The Key West citizen., 1952-12-18

W tAlc TAOI%A4O1 . OoSSOA 4o
fortune"
'This is my friend, Vincent Dole
of Honolulu" he said, pointing to
a darkhaired youth who lowered
in the background, ''the pine
apple DoleS, you know. You spend
thousands of dollars to encourage
people like us to come down here
and look at the way you treat
us---like common criminals"
Today the "Ycoons" are cool
ing their heels in the Monroe
County Jail facing . long series
of federal charges ranging from
auto theft to fhe passing Of more
than $4,000 in worthless checks
in several states and Hawaii.
They were captured yesterday
afternoon, on the tip Of Pat
Murphy Of The Miami Herald's
Key West bureau, who like the
Citizen staff took ths bizarre
story with tongue IN cheek. Two
of the quartet were taken from q
Havana bound aIrIlner while the
remaining pair were nahbed In
q wild, Hollywood type chase Up
the Keys at speeds exceeding
l00-miles per hour.
William James Smith, Jr., rs,
Of Los Angeles, the apparent lead
er OF the quartet faces federal
charges in Hartford. Connecticut
for automobile theft in addition to
his check passing activities which
are said included a sizeahle take
in Key West.
jailed with him are Vince 10
PiccolO. 20, of ST. Louis; Elvie
Milan, 80, Puerto Rican born night.
club singer and Diane Lingebach,
10, Los Angeles. They were book
ed for investigation on the check
cashing spree which has been in
progress since July.
The four masqueraders first ran
afoul of the law in Key West on
Tuesday afternoon when police Of
ficer Bienvenido Perez spotted
them flouncing down Duval Street
clad in abbreviated bathing cos
tunes.
They must have thought they
were on some south see island"
Perez said IS he loaded them
into fhs wagon. Fletcher, there
insffeT known as smith, near
while stood by and insisted that
he be arrested 81 the same time.
Le Pieeolo was taken 10 fhs
city iail and released on SIS bond
on ihe indecent exposure charge.
AZ this point. they tried 10 make
bond with . cheek, which ihs
cautious desk sergeant declined.
The highly incensed confidence
artists then began 20 howl up a
storm, charging that they had
been unjustly treated by local
police. They came into the Citizen
office on two occasions asking that
the police department be "ex-
posed" +" I'VE have Just come from
Miami Beach and the police there
were mice" they said. ''they let
us dress any way We liked"
Smith at that time indicated that
be was calling in a battery Of
Chicago lawyers to defend Ia
Piccolo against the charge. Eve
are going to fight this thing to
The end" be said. After all, how
will Vincent sleep at night with
this thing hanging over his head. :"
Smith had the case continued
until January 5lh In City Court,
saying that they had TO 90 10
Havana for . teleglsion appear
ance. They had earlier said that
they were in show business"
Not that we need the money, :"
Smith said, we just Do Il for 70
taxation "
They added that they wnald
leave Havana for 3 two week tour
Of France on Monday bit wsHld
be back In Key West In time 70
appear In court 10 fghs ihe la
decent exposure charge which they
teFmei "an osgtyAge "
~ have millions IN bsek ~
ne" Smith said ss hs paced W
fCfutsnssed On Para gevNnl