The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-03-16
BY LOU WEDEHAR
Times staff Writer


Times staff Writer
A GENT T-3 of the United
"a States secret service uttered
an exclamation as packet of
paper matches fared up in his
hand.
Nasty burn" said Alan G.
Straight, chief of the New York
office. Better have it attended
to-"
They were comforting in the
bureau offices in the old custom
house on Battery park, on two
important Investigations.
For the first time in history the
old federal assay office at Wall
and Broad streets, which con-
tanned nearly $1,O0O,0O0 DOC in bull
lion, had been robbed!
The structure had been con-
sidered burglar-proof 1t was
lined with alarm wires, and it's
vaults were surrounded by deep
meats. Guards were on duty in
every room; very modern pro-
tective device had been installed.
Yet somebody had looted it Of
a $4,000 bar of solid gold weighing
225 ounces!
The crime demanded immediate
action. If one gold bar had been
stolen, others might be. T-3 de-
cided to postpone action on the
million-dollar counterfeit ring
probe and devote his staff to
breaking the assay office case.
Must be an inside job" he
unused. Send the boys out to the
regular places-all except D'Ontas.
I'll go there myself"
Old man D'Ontas was the city's
leading goldsmith, and T-3 mad a
bunch, based on experience, that
the thief might approach him in
an effort to dispose of his loot.
IT'S STOPPED on the way at a
Il drug store in the shadow of
the elevated to have his burned
hand dressed. AS his friend the
druggist tied the bandage, T-3 no.
ticed a business card On the coun-
ter.
The name was very extensively
engraved-"Harry Mills, Ink I'M
porter"-and T-3 took profess
sional interest in engraving.
"Where'd you get this?" he
asked.
From a new customer. He's
an importer over on Third avenue.
Ordered some hydrochloric acid
sent up to him."
Mind if I keep the card? It's
an interesting bit of engraving.
A few minutes later T-3 was
comforting quietly with D'Ontas.
The old man was excited.
There's a fellow in the back
room right now with a bar of
gold" he whispered. Says he is
just in from the west with it,
T-3 smiled.
Lead me to him." he said.
A small, sharpe eyed man was
waiting in the back room. T-3
recognized him at once as an cleo
trician employed at the assay Of
flee.
For a moment the little man
looked as if he would faint. Then
he came forward, hands out
stretched.
Il couldn't help it, he said. II
needed the money, and with all
that gold lying around there, no.
body ever using it.
With his knowledge OF electricity
he had avoided the burglar alarms,
he explained. He was remorseful,
but T-3 had to arrest him.
DEFORE T-3 left with his
D prisoner D'Ontas called MIN
aside.
I've got something else here
that will interest you," he said,
producing a $40 bill. Give been
saving it until you came around"
Counterfeit, all right. One of
the new batch. Where'd you get
it?"
Il can't remember" said D'Ontas.
II found it in the till two days
ago. It's such good imitation
1 didn't notice when I took it in"
THE ring is getting better" T-3
commented. Let me know if you
get another. We're after them hot
and heavy now"
Protection of the currency, he
knew, was one of the governments
deepest obligations.
Thousands of dollars in the
counterfeits were in circulation,
but never before had the ring
dared to pass a bogus bill on a
man as familiar with currency as
D'OntaS.
When he got back to the office
T-3 ordered the dossier contain
ing information on the counter
feiting ring.
The D'Ontas bill was 100 per cent
better than any others they had
received; if the ring improved its
output any further, bank tellers
would have difficulty in recogniz-
ing the counterfeits.
The paper was excellent; the
plates we're of steel and engraved
by an expert. There we're only a
few men in America who could
have done the engraving, and
most of them worked for the gov
eminent.
With the assay office matter
cleared up-the electrician had
convinced them that he had been
alone in the theft-the secret SER
vice concentrated on the counter
felt problem. A cable arrived
saying the counterfeits were being
circulated in Europe.
OPERATIVE T-254 was as
" signed to bring in Tony
Gamanti, who had been ques-
toned earlier. and number Of
other suspects.