Evening journal., 1919-02-17
ALICE GRAFT
NOW in CHESTER
Gambling Den Not Far from
City Hall Disguised as
Billiard Parlor
PROMINENT MEN
ON RAGGED EDGE

CHESTER, Pa, Feb. il.-Appreheno-
ing ~ alleged gamblers, aside from
the auto bandits taken into custody
Mayor w ). Mcdowell has broken the
Guiding line leading direct to the heart
+ ~ the gambling, highwaymen. burg
lar and underworld cent-r Of Chester
organized and controlled by New York
men
The ALLEGED bandits, Jack Williams,
confessed ringleader; Bernard FoXwell
Fred Baxtes, 365 Franklin street, Al
fred Hoar, City Hotel, and Walter
Shut, OF i06 Third street, were each
held without bail for court by Police
Magistrate Berry on Saturday. Frank
JafIe leader OF the alleged gamblers,
was detained under $1,000 bail while
the other eleven playe.s were each de-
tanned under $500 bail.
The information given TO the news
pap men by Mayor Mcdowell plainly
shows that the underworld camp OF
Chester harbOred crooks and criminals
from every notorious rendezvous in
the United states. The confessions Of
the alleged gunner designate Todd's
restaurant at Market Square. within
one block OF City Hail. as the clearing
house for crooks and gamblers 10 meet
and map out plans OF highway robbery,
For six weeks Mayor Mcdowell has
played the game and held the strings
leading directly TO the heart OF this or
ganlzati0n, and used as his agency one
Of the gunmen's own comrades. The
mayor in disclosing the actions OF the
underworld element bought TO light
that the scope OF the underworld's
activity stretched from Chester as far
north as New York and as Ear west as
Pittsburgh.
The rlngleader OF the underworld In
Pennsylvania, known as "Dago Joe,
alleged owner OF dis0rde-ly houses, In
Pittsburgh. Bethlehem, Harrisburg and
Philadelphia. slipped through the
mayors fingers. after buying house
at g05 Green street, only five squares /
away from the heart OF the business /
district, which, IL IS alleged, was to be
used for Illegal purposes. fhe mayors
personal representative was playing
the game with "Dago joe" and the
two were recruiting women in Phila-
delpha to bring to this city.
Beside this proposed underworld
establishments which has been "nlpped /
in the bud" the mayor discovered sew
eral und rwOrld houses on West Third /
street. Al certain places on this thor
oughfare gambling and dsorderly
houses have been fourishins, with sew
sral Of the city's men acting as run
ners for the houses.
Mayor Mcdowell, In laying his evil
dence on the table. shows that within
two squares OF city hall a poker psrlor,
disguised In the cloak OF q pocket bill
Iiari parlor, lourished. The alleged
gambfff4z den Is located on the second
floor Of the building located at 52s Mar
ket street and Is known as the Liberty
billiard Parlors Frank jane, OF PILLS !
delphia, one OF the owners, Is held for |
court The "cut" for the house from
NE poker games ran from $40 10 $50,
lssertsd one Of the Witnesses at Sstur-
lays hearing OF the gamblers. Pool
;ames were played for from $50 to $40
takes.
In spprehending the proprietors and
layers Of this establishment, Mayor
Mcdowell was forced TO extend himself
% the limit Jafire and his partner,
Snown as shorty" haNng from Hsr-
risbu-s, are recognized as two clever
sharks. IL Is alleged the club Jaffre
swung was Of mighty weight and
brought prominent men in the city and
county within It's shadow.
The mayors rounding up OF gamblers
may disclose another scandal IN the
police department, It was learned.
From a reliable source the newspaper
fnen learnel that two members OF the
police department played with the
gamblers and are alleged 60 have re-
celved graft While no names OF the
officers were disclosed, Il was asserted |
the Jolt received by the mayor was
more than surprislng for the two blue
coats were the most trusted men OF
the department.. Il Is hinted the grip
OF the gamblers on pulling political
Strings may reach to certain public
eounty officials who acted as the mid
dlemen between the members OF the
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