September 8, 1934. A cruise ship from Cuba to New Jersey has caught fire. There are over 300 passengers on board; some of the passengers and crew are jumping overboard to avoid the flames. Ness and his men, on assignment in New Jersey, speed to get there when the ship docks; Ness has an arrest warrant for Valentine Ferrar, racketeer and founder of the Big Syndicate. Valentine Ferrar had been in Cuba, picking up a million bucks collection money for the Syndicate. Ness is told by a ship's official that Ferrar has drowned-- but the eyewitness was not reliable, it was his sidekick Inky Beggs, who has just left for New York. Actually, Inky is being taken for a ride by 2 hoods to deliver him to The Underground Court in Manhattan. Inky tells his story to Judge Foley and the other members of the court. He tells them truthfully that Ferrar jumped into the water with a million bucks in his money belt; but he lies about Ferrar drowning. Judge Foley lets Inky go, but has him tailed. Inky