Long was in
one of my classes at the university
until he was expelled for that last
mad prank of his. There's more to
that boy than most people think, but
he's the widest scion of wealth 1
have ever come in contact with. How
are you going to pull OF your raid
is it to be down through the skylight
Kennedy" replied OConnor in the
same reproachful tone with which he
had addressed me, talk sense. I'm
in earnest. You know the vesper
Club is barred and barricaded like
Of those common gambling joints
which depend for protection on what
we call 'ice-box DOORS It's proof
against all the old methods. Axes
and sledge hammers would make no
impression there"
cess at opening doors with hy-
draulic jack I believe in some very
difficult raids" put in Kennedy.
"A hydraulic jack wouldn't do for
the Vesper Club. I'm afraid" re-
marked O'Connor wearily. why,
sir. that place has been proved bomb
proof-bombproof. sir. You remem-
ber recently the so-called gamblers
war in which some rivals exploded
a bomb on the steps? 1t did more
damage to the house next door than
to the club. However, I can get
past the outer door. I think, even
II it Is strong: But inside-you must
have heard of it's the famous steel
door. three inches thick. made Of
armor plate. It's no use to try it at
all unless we can pass that door with
reasonable quickness. All the evil
dence we shall get will be Of an in
nocent social club room downstairs.
The gambling is all on the second
moor. beyond this door, in a room