By July 4th, 1974, Anthony had sold five lamps to the buyer, selling between $2000 and $2400.
On July 4th, 1974 selling the sixth lamp, a nightmare occured. As Anthony was handed the money, from the basement, from upstairs four detectives all around me. You are under arrest, anything you say may be held against you. What is all thuis about? They cuffed Anthony, placing Anthony - known as Frank Rudolph as he also used his car, a Buick Century station wagon registered under Frank Rudolph. The charges by the police, selling phony, forged lamps by the famous artist A. Hart.
The Boston Globe printed the story that a Frank Rudolph of 2 Midfield Street, Stonybrook, held on $15,000 bail was selling to a Swamscott residence forged A.Hart lamps all around Boston for a fraction of their value. The Globe, having checked by three experts, claimed they were fine copies if not originals. The Globe printed that the authentic A. Hart lamp is valued at $5000 and up, and most comparable to Tiffany lamps. Because they were being sold cheap, now they assumed Anthony stole these lamps.
We retained lawyers from Havershill, Mass, A relative to Terry Savalas. Anthony still never told the police and the prosecutor that indeed he was Anthomy Hart. Threatened by police and prosecutor that Anthony would be in prison for forty years. So worried was Anthony, he never told anyone that he was A. Hart. A Doctor Isquith of Willoughby & DeKalb, Brooklyn had treated Anthony for a slight liver condition and also Anthony was born with a birth mark, his hands and feet had a growing callous that glass had no effect in chipping his glass with a pair of ordinary pliers. That is all Anthony ever used. A letter to this effect, that became a great asset to his work, was sent to Shirley Kesselman of Englewood, New Jersey stating about Anthony having a tubial callous condition. Shirley was or still is a collector of 17 or 18 A. Hart lamps. So, Anthony had told his first lawyer, look at my hands, his lawyer said what abhout your hands, what type of work do you do, you have rough hands. When Anthony told the lawyer that he was A.Hart, the lawyer became stunned. It might have taken five minutes for the lawyer to respond. First question, why did you use Frank Rudolph, Anthony explained to his lawyer, for embarassing, selling and cheapening his own art. Secondly, Anthony toldthe lawyer, he was born Anthony D'Adamo. The lawyer, becomming very nervous and excited said, can you prove all this, will you take a polygraph test. Of course I will said Anthony, the lawyer dialed F. Lee Bailey's office in Boston, the lawyer stating too hot to handle. After telling the story to F. Lee, my lawyer handed me the phone. First question by F. Lee was, can you prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are A. Hart, Anthony answered yes . F. Lee told Anthony not to mention to anyone who you are.
F. Lee ordered Anthony to be at his penthouse first 11:00am the following day. Anthony stayed over near Boston at the Holiday Inn. Meeting with F. Lee the next morning, Lee mentioned polygraph test, also bring your molds, glass, tools etc and show us. Two days later I went to the Lee firm. Before Anthony did go to the firm, Lee and two other lawyers went to where they hold evidence, they examined the five lamps, studied the work. Well, Anthomy went to the penthouse. At this large, very elongated beautiful desk, sitting Lee at the very middle, and along each side sitting were six lawyers left of Lee, six lawyers right of Lee. Taking one mold out of his large black bag and a paper bag containing glass, tools etc. Laying paper on the desk Lee commented please do not destroy my beautiful desk and my rugs. They all laughed, Anthony did not, he was very embarassed and shy, out of place. Then Anthony started. Within seconds, Lee said put everything back in your bag, no polygraph, you are indeed A. Hart. They had the girls serve cocktails. Lee said for you, Anthony, more or less a freebe. You will receive a date to appear, you will always sit in the last row and you will not confront his honor. In the meantime say nothing to anyone, if you receive calls, hang up. When Anthony appeared for court, he was early, but the detectives were there, the prosecutor, some news reporters. The first comment from the detectives, you must be loaded with money, F. Lee Bailey. Anthony said nothing, the prosecutor let me see your hands, Anthony refused. The prosecutor stated if you are A. Hart, then I'm not a prosecutor. Somehow it leaked out, about Bailey and the lawyers felt it came from custodial evidence. The case was soon squashed. The firm was all set to sue in the million amount the buyer, Boston Globe (although the Globe put a feather in Anthony's cap). I refused to sue, for the firm did not yet know that Anthony Hart A.K.A. Anthony D'Adamo, was not Frank Rudolph. Could all of his that happened be a big set-up, try to frame Anthony, to rid of him. Because finger prints of Anthony's hands showed nothing, all guess one in a zillion such happenings.