Evening star., 1950-07-02
Senate Crime Probe
To Visit Key Cities in
0n-Spof Hearings
By Miriom Gutenberg


Senate crime hunters will go
into Miami, Kansas City, st. Louis
and Chicago this month to hold
on-the-spot hearings. Chairman
Kefauver of the Senate Crime In
vestigating Committee announced
yesterday.
Senator Kefeauver's announce
ment was the first disclosure of
the committees current targets
in its investigation of interstate
criminal activities.
Only the Miami hearings will
be open. They are scheduled for
July IL and 13. Closed hearings
were held in Miami late in May.
Senator Kefauver said the mid
West hearings will be closed to
enable the committee to amplify
the information already obtained
by its investigators in that re-
gion. Plans for public hearings
will depend on developments.
All Four In Headlines.
All four cities have made head
lines through police raids. gang
killings, grand jury Investigations,
independent inquiries by the COM
mittee's staff or the testimony of
crime experts.
The committees attention was
focused on Miami when a raid on
Gambler Frank Erickson's Park
Avenue offices uncovered records
dealing with his interest in a
Florida gambling casino. Subse-
quently. the committees investi-
cations centered on the s and G
race information service in Miami
because of it's links with similar
operations in other cities.
Kansas City has figured promi-
nently in the news since Charles
Binaggio. Democratic party boss,
and Charles Gargotta, his hench-
man, were slain April in a |
political club on Truman road.
Senator Kefauver repeatedly has
promised he would not shy away
from Kansas City.
In Kansas City. the committee
Is expected to make use of some
of the material uncovered by a
Federal grand jury, which re-
ported the ramifications of what
it described as a $34 million
gambling racket involving two
county officials and about is
others.
Pennsylvania Probe, Cited.
The committee also is likely to
seek assistance from Max II. Gold
schein. special assistant to the At
torney General, who worked with
the grand jury in Kansas City.
Senator Kefauver knows Mr.. Gold
schein from the days when the
Senator. then a Representative,
headed a special House commit
tee investigating judicial miscon-
duct in Pennsylvania. Mr.. Gold
schein was loaned to that investi-
cation by the Justice Department..
In st. Louis, the committee is
expected to pry into the opera
tions OF Pioneer News Service. st.
Louis race wire news distributor.
William Molasky, part owner of
Pioneer. has acknowledged that
he is a large share -holder in
western Union. which leases the
race wire circuit to Pioneer.
Narcotics In Picture.
Chicago is considered the heart
OF the race news distribution of
Continental Press Service. In
addition, Treasury agents have
testified that Chicago is one of
the operating centers of the cpun-
terfeiting business and among the
largest headquarters of the illicit
narcotics traffic.
The committee expects to
develop leads in Chicago from
Virgil Peterson. executive direc-
tor of the Chicago Crime Com
who will testify at
public hearing here Thursday.
Gov. Luther Youngdahl of
Minnesota also will testify at the
Thursday hearing, Senator Lefau-
yer announced. Other open hear
ings are being arranged.
Barring unforeseen legislative
or international developments, /,
this is the committee schedule:
Miami, July IL and a13; st.
Louis, July Is; Kansas City, July
19 and 20, and Chicago. July 81
and %.