The Auction of Death and Fire is the founding event of the 1928 chronicle: at the sale of the late Von Petersdorf’s collection, the gangster George DeVita stole a dagger with an ibis hilt at gunpoint, and Camille ended up with it.
| Type | Event |
| Date | 23 November 1928, 10:00 |
| Place | Von Petersdorf Estate, Boston |
| Chronicle | LDC |
| Spanish entry | Subasta de Muerte y Fuego |
Events
As soon as the hammer fell on the dagger, DeVita seized it at gunpoint. Teddy fired a question at him that drew the whole room’s attention — “Mr. DeVita: how does it feel to be free after the last trial?” — then tried to tie his shoelaces together, failed, and got his face broken. Irti charged straight at the gun, seized the hand and deflected the shots into the ceiling.
In the confusion Camille took the dagger unseen; she had already knifed a tire of the getaway car, which crashed and burned. When the police checked the sale, the only thing missing besides the ceiling was the Dagger of Thoth. Teddy declared nothing: in Prohibition Boston the police are often bought, and no one mourned DeVita. The headline earned Teddy his passage to Egypt.
See also
- Boston Interrogation — the next day