The Calder Mines

During the 1600s the Crown Jewels of France were stolen. They were stolen again in 1791. In the early 1900s they were stolen for a third time and ended up in the possession of the Masserias a newly formed mafia family vying for the power to control the streets of NYC. This power struggle resulted in a raging war between the Masseria and Maranzano crime families. It was a time when the Sicilian "Black Hand" was being phased out and replaced by the new, emerging, American mafia families. It was also a time when the Crown Jewels of France disappeared and were never seen again, until they were stolen for a fourth time. WHO IS THE MAFIA There are some who believed that the words Mafia and La Cosa Nostra applied specifically to the Sicilians. These words have been broken down into Morte Alla Francia Italia Anela. The word mafia has been interpreted as death to the French, who during the 12th century invaded and occupied the island. Then, during the 13th century, Sicily was again invaded by the Germans, Greeks, Austrians and Spanish. After living in fear for hundreds of years Sicily emerged with the most active, controlled and regimented criminal organization known to man. The mafia adapted a family concept based on honor, respect, fear, obedience, silence, and numerous other principals the basis of which was loyalty. Problems that arose during this time often resulted in a vengeance or a vendetta. The problems were usually compromised by a knife or rope, and in later years it became the lupara or shotgun. THE SITUATION During the late 1800s and early 1900s as America was being shaped, it provided the Sicilian Mafia with an excellent opportunity to take roots as Mussolini attempted to annihilate the Mafia or LCN from Sicily. The criminal cartel, also called, the Black Hand, fled to American where they were joined by thousands of hard working Italians who were doing nothing more than looking for a better life. The Mafia grew throughout America making its mark on just about every major city in the country. This book is about the French, Italian and American mafia. The theme encompasses the 1920s as well as the world of the Mafia the way it exists today. During the 1920s and early 1930s thousands of murders and over a million gallons of illegal alcohol were attributed to the workings of the Mafia. New York City was a center for these activities and a very large percentage of the murders, deaths, and illegal distribution of alcohol took place on the streets of New York. The majority of the illegal alcohol came from Westchester County, a rural area just north of the city. THE CALDER MINES In this episode Ross's business at Yankee Investigations again gets him involved in murder, the French mafia, the American Mafia and the "Rainier Blue Diamond", part of the French Crown Jewels. The Calder Mines is a story that originated in the U.S. during the 1920s and lay dormant for three quarters of a century. It is the story of the killings that took place over eight decades ago and were just recently revealed. THE BLUE DIAMOND The story tells of hidden mafia money and a locked attaché case that held the Blue Diamond. The Blue Diamond's hiding place remained unknown until? The diamond was just a little smaller than the Hope Diamond. Now, during the 21st century, the diamond was being sought by a NYC mafia family, the French Mafia, the FBI, the French Government and Michael "Mickey" Ross. The theme of the Calder Mines involves this precious blue stone and the story travels from New York City to the Isle of Corsica and back to New York. Ross attempts to continue his lifestyle of traveling to the Hamptons to his summer home on the ocean while conducting an investigation to find the precious stone. The Calder Mines is an action packed book and has an appealing storyline that will hold your attention during each and every chapter. I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I did writing it. RICH
About the Author: This is the first autobiography I have written. I do feel a bit self-serving writing it but here goes. I was luckier than most kids because I grew up poor. Starting at the bottom gave me the advantage of appreciating those small experiences that are taken for granted by so many. I survived the New York City school system and by the time I graduated high school Elvis was singing "Heartbreak Hotel." After two years at Colorado A & M I dropped out. It was probably the best two years of my life. Over the next five years I drove a truck and completed at tour in the US Army. In 1962 I was appointed to the position of Trooper on the New York State Police. At thirty I married the girl of my dreams and we have three wonderful daughters. In 1968 I received a promotion to Detective/ Investigator and was assigned to work specifically on Organized Crime investigations and undercover narcotics cases. I was given a Federal clearance by the US Attorney's Office while assigned to various Federal & State Strike Forces in the NYC area. I was at Woodstock (1969) and made drug buys. I continued working narcotics cases in NYC, drove an undercover taxi, installed wiretaps, and had a partner that was shot and killed during a drug buy and bust deal gone bad. It was during this time that I was promoted to Detective Supervisor/ Senior Investigator and earned a bachelor's degree from S.U.N.Y. and a master's degree from Long Island University. I retired in the early eighties, did some private investigations work, tried commercial fishing and obtained a Coast Guard charter captain license. I ended up in business where I experienced the American Dream. I didn't start to write until I was in my late sixties and had lost most of my hearing. By not being able to hear it allowed me to enter into a special world of fantasy. I wrote five books before I had any thoughts of publishing. I presently reside, with my wife of 47 years, in New York spending my time between Westchester County and the Hamptons on Long Island. During the winter months I will be on the Treasure Coast, usually in Vero Beach, Florida. Last year, while alone on my boat in Shinnecock Bay NY I died of sudden cardiac arrest. I was brought back to life minutes later by an act of serendipity performed by my buddy who I call Mickey. Mickey is an implanted defibrillator who permanently resides under my skin below my left shoulder. That is my 45,000 word autobiography in 450 words.