Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-06-07
of his career
Continued From Last Week
LAST INSTALLMENT

LAST INSTALLMENT
AS was his nightly custom, Con-
crete visited Jennie at her home,
which was near the outskirts of the
city.
Hello, big boy" she greeted "How
you feelin'?"
Zine. my Black Beauty. I'm in
the pink of condition and it's just
another workout for your herman"
And Concrete grinned as only he
could grin.
Jennie coyly sat on the sofa and
Concrete lost little time in whisper
ing the words every woman loves to
hear. whether white, black, yellow, or
red!
1t was past ten o'clock when Con-
crete finally left his damsel.. Usually
he stayed until past midnight. but
Manager Wright insisted that he be
in the hotel by ten-thirty on the
nights previous to his fights.
Just as Concrete reached a lum-
Der yard. two masked men, with guns
stepped out; one spoke harshly:
Throw 'em up! Pronto, tool"
Into the lumber yard, Concrete was
marched. Although he was taken
BY surprise, it took Concrete but a
moment to realize that his life was
in danger. In the yard were three
other men, also masked. and they
grinned wickedly as Concrete stood
before the leader.
you're due for buggy ride" he
declared in a rasping voice!
"What for?" asked Concrete. Il
amt done nothin'. If youse want
my money, youse all kin have it. But
I can't understand the fire works. y
"You can't, huh? Well, you will
when we're through with YOU"
With that, the leader, who was
none other than Cropsy, Willie
Burns's right-hand man, winked at
one of his henchmen, who immedi-
ately tied the black boys wrists be-
hind his back. He was then led to
q wall in a remote part Of the yard.
Gall right. boys" ordered the lead
er. let him have it,"
Concrete was powerless to prevent
what happened Fists, covered with
Horseshoe" rings. cut his face to
pieces. Not one word was uttered by
any of the men. nor by Concrete, for
he had been warned that if he yelled,
bullet would finish him. The last
Concrete remembered was a black
jack descending upon his head.
&%$t
Tod Wright was pacing up and
down the dressing room of the Twi-
light Boxing Arena. Never had the
manager been so worried. He could
not understand why Concrete had
not returned to his room the night
before. 1t was now ten o'clock and
the Semi-windup was half over.
Wright had managed. somehow. to
keep the news of Concrete'S diSap-
pearance from becoming public. for
he had implicit faith that his fighter
WUulu appear IL llIlle. lOQ IldQ Spoken
to Jennie. but it was beyond her to
explain why her sweetheart had not
returned to his home.
Ten seventeen! Wright groaned as
he glanced at his watch. Any mo-
ment the semi-final would be over.
Suddenly. he turned towards the
door. 1t opened. and in walked Con-
crete-but different Concrete from
the one who had left him the pre-
vious night. He was swathed in BAN
dageS; one eye was completely closed,
the other halfway: his nose was
four times its normal size. and his
ears were cauliflowered for life.
Tell me, quick" yelled Wright.
"what happened"
Concrete lost little time in relating
his story.
And" the fighter concluded, 81
was picked up this morning by two
workmen of the lumber yard. An
ambulance took me to the hospital.
where they bandaged me up. I did
not come to until a short time ago.
I slipped one of the white coat boys
a 'sawbuck' and he lets me loose"
"Oh, so you had money. eh?"
/ q %