Black Gangster Read Online Free PDF Page A

treatment."
    Prince pulled a cigarette from his pack and tossed the empty package on the floor. "After you begin tearing the place up," he continued, "I'll send the gang from the neighborhood around to stop you. Now, if the storekeepers don't get the message, we'll just put his or her John Henry in our little black book and when we pay our next visit, they'll never forget it, 'cause we'll be playing for keeps."
    "Damn, Prince," one of the members said, "they'll have so many policemen there when we go back, you won't be able to see past the goddamn uniforms."
    "Don't worry about the cops," Prince replied. "They won't be able to stay there forever, and we got all the time in the world to wait. I got one of the best young lawyers in the country, so we won't have to worry about any bullshit arrests. As long as we got plenty money on hand bond won't be any problem. In case someone should take a fall, though, they won't have any worries. We'll take care of their people for them as long as they're away, plus put up a large nest-egg for them so that when they get out they'll have some nice money waiting."
    Prince waited until he thought his words had sunk in before continuing. "Our largest income will come from dope and corn whiskey. I've already picked out which of you will be my collectors on the drugs being sold in this city. After tomorrow not a drop of horse, dexies, or reefer will be sold in this town without us getting some part of the money. All the dealers will have to pay protection to operate."

    Again he waited to see the effect of his words. "I know a lot of you don't know anything about corn whiskey," he said as he removed a small notebook from his back pocket, "but it's big business." He flipped open a page. "Last year alone, in Detroit, there was over five million dollars made off of homemade whiskey."
    It was a staggering sum to most of the young people in the room. They whispered back and forth until Prince interrupted. "That's right, five million, and here in this city, it's a black man's racket. Now, what we're going to do is monopolize the whiskey business. In three months, if we can get big enough, not a drop of whiskey will be sold unless we make it."
    Roman stepped up beside Prince, a small notebook in his hand. "So far, we got eight whiskey stills ready to be put up, plus all the corn and sugar we'll need." He ran his finger down the page. "We got six houses rented, with the stills inside the house, waiting for operators. As far as customers go, we got fifty customers who'll take from twenty gallons down to five gallons from us at a time."
    Prince nodded his head, pleased. "Homemade whiskey brings ten dollars a gallon, or if the customer buys over twenty gallons at a time, we'll let it go for eight dollars a gallon." Prince read from his notebook. "Shortman will be in charge of the operation. He will have four of you as his lieutenants. Each one of you will have a district. Your job will be to see that the members of whatever gangs are assigned to you produce enough whiskey to keep your side of the city up until we can get more stills in operation." Prince stopped and flipped a page. "Each still should be able to produce at least thirty gallons of whiskey a day. In seven days your quota will be no less than two hundred and ten gallons. At ten dollars a jug, you can add it up yourself and see how much money we'll be making."

    Prince's plan had left the people in the apartment stunned. At first, his ideas had been unbelievable to most of them, but the longer he talked, the more the magnetism of his personality won them over.
    "Tess," Prince said, speaking to a tall brown-skinned girl wearing a high natural, "I want you to take over absolute control of all the debs until Ruby is released. Your main job will be to see that most of the girls take at least two tricks a night someplace where the boys can roll them without too much trouble. Danny will be working right beside you, so you won't have too much to worry