The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-01
Dewey's Rise to Fame Marked By Success As ''Racket-Buster"
MEET MIR. DEWEY ny g. BURTON HEATH

N"N"NNAH%N A+AAAE@~-hf AHNANa@Se@S Tho Hines case and other cases fought and won by Dewey aroused wide public interest in his various Afiti-gacket exploits.
 Charles Luciano, known as Lucky" until Dewey nailed him, was one-time drug peddler and bootlegger who, picking up the reins after his gang leader had been killed by rivals, was credited with control over narcotics, policy and industrial rackets in New York. Police Commissioner Valentine called him Public Enemy Number one.
 The Luciano case was Deweys first major appearance as special rackets prosecutor by appointment of Governor Lehman. The methods my which he broke it spread his fame overnight from coast to coast. WANTED HTGHER-UPS
 One February evening in 1886, about 165 plainclothesmen were sent out by Dewey with sealed orders. Precisely at g o'clock, they swooped down on fl disorderly houses and arrested 70 women and 2 men-managers, bookers and op- orators. Dewey's sole legitimate interest was organized crime, with particular reference to official col- fusion. To him, oficially, the pros titutes, rnadames and bookers were only guideposts toward the eleven responsible leaders of the racket. Topmost among these leaders, brains of a nationwide vice ring, said Dewey, was Lucky"
 Before Dewey moved publicly, his staff had completed seven months of intensive investigation so secret that even the innermoSt political and underworld circles had not even vague suspicion. When he struck he was ruthless and thorough. Three months after the first sensational raids, Dewey put Luciano on trial. Less than a month later he had a conviction against Luciana and eight co-de- fendants.
 The Hines case involved the most powerful Tammany district leader in New York. Almost everybody, for years, had gossiped about James J. Hines affairs, and several inves. tigators, including Samuel Seabury, had failed completely in at- tempts to prove what most insiders thought they knew.
 The first public indication that Dewey was preparing case against Jaminy Hines-the first hint that reached the powerful Hines, despite his heretofore infallible sources of inside inormation-came when the politician was arrested in Dewey's 0fice and charged with providing political protection to the notori- ous Dutch Schultz gang of policy racheteers.
 POWER BROKEN
 Except for Dewey's record up to that time, most observers would have said then that he had com- mitked professional suicide. Hines not only controlled Tammany Hall, and had powerful connections with the underworld, but he had con- ceaesd actual proof of his criminal activities 50 effectively that he was an intimate of President Roosevelt and an occasional guest in the White House.
 The Hines case became doubly notable because of the controversy created when, in the first trial, the presiding judge ruled that Dewey had pulled a legal boner and de- ciared a mistrial. Thereupon Dewey took the case to another court, con- victed Hines and sent him to Sing | Sing.
 m addition to these most pulp licized prosecutions, Dewey carried out many others with equal success | achieved by similar methods. | Thirty-six loan sharks were sent to | 1ail. Dewey,s offlce broke up rackets | ln the electrical trade, in trucking, | in restaurants, in the poultry bus ness, the bakery business, the gar- xnent trades and the taxicab indus try, and sent their spnsoors to prison.
 Dutch Schultz (born Arthur Elegenheimer) was murdered while Dewey was building up the policy | case against him, but Hines was | caught in the net, not to mention !. Richard Dixie" Davis, mouth- piece for Schultz's and other crim- inaI gangs. It was estimated that | racIxets eradicated by Dewey were gouging el60,000, 900 year out of New Workers pockets.
 While this was going on 1887 ar- rived. The four-year term of Dis- trict Attorney William c. Dodge, whose ineffectiveness had necessi- tated appointment of Dewey, ex- pird Strong demand arose that Dewey should run for the position. DISTRICT ATTORNEY
 He consented only after an ac- tive anti-T -Tammany leader, whom he had taken to 8 conference to support his declination to run, joined with others in the reform sroup and pressed him to accept.
 Dewey was elected district attor- ney with American Labor Party | support, and in that oftice contin- | Iied his drive agaist organized | racketeering, along with the normal | business of the county prosecutor ship.
 As Q result of charges made by | him in the campaign, one of the ]