The myth about the slum brat who makes it big in the underworld is curlicued with familiar movie romance. Clearly, Joseph Vincent Moriarty, who grew up in a rundown section of Jersey City, N.J., never had romance in his soul—or never saw the right movies. Known as "Newsboy" because in his youth he sold tabloids in the bars and restaurants of his neighborhood, Moriarty got into the policy numbers racket* when he was only 13, went on and upward to become Jersey City's No. 1 numbers boss. He was arrested no fewer...
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