The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-04
POLICY RACKET
UNDER FIRE BY
CITY 'BOOK|ES'
OrSe-Betting Boys liked at
Taking Heat in
Vice Drive.
NEGROES ARE VICTIMS
Daily Receipts S10.500, Is
Claim: Police Laxity
Is Charged.

Bookies. currently banned from
gambling activities by the police,
complained today that in all the
hullabsloo there has been no men,
ton OF nor drive against what IS
said to be a widely practiced and
the most politically impregnable
gambling scheme of them all
They referred TO the policy racket
which, they say now as before and
during this and other police drives
against horse race betting establish
ments. thrives with no interference
or Unfavorable publicity.
They say the policy racket. pro-
tected by politicians who apparent
IL have most cohesive and effee-
tive srmor against police interfer-
ence. according to best estimates, is
foiSted on about $4,000 Negroes in
the city, and takes an average of
not less than Is cents from each
one daily.
That. they point out. adds up to
sl0.500 A day. which is far more
than the best estimates of the horse
race betting business daily income
when running without interference.
Statesmen Roam Streets
Moreover. they say. the very ma
ture Of the operation of the policy
game makes impossible any serious
attempt at secrecy. since more than
800 statesmen roam the streets daily,
entering places OF business. homes,
and soliciting on sidewalks.
There are two drawings a day.
made in the rear of a poolroom in
the 500 block OF Indiana -av. ana
they are advertised and publicized
as public drawings" the bookies
say. They are somewhat less public
than that implies. since only known
players. all Negroes. may attend,
they say, but nevertheless, there is
absolutely no secrecy about them.
Virtually no one but Negroes plays
the game. but they have a known
and exploited weakness for the type
of heavy odds, happy lucky
game that it is. The policy racket
Is a large industry in all cities hav-
ing Negro population.
The particular characteristic of
the policy game, bookies charge. as
distinguished from horse race bet
ting, is that the games are as de-
vious as they very we'll could be
without melting to riot.
Bets Frequently NuIlified
They are played this way:
Statesmen for the game approach
a customer in his home. place of
business. or on the street. and the
customer picks three numbers from
one 10 rs. That's his sequence. and
he bets A nickel that in the draw
lneS Of y numbers his three num-
bers will appear. If they do he wins
$40.
He may make as many bets as
he likes. and he gets a receip: for
his wagerS. The salesman CeJs 35
per cent Of the sales ne makes. But
here Is the catch. according to the
boOkieS. A salesman can be marked
out II he shows up too late for the
tabulstion for the drawings. and
then no combinations ne has sold
are considered in the Winnings. and
the money is refunded.
BookieS say it is a fact. known
n all but the light-hearted PLAYERS
themselves. that any bet that is
likely TO win can be and frequently
Is rendered null by the simple ex-
pedient Of ruling that the salesman
Of the bet arrived AT headquarters
TOO late for the checkup and thus
his sales are not considered.
There are drawings morning and
night.