Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 August 1952 — Page 26

THURSDAY, AUG. 28, 1952

KingCon ......

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES THURSDAY, AUG. 28, 1952

OUIE the First, was in my opinion King Con. Not the Louie of France, England or Spain, but just plain Louie from the streets of the largest city in this mid-

western state.

He studied diligently perfect his role, conning the shrewdest mass of humanity

ever known, another con. Never sefore has an actor been known to memorize his lines, practice his actions, or deliver his part more expertly than our Louie. His careless way of dressing left an impression of wordly comfort and experience, but did not neglect the self-pride that every one in his world respected and admired. Louie could always be depended on for a Kind word, a sincere interest in your individual problem and an uncanny concern for vour welfare and good health. Because, you were his source, his practice and his unending challenge. n n ” BUT LET ME tell you why Louie gets my vote as the No. I con. It was in the Spring of '46 that I first met Loule, My first day out on the drill ground.

I was anxious to get acquainted with the place and with the men I would be spend

ing the next ten years with, As expected 1 was tense with anticipation and as nervous as vou would expect a new fish to be. The fall-out command was given and 1 staring at the many passing me,

stood faces

hoping to see a familiar sign from at least one. Then {t happened . . . a din of laughter

struck the air, crashing against my ear drums.

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This § is the Fourth of a series of short stories written by convicts in the Indiana Reformatory in Pendleton. The stories have been named winners in a contest held by The Reflector, newspaper at the prison. Names of the authors have not been used. They will be identified only by number.

“$-spun-around, surprised that anyone could find something funny enough to laugh at midst these dismal surroundings, A group of perhaps six men were standing about ten feet from me, some were bent over roaring with laughter while others fust made a grunting sound in their chests, But it was laughter, amazed, my eyes bulged, my hands had rolled up into tight fists and I was on guard against this new thing wu n n SILENTLY 1 was laughing unconsciously with the group It felt good to he able to laugh again and it cleaned the stuf finers from my chest that felt like it would choke me (if it remained inside for very long It was then, 1 noticed that the six men were listening '« another man. One person wa responsible for this unexpected laughter, this little bright spot hehind 30 feet of gray con crete, Thirty feet of stone that controlled and shut out all hope’ for so many broken lives Intriguing? Yes, and I being curious by nature, anyhow, wanted to investigate this fantasy of mankind. I moved up to the edge of the bodies that formed the wheel of life and revolved around this one man, the axle--hope. “Tell 'em about the time ya caught that butcher trying to cheaf, that little girl, Louie,” a | high-pitched voice pleaded. Each | man was one with expectation, | leaning forward to capture every word when it was spoken. o ” » | “THAT experience is hardly | worth the time it may take to tell it, Tom.” The statement was made In the calmest voice | ever heard. The flow of ! words was peaceful and even |! | with an authority quality that | I never dreamed possible, even. from some of the Catholic ! priests I have known. ef “Excuse me friend, but have | you the makings there?” the . volca asked.

—

In comparison the voice that ',

said, self,” ”

“Sure, Loule, help yourwas as crude and _dis- |

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ILE

was done with more showmanship and far more flash. I could not see the person who was called Ray, but I wondered {’ he -was as angry with Loufe as I. But I just stood dumbfoynded and glanced up to see an eyelid flicker, as the tobacco was“passed back to the happy man to whom it belonged.

‘He winked at me’ I was | thinking rapidly, ‘He is actually laughing inside at this whole thing and trying to get me to appreciate it as much as | he does.’ | Yes, I had seen the King of the cons in operation in his element. Among his fellow cons. .

By No. 32326

2y. 10-20 years for first degree burglary)

not have a large commissary list and issued two bags of granulated tobacco to each man once a week. If a person was careful he could make that sup-

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turbing as chalk scratching a quickly as it had appeared, the slate, muscles around the eyes just Sitting in a cell, one learns relaxed and .the fathomless to accept silence and loneliness, pools turned into tender Iinbut hundreds of men moved nocence and warm friendliness.

| |

around our group and some- Then I felt a tug as the match ply last. Someone said they did wher: there was cheering for hox was accepted and I knew that to teach us the value of a team playing baseball, but the battle was over, things. Economics. But to go

the silence that fell over the 8 Nn on men gathered together in the “THANK YOU ... ah... group was fantastic, the smoothness of the words

-1 swallowed hard and almost screamed when I saw | Louie take another puff and

4 8» awakened me and broke the then drop the cigarette on the | 7 A SLIGHT GASP of respect gpe|l as simply as it had been ground. ¢ 7 WHATTA soNG! J and appreciation came from cast, “I don’t believe I know i. 9.0 MLL SELL A the gaping mouths of the you, do I?" he asked as he ‘TWO PUFFS on the most MILLION copies! watchers. A hand moved up selected a match as carefully” valued possession a con can .

VAUGHN MONROE SINGING IT!

have and this guy is grinding it into the dirt under his toe’ I thought, and I hated Louie at that moment more than anything. I almost made the mis- | take of grabbing the creature | and beating him senseless. He | must have had a premonition

to this person's lips and came away empty. In his lips was a firmly rolled cigaret, We all seemed to jump as we realized that the cigaret was not lit. I was the first to bring my carefully hoarded box of matches into play.

as an expert picking a diamond from a tray of flaws, and cupped the figme to the tip of his cigaret. “No,” was the only answer I gave him, because that was all I could think of to say and was grateful that I had the

It was then that I first match box as an excuse to fum- Of my intention, because he noticed the eyes, I could not ble without seeming too nervous. lowered his eyes and braced have done otherwise. The two I stowed the treasured Nis body for the onslaught. expressionless orbs flashed matches in my shirt pocket and The friction between us was

throwing sparks and I realized that one of those sparks might touch something and explode, but the voice spoke, without the lips moving, if that is at

with a bright spark of light that seemed to find mine and then prod into my brain, The stare seemed to take my mind ind separate the useful gray

watched him smoke. The smoke curled out of his mouth and slowly drifted away into nothingness. I can never remember Louie blowing smoke in a per-

matter in one pile and the gon’s face. all possible. A weaknesses in another, Watching someone else smoke “My God, Ray, but that weed | y 35- x We must have been a sight, a cigaret always made my is dry. You ought to screen | lid i “ar dl VSS

two complete strangers, star- throat burn and dry up until I it when you get back to the

THE TEST OF A POPULAR SONG IS HEARING IT OVER

ing, measuring, one another. was smoking one myself, but ‘cell. It may help.” Passing judgment on the capa- the ache was unbearable then, “Here try some of mine, I bilities of each other. An im- because I knew that if I did not Louie,” another voice happily NG! ae oer Ah. ration myself, my supply of ofered and almost apologetics AND OVER. THE TEST OF A CIGARETTE IS STEADY SMOKI

run out before ally continued, “It's a new bag.”

TEST CAMELS FOR 20 DAYS. YOUR" T-ZONE” WILL TELL

tobacco would the end of the week and then

hat would remain forever, was

seing formed in that brief Again the little sack passed moment, - of mental struggle. I would be really stuck. from its owner’s hands and the YOU HOW MILD AND FLAVORFUL CAMELS ARE, PACK AFTER PACK! To my astonishment the cold, I might take tTme here to e x- operation of rolling a cigaret

was repeated. Only this time it

unnerving the institution did

stare melted as plain that

Beer at its

MELLOW Bes

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