CHICAGO’S GAMING HOUSES

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1928, Page 4

CHICAGO’S GAMING HOUSES

POWERFUL WHISKY SYNDICATI

CHICAGO, March 2(5

Newspaper attacks upon the city administration’s handling of gambling and bootlegger operations in Chicago have produced disputed results.

Both the “Tribune” and the “Daily News” have charged that wide-open gambling lias been permitted since William Hale Thompson became Dlavor.

The “Tribune” on Saturday ran a list of more than 200 places where it said games of chance were played. Following publication of tho list, police made a new drive against gamblers, especially in the downtown area, using the axo on much equipment confiscated. Last night, the police said, most of the gambling places were closed, many of them barring their doors, following publication of the “Tribune” list.

“Go get ’em, Mike” Hughes, ns the Mayor calls the commissioner of police, discounted the newspaper picture of gambling conditions. The “Daily News” published an account of the activities of a “highpowered” syndicate of alcohol and whisky makers, giving names, places and telephone numbers. It detailed the method of manufacture, sale and l distribution. The werkly sales of a '•"high-pressure” sales crew of 50 men was fixed in tho “News” account at 40,000 dollars.

At frequent intervals, according to the newspaper, the salesmen are called to headquarters for a “pep” meeting, and in such cases the expression “check your guns at the door” is lit erally adopted. A row of nails behind a bar at headquarters, the paper said, is used by the salesman as Che place for “checking” their weapons, which they retrieve just as they are leaving.