The Racket
1
"Hello, Mac."
2
"Hello, Nick."
3
"Take a tip, Mac --
change your racket."
4
"I like my racket --"
5
"-- and I haven't
shot yet."
6
"Scarsi's sending a load
of beer through Eighth
and Grand."
7
"There'll be hell popping!...
That's below Spike
Corcoran's dead-line."
8
"Scarsi's coming in
tonight, Spike."
9
"Hit Eighth and Grand
after dark."
10
"If Spike tries to stop
you --"
11
"What about McQuigg?"
12
"Leave that copper
to me."
13
"There may be a little
trouble tonight at Eighth
and Grand - - let the
boys settle it themselves."
14
"I'll be there."
15
"I'm giving my kid brother
a little birthday party
tonight at Weiberg's--"
16
"Drop in."
17
"Don't forget, Mac."
18
"Forget what?"
19
"The party."
20
"Scarsi's got Spike's gang
buffaloed .... There's not
one of 'em in sight."
21
"Scarsi's coming in,
Spike!"
22
"I warned you Scarsi
rats to keep out of
here!"
23
"Let's see Scarsi get
you out of this, Chick."
24
"Pratt!"
25
"Big killing -- Eighth
and Grand!"
26
"Miller!"
27
"Wake up!"
28
"Horses."
29
"Happy birthday, Joe."
30
"Gee, that's a swell
flash."
31
"Nix on the slang kid ....
You're a college man."
32
"Are there going to
be any women at
the party?"
33
"No women! Women
are poison to me."
34
"....And McQuigg took
Chick to the can."
35
"The Old Man'll fix
that."
36
"McQuigg's got Chick....
Get him out!"
37
"What's he in for?"
38
"What's the difference?"
39
"I just called to remind
you of the party."
40
"I'll be there."
41
"Lock him up."
42
"There's Nick Scarsi."
43
"What's the big idea
of cutting the dance,
Helen?"
44
"I'm going to sing for
Nick's party."
45
"You can get away with
murder, but you can't
pull that stuff on me!"
46
"Lay off this kid, you
dirty little gold digger!
He's not in the racket
-- and he's not going
to be!"
47
"He called me a gold
digger. Well, I'll dig -
and dig deep!"
48
"You know the boys."
49
"Chick won't be here
tonight."
50
"All right, Nick .... That's
a horse on me."
51
"Beat it!"
52
"This time - it's a horse
on you."
53
"Maybe."
54
"Habeas corpus - - for
the release of Mr. Nicholas
Scarsi - - signed by
the judge."
55
"This is the last murder
you'll ever get away
with in my district!"
56
"I'm going to drive
you out!"
57
"I've given you lots of
chances - but you're
just a dumb harp."
58
"So you're going out!"
59
"Gee, Captain! - Where
is this Twenty-eighth
Precinct?"
60
"In the country - -
out to hell-an-gone."
61
"You'd better cut that
booze."
62
"It's cut plenty before
I get it."
63
"Let's go - McQuigg
probably won't talk
about his transfer
anyway."
64
"This is a fine thing to
come sailing out of a
police station in this
God-forsaken Zone of
Quiet."
65
"Captain, you've got to
talk - we need a story."
66
"Start another anti-smoke
campaign."
67
"I'm Ames - of the Monitor -
Tell the Captain I'm here!"
68
"New in the game,
aren't you?"
69
"Oh, no!....I was on
the Omaha Bee for
a month."
70
"Fancy that!"
71
"Hurry up! The Captain's
waiting for you."
72
"Well, Captain, I'm ready
to listen to your story."
73
"We've got some girls
downstairs ... Listen to
them."
74
"You can get rid of
us, if you'll give us
the story."
75
"What's the matter -
afraid of Scarsi?"
76
"I'm here because Nick's
afraid of me!"
77
"Find him - -"
78
"- tell him -"
79
"- tell him I told you!"
80
"That ought to bring him
out here to start some-
thing. If it does - you'll
have your story."
81
"Mr. Scarsi is attending
Mr. Spike Corcoran's
funeral."
82
"First he plugs 'em,
then he plants 'em."
83
"Stop 'em! They ought
to show a little respect
for the dead."
84
"Why was McQuigg
transferred?"
85
"I don't know...Why was
McQuigg transferred?"
86
"Because, they say, Nick
Scarsi's afraid of him."
87
"I'm not afraid of
anybody!"
88
"I'm laying off McQuigg -
only until after election!"
89
"So if you see that copper,
tell him that!"
90
"- so if you don't get
Scarsi before Tuesday,
the Organization wins
the election - and Nick
stays in power."
91
"Then what becomes of you?"
92
"Those reporters were
sent by McQuigg."
93
"Tell the boys to leave
him my calling card."
94
"You'll be stopping next
- telling me you're out
of gas."
95
"That little glow-worm
on your engagement
finger ought to prove
I'm serious."
96
"No, Joe - you can't beat
the wedding bells."
97
"Making you walk, eh?....
I'll fix the yellow puppy!"
98
"Where's the nearest
police station?"
99
"I got a hit and run
driver -"
100
"Don't bother me -
you know what to
do with him."
101
"What's your name?"
102
"Wait'll I tell you, you
big balloon, you'll burst!"
103
"What'd he do?"
104
"My name's Johnson ....
Write that in .... My
mother'll like it."
105
"How's your farm,
McQuigg?"
106
"Scarsi's answer to
your visit."
107
"We can't get this
bird's name."
108
"Bring him in -
he'll talk."
109
"Come on, Francis!"
110
"Oh! - hello!"
111
"Didn't your mother tell
you not to speak to
strange ladies?"
112
"Don't think I'm fresh,
but I feel I know you."
113
"I heard you sing."
114
"If that's Joe in there,
Scarsi will - -"
115
"Is he one of Scarsi's
men?"
116
"Just his baby brother,
that's all!"
117
"His name is Joe
Camino...Book him!"
118
"Shut up, you little
fool!"
119
"That fellow is Nick
Scarsi's brother."
120
"That's the dame he
walked...She saw the
accident."
121
"How did it happen?"
122
"Sorry, Policeman, but
I'm tongue-tied."
123
"Put her downstairs with
the other ladies....She'll
talk!"
124
"I'll phone for you,
Miss Hayes."
125
"No wonder Nick says
women are poison to
him."
126
"This one may be
dynamite!"
127
"Hold everyone here."
128
"If this gets out, I couldn't
hold him an hour."
129
"Good work, Sullivan."
130
"Is Captain McQuigg in?
I'm District Attorney
Welch."
131
"Mac, the Old Man wants
you to release young
Scarsi."
132
"Nick will have you
thrown off the force
for this."
133
"I'll mix with Nick
to a finish now."
134
"Tell that to the
Old Man!"
135
"Tell it to Nick -"
136
"- tell him I have the
case set for next
Wednesday - - not
next year -"
137
"- and tell him the
judge's name is Blake!"
138
"Nick will start something
now."
139
"I'm starting something
myself .... I'm ripe to
fight!"
140
"It's the country air."
141
"Sam Meyer, from Riley,
Platka and Cohen ..."
142
"...Bail for Joe Scarsi."
143
"Scarsi's raving! You'd
better get Joe out
of this!"
144
"Are you going to leave
me here with these - ?"
145
"Maybe they'll teach you
not to be so touchy
next time."
146
"Tell Nick you're
engaged."
147
"You keep your mouth
shut, or Nick'll take
care of you!"
148
"Gee, I'm glad you're
still here."
149
"Alice in Wonderland!"
150
"I've brought you some
things you may need."
151
"I wonder what'll happen
if you ever have a
baby, and no one's tipped
you off about storks."
152
"Left flat! - - And you
thought Joe was going
to marry you."
153
"And you're afraid
to talk."
154
"Yellow - for fear
of a couple of
bragging punks!"
155
"You're a liar!"
156
"Miss Hayes has agreed
to testify against Joe
Scarsi....Phone that to
your paper!"
157
"Take Miss Hayes out
to dinner - - and bring
her back."
158
"Are you coming back?"
159
"Will you be here?"
160
"I'll be back."
161
"The editor won't listen
to me .... I'll give the
story to Miller and
Pratt ... They're at the
Dutchman's."
162
"You stay in."
163
"You're a witness against
Scarsi .... If you're out
tonight, you'll be on a
slab by morning."
164
"It looks like I'm yellow,
hiding in here!"
165
"Who's the cop that
picked up Joe Scarsi?"
166
"I am."
167
"I came to see a witness
you got - - girl named
Hayes."
168
"See the Sergeant."
169
"I might as well see
you, too."
170
"I'm a friend of that
Scarsi kid's."
171
"That's nothing to
brag about."
172
"We don't want any
trouble with you ....
You did your duty."
173
"Duty, my eye! - I do
my job because I like
it - and because I don't
like crooks ...."
174
"....And I don't like crooks
for the same reasons I
don't like a lot of other
people ...."
175
".... and because they
banged my old man ..."
176
".... and because, generally
speaking, I'm a better
man than they are!"
177
"Do you know Nick?"
178
"A newspaper bad man! -
Everybody knows him,
but nobody ever meets
the yellow -"
179
"I thought Nick had
lots of guts."
180
"He'll have a chance to
prove it when I shove
his kid brother over the
road."
181
"Tell Nick to go to ____!"
182
"Who did it?"
183
"Got one of 'em,
Captain."
184
"The other hopped a
freight...Ross is after
him."
185
"Did you fan him?"
186
"If he had a rod, he
threw it away."
187
"Hello, Nick."
188
"You like it out here?"
189
"I'm beginning to."
190
"I sent my driver in here
to see that Hayes girl....
Did he do something
wrong?"
191
"I thought he was in
the pen for some
bank job."
192
"He must've got
paroled."
193
"Yeh....A lot do, since
they equipped that
penitentiary with
revolving doors."
194
"What do you want
him for?"
195
"I don't want him."
196
"Well, if he didn't do
anything -"
197
"Somebody did ...."
198
"... and I've got you!"
199
"Are you trying to
frame me?"
200
"In purple satin,
under glass."
201
"That's the man!"
202
"Now, Nick, how'll
you alibi this?"
203
"Lock him up."
204
"What's the charge?"
205
"Same old thing for
you - murder."
206
"All right - I'll use
the phone."
207
"Habeas corpus - -
for the release of
Mr. Nicholas Scarsi."
208
"You got to recognize
a writ... That's the law!"
209
"I'm sick of the law!"
210
"We'll fight this out
here!"
211
"Go phone that to the
judge!"
212
"Pickin' a fight, uh?"
213
"Drunk, uh?"
214
"Put him in the
bull pen."
215
"Sweet of you."
216
"I'll give you a story
after I talk to Welch."
217
"Plenty of time before
we go to press."
218
"It was nice of him
to pull it so early."
219
"If you give this to
the papers -"
220
"Bring Scarsi in."
221
"Nick's put your whole
organization in a trap
with this job."
222
"If you spring him with
what I've got on him,
the opposition and
their papers - -"
223
"- - you won't have
a chance in Tuesday's
Election!"
224
"So this time I'll force
your own Organization
to bring him to trial."
225
"Get me out of here!"
226
"Are you going to make
this boy testify against
Scarsi?"
227
"You know what Nick
will do to him."
228
"I'll take him through
this."
229
"Can't you think of
anyone but yourselves?"
230
"You and Scarsi both....
So cocky you kill a
policeman trying to get
at each other's throats."
231
"I'll identify him, Captain ....
I'll testify."
232
"Good boy! - Come down-
stairs and bring her with
you."
233
"I told you not to look
after me .... Why did
you do it?"
234
"Because -"
235
"- because you affect
me like a mammy
song."
236
"Make your identification
to Mr. Welch."
237
"So you're Scarsi, the
Awful - - afraid of
women, but death on
kids!"
238
"Nobody ought to be
afraid of you...."
239
"....Not when you had
to slug this baby!"
240
"What'd he get in my
way for?"
241
"There's your confession!"
242
"All of which proves that
women are still poison
to you."
243
"Mr. Scarsi swaggered
in here a half hour
ago - -"
244
"- - And Miss Hayes
just tricked him into
admitting the killing."
245
"Women and children
first."
246
"Get that release
order!"
247
"As long as your Wards
are set for them for
Tuesday's Election, what
do they care about you?"
248
"It's not Tuesday yet ...
My Wards can still be
set the other way."
249
"You don't win this
Election unless I get
out tonight!"
250
"Speed it up ... I've got a
supper party on."
251
"The wash room, please ...
I must get ready to leave."
252
"The homicide squad's
on the way out to
take Scarsi!"
253
"Scarsi's gun."
254
"If it's the Old Man's
orders, it's O.K. with
me."
255
"Not until I give you
the signal."
256
"The Old Man can't carry
you and the Election both ...
You've got to take the
rap until after Tuesday."
257
"Now I'll get the papers
in here! I'll give 'em a
story with names and
dates and figures that'll
rip this town wide open!"
258
"So you want to
talk, eh?"
259
"I'll call the press ....
That'll get the two
of you out of my
system."
260
"I'll show you what it
means to fool around
with me!"
261
"Who'd believe you?"
262
"I've got everything on
paper - - ready for a
double-cross by you!"
263
"How you made that high
hat grand jury fold up
last month ...."
264
"... How the Old Man had
that kid in the Treasurer's
Office accidentally killed
by a train!"
265
"Who do you suppose I
pay for the breweries
I own?"
266
"Who do you suppose I
pay for the alcohol
I get?"
267
"I'll talk your whole
rotten Organization
into suicide!"
268
"The window .... It's fixed,
for a getaway."
269
"I thought you'd crawl
when I spoke that
piece."
270
"Give me a gun!"
271
"What's going on
here?"
272
"Tell him!"
273
"Did you imagine I'd let any
lousy politicians, who'd
knock their own mothers
over the head for a vote,
tell me what to do?"
274
"I'm off you worms! I'm
going to deliver my
Wards to the reform
gang for a laugh!"
275
"To lick you, we'll have
an election for a change
that's square!"
276
"Give me that gun!"
277
"In the belly if you
make a move!"
278
"Out."
279
"Your party will probably
run you for Mayor for
this."
280
"Scarsi tried a getaway ....
Turck, of the District
Attorney's office got him."
281
"What a break for the
Sunday papers!"
282
"But why shoot him?"
283
"So that government of
the professionals, by the
professionals, and for
the professionals, shall
not perish from the
earth."
284
"What were the events
leading up to the
tragedy?"
285
"That'll do."
286
"You kids can run along
now."
287
"Are you going,
Helen?"
288
"No, kid, I'm not going
your way."
289
"So it's dog eat dog
to the last ditch, eh,
Captain?"
290
"You can't teach an old
dog new tricks."
291
"You and me both,
Policeman."
292
"What now, Captain?"
293
"I'd like a little sleep ....
But by the time I get
through with the
Coroner and the rest of
the public servants ...."
294
"....it'll be time to
go to Mass."
THE END
Home