The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1938-09-29
Racketeer
Said Crime
Is Increasing
Spoke At Public
School and To Rotar-
ians On Tuesday
PAY $132 TO RACKETS
Explained Short
change Artists Came
Served In Pen

Does Crime Pay" was the topic
Of an interesting lecture by A. w.
Dittmore, who Is travelling about
the country exposing crime and
rackets, delivered to the Rotary
Club Tuesday noon. A former rae
keteer, he now has given his life
to the exposure of rackets and
crime, and lectures before the pup
lis of schools. He was introduced
to the gathering by Supt. w. A.
Kohl.
Mr.. Dittmore, who served two
terms in the penitentiary for law
violation, stated that he was born
in Chicago, amid crime, and that
he developed along that line early
in life. He worked alone most Of
the time, but stated he was gang
ster for eight years.
He said that crime is on the in
crease today, and that where years
ago the average age of criminals
was 80 years, today it is 10. Each
one of us gives $132 per year to
racketeers, for the support of 22O0
rackets and 100000 criminals who
roam the United States.
Among the many rackets, he ex-
planned one, the short-change rae
ket, and he advised men not to
make change second time. Com
plete the transaction, for the short
change artist works to confuse the
sucker He said there are from
10000 to 10000 people who operate
as short-change artists in the Unit
ed States. He stated that pinball
and slot machines should be put
out, as the payoff on slot machines
is 12c on the dollar. You can't get
something for nothing, he said.
When asked the difference be-
tween slot machines and pinball
machines, he said, the pinball ma
chine is slot machine on its belly,
and it pays off below. He said
the person who plays the various
gambling games offered is consid-
cred a sucker.
Ninety-two percent of the gang
sters of the land are afflicted with
the deadly disease of syphilis or are
alcoholic, and they are not smart.
All of them, however, maintain leg
al advice so they can be told the
best way to violate the law, or how
to get out of trouble once their in.
He said the school was the only
effective agency to combat crime,
and that eradication of crime can
come only through education.
Gambling, pinball and slot ma
chimes, where they are not licens-
ed, and where they are allowed to
run unmolested, he said, do SO un-
der a payoff. Upon being question
ed, he said, "How do you suppose
they can keep the mayor, chief of
police and other officials quiet?
There is a payoff!" At this point,
Mayor Yaeger informed the group
that there are no slot machines in
Sank Centre, and that he had in
formed his policemen to remove
them as soon as they come in. He
said the pinball machines are lie
ensed.
Carnivals, said Dittmore, are the
worst rackets in the country, and
the only carnivals that are any good
at all are those that have only good
rides and clean shows. Carnivals.
he said, If they are allowed in a
city with the usual grift, should be
limited to ten cent play, and buy
ing back should be prohibited.
Mr.. Dittmore is termed as the
King of Racketeers;" he was a
gangster for eight years and served
two years in the penitentiary. 1t
was during his second term Of in
generation that he discussed life
with the warden, and he was told
that he could be of great service to
society, if he had the "guts" to ex-
pose rackets. He was thus encour-
aged to carry on this work. He has
lectured before police schools, in
public schools and before societies.
On Tuesday morning Dittmore
spoke to public school students in
this city. Among a number OF
don'ts, he advised them not to buy
from every peddler, to refrain from
smoking, drinking and gambling,
and above all not to carry a gun.
Mr.. Dittmore is recommended to
the public schools by police schools.