Evening Star Newspaper, May 17, 1931, Page 87

1031, NGION, 'D. €., MAY 17, EST MINDS IN THE UNDERWORLD \merica Than the Dope Smugglers and ederal Agents Who Have to Fight This e Best Impersonators and Actors of All | — e — from the 24 jury indict- 99 ounces of heroin naricd in the grand coczine and defendants ment. HE information he won led not only to the birthday party arrests, but also to subs:- “guent seizures of smuggled narcotics, including $20,000 worth taken from the hold of the liner President Harrison and supposedly the property of an assistant ship's carpenter. It also yielded the name of a big-scale Turkish smuggler who had been sending ton-loads of narcotics from Constantinople to America, Egypt and China. After hobnobbing with lesser lights of the New York chain of leaders, Burke, on Septem- ber 17. was en route to buy a kilo of heroin, concrote -evidence against one of the “big fcllows” he had met before, but casually By following him through some of his adventures - ral corrier pigeons that drug smug- from Canoda. good insight may be gained inw the agent’s mode of operaticn. Besides it's exciting. Evening found Burke lounging about a coffee house on Ninth avenue, a “blind” to cover the rea! operations of its owners, Andrew Mandies wnd George Brooks. Burke had a date with Mandies. They were to go together to get the heroin. With “Daniel,” the chauffeur, at the wheel, they went in Burke's car to an apartment house on Second avenue, where lived John Collins, alias “John Tiavan,” and Katina Collins, usually referred to vaguely as “his wife.” The agent was introduced to Mrs. Collins by her husband, was ushered into a back room and, after being served with melon, Greek whisky and other delicacies, he and John got down to business. Mrs. Collins lingered cautiously near the door, listening and looking on while tney bargained. “I have only 29 ounces,” said Collins apolo= g ¥ “When I got it through customs X had two kiles Somebody stole one and the othr got damaged fow much do you want for it?” asked B . ‘ hundred dolla “That's too much,’ id Burke professionally. “Well, I'll tell you v do. I'll let you have it for $551,” s Rapidly he multiplied some figures or tising sheet, “I'll do better. T'll make 1 even $500.” ~All right. Tl take it’ Collins then addressed h wife in a strange forcis and she le the room, to ret with a package of sn blue envelopes and one small bag, supposed to contain six Qurnices. “Here.’” language, said Collins, “you can test it.” finger and ILL put a bit on his tasted . He haggled over the weight of the contents of the bag and finally measured it out fussily, using one of the énvelopes as a gauge. When Mrs. Collins was casting about for something to wrap the order in he handed her” the paper containing Collins’ figures. Handwriting is good evidence, too! Then he paid $500 in cash, “1 wish,” said Collins innocently, “that I oould have seen you a month ago when I had a kilo of cocaine. It was the pure stuff. You eould make three ounces of one of it (by mixing of milk of magnesia, & common trick of fMlicit dealers). Also you are lucky to ounces of hevoin without it being mixed. you decide you want cocaine I can get you, $00, ome kilo for 3500. My brofber Dope worth $800.000 iwaiting for the furnace. An officer in California displays confiscated narcotics before burning them. Each of the capsules he is drop- ping is worth $150 in the dope market. works on the docks and supplies me with four or five kilos any time.” When Burke and Mendies left Collins fol- Jowed them to the car. He regarded Daniel suspiciously. “I see you got company,” he ventured. “An Italian boy who works for me,” said Burke casually, “and he knows enough to keep his mouth shut.” Collins, had he bezn more alert, might have noticed another figure hovering shadow-like on the corner. It was Agent Brooks, detailed, at the request of Burke, to cover the apartment that evening in order to witness the meeting with Collins and Mandies, and who “covered” hiin on numerous other occasions. On September 21 Burke was about to make a new contact, but the higher you go the more cautious they come in the dope racket. Andrew Mandies, now a real ‘“connection,” was to scrve as contact. Burke and Daniel drove to the aow familiar apartment on West Fifty-sixth street where Burke met Mandies and his wife, Together with him they drove to the vicinity of New Bowery and Madison strects. where they left the car and walked around the corner to 24 Madison, another Greek coffee house, and lingered in front so that they might be seen by a person sitting inside at a table. Out came Staboas Loules, alias Khris the Greek, and Tony Pondales, both of whom were introduced to the agents. Pondales then sauntered off and talked to a third man, who was later identified as Philip Mandica. The group walked toward Burke’s parked car. “You will have to give me $100 in advance,” said Loules, “in the presence of Mandies. We got to give some money to the man we are getting opium from.” “All right.” “You give him the money; he is all right,” said Mandies. Burke handed it over, taking care that Daniel might witness the transaction. They walked on to a corner and Pondales handed Mandies a key. “It's 4566 Pearl street,” he explained, “you ge there and wait about'an hour in room 6.” PTER a long wait Loules arrived, but he merely returned the cash, explaining that he couldn't find the man that sold the stuft and that they should come back the next day. Perhaps he thought that the new buyer would bear a little investigating. The following morning Burke and Mandies drove again to the Madison street coffee house, Soon they were joined by Khris the Greek, - P.sdales and later Mandica, who this time was introduced to Burke. “What do you want?” Mandica asked. “Ten pounds of opium.” s “You'll have to give me $100.” . Burke placed the money on the table and Loules picked it up and handed it to Mandica, saying he would be responsible for it. Mandiea left and the agent and his intermediaries sad down to a hand of rummy. Two hours passed and finally Burke and Loules went to the Pearl street address of the day before, where they were mel by Mandica. ’ “YI could only get mnine pounds”” he said brickly. “Next time you want to have more money.” ] At $45 a pound, that would bring the price to $405. Burke handed it over and Mandics left, cautioning them not to go for at least (l? minutes, Then Burke paid Pondales, Lou and Mandica each $45 for their end im t transaction. According to the arrangeme they were to get $5 each for every pound opium they helped Burke get. Meanwhile Burke was assiduously cultivating John Collins and getting a line on his sourcesy Mandies was still playing his role as go-between, “I was looking for you last night,” Colli told Mandies one evening. “I told your wifg I wanted to see you right away. I know a cer= tain customs officer that helps me get the siu off of boats. He said he could get me 20 poum: of opium and I thought Bill here would be i town and would have the money to take #t up as we could get it cheap. Being Saturday thd banks were closed; otherwise I would havq taken it myself and waited until I had seeny Bill. I have 45 ounces of heroin left, thoughy do you want 1t?” 3 “If you make the price right,” said Burke, “I haven't the money now, but I'll see you i the morning.” i Next day the purchase was made for $900., Then Collins whispered to Burke to “comic up by yourself some time.” T WEEK laier Collins and Burke sat in & coffee house on Second avenue. “Bill,” Collins, “I wish I bad known you six mon ago.” “Why?” “Did you know that my brother is one of the, biggest men in Turkey?” “What do you mean?” ! “The biggest In our business. He has been in this business for 15 years, but I didn't know it until about six months ago. My sister mar«" ried an American in Constantinople and she . Condinued on Thirieenth Page Here goes a half million dollars. An officer of the Federal narcotics squad sosses confiscated drugs worth several hundreyj thowsend dollars imto a furnace.