Evening star., 1962-12-31

l POlC- oJo SAOOSA w NAAS SAAASS
houses.
At the first house. a woman
ran out as their approach was
announced by the barking of
any dogs. Little beagles
yipped at her side and in the
fenced yard of the white frame
bungalow, a dozen large hounds
strained at their chains.
The agents asked the woman
If her phone service was sat-
isfactory and moved on to the
next pole. If that was the
counting house, they had a big
problem-those dogs.
On October 26, while Waesche
was still making movies in the
railroad shed, Burton and Ma
cauley crept through the woods
to a point from which they
could watch the three houses.
At 3:12 pm, Seay's Mercury
pulled UP in front Of the bunga-
low. Seay and Smethie carried
a bunch Of brown paper bags
inside. The dogs didn't let out
a single zip. Obviously, the two
men were no strangers.
DoEs Disguise
In early November, Macauley
borrowed a truck, hauled out
his old clothes again and parked
half a block from Donovan's
juke-box establishment. He saw
Smethie park and go into the
Donovan place. He saw others
go in and out and noted their
licenses.
And then he saw. a familiar
face. A member Of the Rich
mond Police Departments vice
squad parked a private car, en-
tered Donovan's and stayed half
an hour.
Macauley was still wondering
what the policeman was doing
there, when a station wagon
parked in front Of his truck.
The driver started toward DON
ovan's place then, as he looked
down the street for a break in
the traffic, he noticed Macau-
ley. He changed direction and
walked by the truck, looking
thoughtfully at Macauley.
The agent, through his mir
ror, saw the man go to a pay
station on the corner, dial a
number, talk a minute and then
look idly around as If waiting
for an answer. Then he hung
up and went to Donovan's.
When Macauley checked the
number Of the stationwagon, he
found it belonged to a detec-
tive on the Richmond police
force. The detective had obvi-
ously called headquarters to
check the tags on the truck.
Macauley wasn't worried
about that. The tag had come
off a bootlegger's car seized by
the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax
Division. But the detectives
wariness meant the agents had
to find another way to watch
Donovan's place.
Directly across the street a
row house had a room for rent
sign in the window.
Ideal Room
1t was Just what he wanted
a second floor front room with
a bay window and q perfect
view. The afternoon sun, slant
ing through the windows Of the
juke-box establishment, spot
lighted people all the way back
to the door Of Donovan's pri-
vate office.
The one-legged landlady
looked him over. Whats your
line?" she asked.
I'm an insurance salesman, "
he told her.
We'll, I've sort Of promised
the room to a bus driver and
and his son. Would you pay $40
a week?"
That's pretty steep. but I
know a fellow who wants a
room too. He could come in
with me and share the rent" "
The landlady nodded. you
bring him in with you Monday.
I'll let you know then"
All that week end, Macauley
and Max Johnson-a special
agent imported from Norfolk
for this job-worked on Great
ing new identities. johnson
would be a freight handler on
the night shift. That would give
him the daytime hours to
watch the place across the
street. Macauley, who actually
had been an insurance man,
visited his old firm and picked
up the usual literature
blotters, calendars. a standard
rate book. The agents went over
their suitcases and clothing to
remove all identifying tags. If
the landlady prowled, there
would be nothing to reveal their
true identities.
On Monday. November %,
Macauley showed UP with
johnson. The landlady looked
them over-Macauley, young,
good looking, with a sug-
gestion OF a Southern drawl;
johnson, short, stocky, amiable
She said they could have the
room.
Porode OF Policemen
johnson and Macauley
spent their days at the win
dow. Every morning. they saw
Smethie go into Donovan's
Once a week, they saw the
pickup men who had delivered
paper bags by the railroad
track. And they watched a
parade OF policemen in uni
form. out OF uniform. in squad
cars and private cars, even on
motorcycles.
, When the sun was at the
right slant. they could see the
policemen 90 directly TO ths