The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-14
Chief to Bear Down as
He Shows Truth of
Times Articles.
STEADY DRIVE PLEDGED
Slot Machines, Lotteries
and Big-Time Cards
Are Targets.

Gambling - slot machines,
pools and big-time cards
must go.
That was the edict today of
Police Chief Mike Morrissey.
who sent word through the
rank and file of the police de-
partment that raids which, it
is claimed, erased two large
indianapolis gambling syndi-
Gates in the last few days, will
be continued.
Instead of a furry after which.
operators open up" it is learned
that MorriSsey intends to continue
a steady, pushing drive against pro-
motors of racketS.
Already having led his men in the
roundup Of several places to block
an alleged central west pool ticket
source, MorrisSey is prepared to
carry on.
Follows Times Stories
Action by the police department.
followed a series of stories by a.
Times staff writer in which facts on
the amounts poured into pockets of
pool operators in nickel to dollar
lots by working men who have obli-
gated themselves to nine pools we're
given.
The Times told of operation of
slot machines, some played by chill
dren who hardly are tall enough to
reach the money slot.
Included in the stories were vari-
Gus statements relative to operations
Of pools and thievery among the
sellers of the tickets that cheats the
player even of his bare thousandth
of a chance to win.
Raids Prove Truth
The stories told slot machines
could be found in eating places, soft
drink places, poolroons and booze
joints and raids showed this to be
the case. They told that pool tickets
were purchasable in the same
places and that solicitors begged
your money from you every few
| days or each week.
Since the raids, police have OUT
lined the operations of the pools
and slot machine syndicates. Their
statements have conceded with the
information given by The Times.
Assertions that 100000 Syndi-
cate raid was made after persons
who had failed to receive prizes had
barred operation of the racket, sup
ported information revealed by The
Times.
From the following extracts
from the stories, it will be seen that
in the pool racket and slot machine
| raids police have substantiated in
formation gathered by this paper.
RacketterS' Methods Shown
Some of them follow:
"The pools are paid off by winning
combinations of numbers and let
tiers and thousands of combina-
tons supposedly are in the drawing
box when the selection of winners
takes place.
Chances for winning are remote
at best and, although majority Of
the operators claim their pools are
on the "up and up" many nibblers
in Indianapolis have had the dire
experience of buying in fake pools
or bona fide propositions where the
agents, following the detour of hui
man nature, have collected a few
thousands and skipped.
I'm foreign derbies it often is the
quaint custom of local agents to
sell, for instance, fifty books and
slip the returns of ten or so in his
pocket without turning them in.
This is gravy in addition to the
commission he gets for selling the
ones turned in to promoters"
Rewarded by Donations
The Times said that extra work
by agents often is rewarded by the
promoter donating them a few
chances,
often a small player wonders
why the agent gets the prize he.
needs so badly Any one in possess
sion OF dozen tickets naturally
stands a better chance Of cleaning
up than the poor man with one"
Relating TO activities of syndicate
agents on placement of slot ma
chimes, The Times told:
Spoilers now at work in the city
are paid a commission for finding
good locations for the machines.
Many of the players of the de-
vices have learned-to their dismay
that the machines are like horses :;
They can't be beaten"