The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-11

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

Tor generations the prison grapevine sys-
tenn has been the topic Of fiction. drama
and conversation.
For years the system has been recognized
as one OF the greatest whispering Geographic
networks OF the world
But. in the last few days newspaper read
CTS might wonder II that system has not been
antiqusted by the recent incidents in Marion
county. centering around the slot machine
racket.
The slot machine racket in this county is
built upon the underworld, its whisperings
and the cuIpability OF citizenry which be-
Heves gangsters can be defeated at their own
game.
For several DAYS The Times has printed
stories that the slot machine racket had found
new foster parents and that outsiders were
beginning to move into the sacred haven Of
the favored few
Il appeared for some time that the slot
machine racketeers might erase their own
crimes by erasing the chiselers. But that
failed to happen. Instead things continued to
maintain a serene and complacent attitude on
the surface while new machines by the tens
and twenties we're imported into Marion
county.
Suddenly a bomb dropped. The racketeers
found they might not be in for such smooth
sailing Prosecutor Herbert E. Wilson told
newspaper men that he would ask Sheriff
Charles Buck Sumner to clean up the
racket
The conference with the press occurred
i'm the prosecutors Office Thursday a scant few
minutes before late edition of The Times
reached the streets.
Times reporters following through on the
information given by Mr.. Wilson. started their
own Investigations Thursday night They
found. not to their amazement. however, that
the word had been passed And when the
word is passed in Marion county a thorough
job is done
Consequently the Sherif's Office could find
no slot machines to confScate Thursday night
And. too. The Times reporters could find no
machines displayed publicly in the 1fty-six
places they visited many of which have been
slot machine Ravens for years.
The operators of some Of the joints openly
admitted they had received the word. The
word was to jerk the machines until the
storm had blown over
The grapevine system had worked again.
but behind it was the sinister implication that
the machines would be permitted to be in
operation within few days. And OF course if
that occurs it will be the grapevine system
which will pass the word to carry on
That grapevine system doesn't originate by
accident It. like the gambling devices it pro-
1oI Of
Regrettable as It is it is positively true that
the storm always has blown over. Generally
the storm occurred just before primaries or
fall elections. This time it is midsummer
storm.
Now it becomes the duty of the law en-
forcement agencies of Marion county and the
respectable citizens to see that the storm con-
tinues for days. weeks and months.
Citizens Of the county who object to the
uprOarious conduct of many beer places will
be surprised to find how many of them will
die out if the slot machine racket is halted.
Figures on the racket. compiled by author
tiles. show that the profit of the game is i'm
mense Some places in this county could not
exist a month without slot machine revenue.
and the quickest way to kill gang machination
Is By taking the profit out of 1t.
The indianapolis Times will pledge its edi-
torial and news columns to driving out the
devices. The Times also asks that the law en-
forcement powers and the taxpayers Join in a
smash 10 the finish.
There is no real reason why it should not
be completed. Politicians and racketeerS,
much more important IN their own under
condone slot machines in this county. have
been defeated
Why shouldn't such a community service
be completed now2