Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-18

HEADQUARTERS
FOR BOLD GANG
BOotleggers and Gamblers
Ply Their Trade I'm
mOIested.
VISITOR BUYS BOOZE

stegemeier Brothers restaurant and
dry beer saloon, 1910 North Illinois
street. in the heart of the old levee dis
trlet, is headquarters for a gang Of un-
molested bootleggers and gamblers.
The betting boards -four large black
bOards) are in the front part OF the ory
beer saloon and thousands Of dollars are
wagered On the election and on football
games and other athletic contests.
The betting business is so big that books
printed especially for the purpose are
used 10 record bets and the receipts torn
from these books bear the name OF stege-
meter and are given to the gamblers who
place a bet, or who cover some wager
already on the boards.
After placing a bet on football game
and seeing hundreds Of dollars wagered
on tho election, a visitor heard boot
logger discussing the sale OF whisky
His voice was not low and could be
heard by any person standing within ten
feet Ct him.
~ have jut split a bottle OF good
whisky" began the bootlegger, neatly
dressed. neavy set man, "and I told the
fellow who bought the half bottle that
I did not Ike 10 split the bottle as II
would be hard to sell the other aalf Of
the whiskey
you see. when I sell whisky SCH
the real thing with the Government stamp
across It.
when I split one break the stamp
and the next fellow thinks he isn't get
ting real whisky.
ASKS ONLY FOR s
MONTHS LIKE LAST 2.
Il have been booteggiEg for more than
two years and II I can have just six
months more like the last two months
well. wouldn't ask anything more.
However. business was good before.
II was a little more than a year ago when
was furnishing whisky for the bell boys
OF a nrst-class hotel. and charged them
S25 q quart.
Il wouldn't put II out for less Say.
bet those bell hops stung the guests
in that hotel for that whisky
You see, for three weeks there was
little whisky coming into Indianapolis at
that time and I was getting most OF It.
Ny whisky was being brought in by
railroad man and my source Of supply
was uninterrupted"
The visifoR asked him what he wanted
for the other haif bottle az whisky and
was informed the pre~e wns s.
"ITl meet you In the wash room" said
the bootltgEar
Three men besides the bootlegger and
visitor were In the toilet, but the sale
was made and the visitor handed the
whisky dealer a SO bill and received s.
IN change and the bottle half filled with
whisky
The bottle bore the label Medallion
whisky. sour mash. bottled under super
vision OF the United states Internal Rev
enue Department by The Old "76'' Dis
tilllng Company. distillers, Flnghtown,
Sixth district. Kentucky"
WARNING APPEARS
ON OPPOSITE SIDE.
On the other side OF the bottle ap-
peared a warning"
These spirits we're taxpaid at the nom
beverage rate for medicinal purposes.
Sale or use for other purposes WIN sub
iect the seller or user to very heavy
penalties"
The whisky bottled IN bond Govern
ment stamp bore tho dates: Made In the
spring Of 1916, bottled in the fall OF
1920"
Each night, IN front Of the stegemeier
restaurant a number Of men gather and
loaf. occasionally entering the restau-
rant to buy food.
a uuhl"eA % tnese men nave been ar
rested during the last few months and
some have been convicted Of gambling,
but none is ever arrested while IN the
vicinity Of the levee district.
Police officers walk past them pay
ing them no attention.
IL was TO one Of this group that n taxi
driver went and soon returned bringing
with him a bottle OF whisky
The place quiets down, however, after
midnight for these men, many of them
known to the police as gamblers, get
into automobiles and ride away.
Where they so only those on the In
side know.
You see, we change the place each
night" said one OF the men, known
gambler, "and then the police can't get
wise"