The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-03


was gold mine for any pilot willin
Phillip was willing enough to fly
their booze. He had no pious COM
FUNCTIONS about the prohibition
law He liked a drink himself.
Phillip had been transforming
around the country for four or five
years-ever since he got out of the
Army. His worldly wealth to show
for 1t when he talked to Barney
that spring was jittery old Stand
ard and about 5000 in cash.
Time was getting to be, he told
Barney when he ought to settle
down. He needed new ship. But
there was no possibility of his
bankrolling himself for a new ship
with the old Standard, powered by
Hisso with less than 100 hours left
in it.
Then flying the BOOZE" Barney
had advised him, lis your best bet.
Out there west Of town, where I
been hopping the stuff, you can get
some farmer to let you use his field
10 lily passengers. You won't even
make coffee-and-cake money at it.
put hang on, and before you know
1t, some of the liquor mob will be
out to line you up.
Here" he wrote an address on
q SIP OF paper and handed it to
Pnlllip. That's a speak where I
nang out. Come around in a con-
pie OF weeks and look me up"
DHILLIP flew the old Standard to
n the city, where Barney had
found fortune. He found that Bar
ney was right about a field. He To-
Gated suitable spot on a good
highway, with an open shed in one
corner near the road where he could
hangar his ship.
After he opened shop, Phillip be-
gan to make regular trips to the
speakeasy to look for Barney. The
bartenders knew Barney, and they
knew he was out of town, but none
could say when he would be back.
AS the. weeks of waiting passed.
Phillips little cash reserve melted
away alarmingly. 1t looked like
he'd have to hit the transformers
trail again with the old Standard.
He was leaning on the gate at the
field one afternoon, moodily con-
templating the gloomy prospect.
when sleek limousine pulled up on
the other side of the road.
In the car were four men. Phil
lip looked them over carefully and
decided that here was a quartet of
the toughest hombres he'd ever
seen. He opened the gate and
crossed the road.
INTEREST you gentlemen in a
Il hop?"
The man beside the driver studied
the plane a few seconds before an
swering. THAT airplane carry four
people?"
mo, that's a three-place Job"
said Phillip. 1.-TWO passengers and
the pilot"
How about four people and
pilot?"
well, if you want to charter"
Buy"
Phillips told him the name of
manufacturer in the East who was
making immediate delivery on
five-place cabin ship for $4,000.
Yeah? And what's your cut?"
well, don't mind telling you,
mister" said Phillip. THE sales
manager is an old Army buddy of
mine, and he'd slice me in for
around $500 salesmans commits
sion. Yeah, and if you want me to
go to the factory and ferry it back
for you, they'd pay me another cou-
ple of hundred"
The man in the front seat
Knocked the ash off his cigaret and
said to the driver, Go ahead,
Tony" Tony got the car in gear
and the limousine stepped away.
TIME limousine again stopped be-
Il side the fence the next after
noon. The same driver, Tony, and
a Solid-muscled man with pock-
marked lace got out.
"You clicked with the boss yes
terday, Tony told Phillip. He says
you look like you're on the level,
and he wants you to buy that air.
plane If you'll do little job driving
it for him."
Sure. I'll fly it for him"
"Okay. We're ready to go when
you are"
Three days later, the people at
Valencia Aircraft, dazzled by the
IS $1,000 bills Tony counted out to
them, had one of their CHW-5 mod
els on the factory apron and gassed
for the hop to Chicago. With
check for $3.50 and a neat roll of
bills totaling $3.50 in the breast
pocket of his windbreaker, Phillip
got behind the controls and told
Tony they were ready to go.
Darkness was settling over the
\ country when Phillip reached his
field outside of the city, where he
saw car standing beside the shed.
A man got out when the Valencia
TAXED across the field, and took
Tony and .Solly aside for a whis-
pered conference. Then he got back
in the machine and drove off.
That was Nick" said Tony. Hell
be back later. Now, come in the
shed and I'll tell you what it's all
about. You got light in here?"
= q
DHILLIP picked up lantern and
l. took it outside to light it. There
was too much gas and Oil inside to
risk striking a match. When he re-
turned with the light, Tony spread
road map on the top of a gas
drum. His finger traced line down
across Indiana to town on the
Kentucky side of the Ohio River.
That's where we're going. Me nd
Solly nd Nick nd you. Therell be
another guy meet us there"
"Okay. I know that country well