JOSEPH VALACHI, NEW YORK GANGSTER TURNED INFORMER, WAS TAKEN UNDER HEAVY GUARD IN WASHINGTON YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) BEFORE INVESTIGATING SENATORS TO TELL HIS STORY OF ORGANISED CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES.

VALACHI, A SQUAT AND BURLY MAN OF 60, WENT BEFORE A SENATE INVESTIGATIONS SUB-COMMITTEE TO PREPARE FOR A MUCH-HERALDED PUBLIC APPEARANCE BEFORE THE SAME CONGRESSIONAL GROUP TODAY. THE HEARING WAS OFFICIALLY SECRET, BUT "LEAKS" BEGAN ONLY 40 MINUTES AFTER VALACHI BEGAN HIS EVIDENCE.

SENATOR MUSKIE, DEMOCRAT, OF MAINE, EMERGED TO TELL REPORTERS THAT VALACHI WAS TALKING ABOUT HIS FORMER CONFEDERATES IN CRIME. BUT IT SEEMS THE COMMITTEE FOUND THE WITNESS, A CONVICTED DRUG PEDLAR, AND MURDERER, RATHER HARD TO UNDERSTAND.

THE SENATOR SAID VALACHI WAS USING UNDERWORLD JARGON WORDS LIKE "FAMILY" FOR GANG. THERE WERE FREQUENT INTERRUPTIONS FROM PUZZLED SENATORS SEEKING CLARIFICATIONS.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT VALACHI - A REPORTED GANGLAND PRICE OF 100,000 DOLLARS ON HIS HEAD - HAD BEEN BROUGHT OUT OF HIDING FOR A YEAR. HE WAS REMOVED FROM PRISON BY POLICE AND TAKEN INTO HIDING AFTER HE BROKE WITH HIS BOSSES IN THE MAFIA-LIKE CRIME SYNDICATE KNOWN AS "COSA NOSTRA" (OUR THING) AND STARTED TO GIVE INFORMATION TO FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS.