The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-24
By MARK BARRON

NEW YORK, March q ,-P-
Prodded by police of a haif-dozen
nations where he allegedly was
seeking a new launching place for
his e X tensive criminal career,
Charles Lucky" Luciano is in
the process OF returning today
from his temporary haven in Cuba
to his native Italy to which he
was banished by New York state
on Feb. %, 1916.
A cat, by reputation, his nine
lives. But, Luciano, who went
from peddling dope to become
1.-The boss" of New York's prosti-
tuition rackets, has lived and sur
vived approximately 10 lives. He
never has worked in his life at
a regular job, he admitted in court
testimony, and he roved the
streets OF his native east side in
New York City until at the age of
l8-that would be in 1916-he went
to prison for selling narcotics.
Recently in Cuba, which authori-
ties said was possibly a spring
board to get him back into the
United States or into Brazil. Ar
gentina or other South American
countries (the latter as second
choices). Luciano found himself
stale-mated.
It was obvious that the convict
ed boss Of Bordellos had influen-
tial friends. but when the U. S.
Bureau Of Narcotics told the Gu
ban government h a t this nation
would no longer supply narcotics
for medical use in Cuban hospi-
tails as long as Luciano was there,
prompt action was taken. Interior
Minister Pequeno drafted a Cuban
expulsion order, specifying that
Luciano's $500 bond on entering
Cuba be used to ship him to Italy
aboard the Turkish ship, Bakir.
Thus, seemingly, ends the
troublesome caree on these
shores Of the gnarled-faced little
man who was sentenced in 1886
to serve 80 to so years in Sing
Sing on compulsory prostitution
charges. He served nine years
and six months of that sentence
when he was paroled to be de-
ported to Italy.
Luciano, in pleading for
his freedom, made eXtravagant
claims to having aided U. S.
Army and navy u%ndercover work
in preparing for the invasion of
Italy during the war, but army
and navy intelligence files carry
no reference to any such aid from
him.
New York's Governor Thomas
E. Dewey, who prosecuted Luci-
ano as district attorney in New
York City, said that not only was
Luciano king" boss Of the prosti-
tuition racket, but that he also was
No. l fence in dealing in stolen
Jewels and silks, automobile tires
and narcotics. Dewey said that
Luciano ran an illgal Italian lot
terry, and also transacted deals in
illegal alcohol. Dewey made his
charges and proved them in
courts Of law.
Police once estimated that APP
proximately 1000 girls in the
more expensive houses of prostitu-
ton paid Luciano and his mob for
protection" this protection
consisting of arranging for meas
lures necessary to free the girls
when they were arrested in police
raids. 1t generally was understood
that if the girls failed to win an
innocent verdict, they would have
to take their sentences and not
get a refund of their "protection"
money. .:
One OF the girls, Florence
"Cokey Flo" Brown, squawked
about this and, as a result, later
became one of the principal wit
nesses against Luciano in the trial
that sent him to prison.
The power of Luciano at the
time was demonstrated by the
fact that Dewey, despite intensive
police investigation, was having a
difficult time in indentifying
Lucky as the actual king Of the