The Washington times., 1930-10-21
CHAPTER 10 ]

Central Ponce DeCalI, ucdu'
quarters for important prisoners
and those detained for front
office" questioning was located
in a three-story squat red brick
building two blocks from City
Hall. The city had long been
promised a modern up-to-date
police building. But year after
year the plans were pigeon
holed while aggressive politicians
won praise for themselves by d1-
verting the building funds to
schools, parks, bridges and
bouievards. These things i'm
pressed the public far more.
The cops could. wait. Who
thinks about cops, anyway, on
election, day?"
Here were the blind" cells
the men in a dark, foul
smelling basement, the women
on the first floor. Day and
night the patrol wagons drew
UP the narrow little alley and
the prisoners were hustled out
and thrown into the antiquated
cages, where they were held
without booking g-Sometimes for
weeks.
The chief of detectives had
his office on the second floor.
The captain of the first precinct
was on the first floor, just off
the street. The lineup room
was in the basement and every
morning at 10 O'Clock the
prisoners were marched out
one by one, placed under a
bright light, while masked de
tectives stood about in groups
and scrutinized them.
"Gold Fish. Bowl sr.---
There was a.small back room
which was known to every
crook in the city. The gold
fish bowl" It was devoid Of
furniture, save one chair. In
a corner lay an ordinary rub
ber hose. Sometimes prisoners
were entertained herewith
little formality. Here detectives
vented their SadiStic J, wrath
against helpless men, flagel-
1ating them with the rubber
hose and pummeling them with
their beefy fists. This was
known as seeing the gold
fish,"a facetious way of char
acterizing the American in
QUESTION.
There was not "a gangster
in the big burg who did not
know the layout Of Central
Detail, Most Of them, whether
they had been guilty Of any
crime or not, had been hustled
down there at different times
to taste the grim hospitality of
the coppers and dicks, ION
suspicion"
Polack Annie was still bawl-
ing her eyes out at a few
minutes to midnight, and police
headquarters had sunk back
into its nocturnal tranquility
when Goldie Gorio gave his
final instructions to his two
dozen hoodlums in the con.
verted stable where he had
set up his new concentration
camp.
IT don't want no useless
shootin'," he ordered. "I don't
want coppers' blood on our
hands. Of course you never
can tell what's goin' to hap
pen. But the way got this
thing doped we'll have Annie
out o. there before them flat
feet get their breath"
Addresses "MOOn.Face"
He looked around at the
hard, tense faces before him.
I'm goin' to spring her N.Y.
But. chief, there ain no use
you takin' no chances - Whined
Chip Hsamrnel. #%
"You heard me-" snapped
Goldie. Then he continued:
Nov. Moon-Face," he turned
to a slender fellow whose coun.
tenance was dished out like a
crescent You know how to
lin UP that signal system. You
used to be with the telephone
company. so don make no mis-
takes"
"Oke. Boss" answered Moon
Face, grinning and drawing his
lineSlnan'S tools from his
pocket. "It's jimmed.
Now, you six," indicated
Goldie, laying out a pencilled
chart on the table before him.
''I want you on the corner to
the south. Nobody gets through,
see? u Have your car pointin'
north with the engine goin'."
Right" said Clammy With
ers, assigned to lieutenant the
half dozen.
And you guys" he turned
TO another group. Il want you
to do the same at this north
intersection. Keep that street
clear, because we're eoing out