Gang Buster

Lewis Joseph Valentine has a sweet-sounding name, but he is a tough man. He joined New York's Finest in 1903, at 21, and quietly became an outstanding cop for his day: he was honest. As a result, Valentine's lot was not a happy one.

He pounded a beat for ten years. Then He did such a good job on the "shoofly" squad, routing out grafters among his fellow cops, that he won promotions and made many a political enemy. Not until 1934 did his stubborn honesty pay off; then reforming Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia made him the $1a,soo-a-year Commissioner of New York's 18,000-man police force. In his first six years in office, icy-eyed

Commissioner Valentine fired some 300 men, officially rebuked 3,000, fined 8,000. He was even harder on the crooks.

Once he took offense at a natty, well-manicured prisoner in the police lineup, issued a famous order to the 200 detectives present: "He's the best-dressed man in this room. . . . Don't be afraid to muss 'em up. Blood should be smeared all over that velvet collar." Under Valentine (and, of course, with the help of LaGuardia and Tom Dewey) the slot-machine gangs, gambling rings, white-slavers, "popes and rabbis" (meddling politicians) were largely driven out or undercover. New Yorkers boasted, for the first time in memory, of the most honest police force in the land.

Last week hardboiled, honest Lewis J. Valentine at 63 was entitled to his reward. He stepped down from the police force and announced that, starting Sept. 15, he would become "Chief Investigator-Commentator" for radio's Gang Busters

(ABC; Sat., 9-9:30 p.m. E.W.T.). Salary: $25,000 a year. Said Mayor LaGuardia, an old dragonslayer on the radio himself: "Busting gangs on the microphone, Lew, is going to be real easy. . . . Give them the works."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.