Evening star., 1950-04-30
Binaggio's 'sAide
Was |nformer,
Inquiry Reveals
Grand Jury Reports
Slain Men Fuced
Gambling Indictment
BY the Assoeiofed Press

Charles Gargotta, the muscle man
mobster slain with his boss,
Charles Binaggio. had turned stool
pigeon in a multi-million dollar
gambling racket that involved Is
of his pals, a Federal grand jury
said today.
Assistant County Prosecutor
Sam Hayden. former county AS
SCISSOR George Clark, and a super
intendent of county buildings
were among those involved in
racketeering. the jury said.
Prosecutor Henry Fox. jr.,
promptly fired Hayden and said
he would start an investigation of
the alleged violation of State
laws. Hayden tonight said the ac-
cusation was absolutely untrue. -
Both Gargotta and Binaggio
would have been indicted had they
not been murdered, the grand
jury said. in connection with the
$34, 100000 racket that included
the two county officials.
The 4,5OO word report did not
say with what Gargotta and BIZ
naggio would have been charged.
It is believed, however, they
would have been indicted for Fed.
eral income tax evasion since q
lien has already been filed fol
$70.672 against Binaggio's estate
for alleged unpaid taxes.
No Indictments Returned.
The grand jury's announcement
was in an interim report to Fed
eral Judge Richard M. Duncan
The jury has been investigating
underworld activities here since
last September. but it did not re-
turn any indictments. Gambling
is not a Federal offense.
But the jury's report said: "It
is shocking to learn that a regular
system of law violations can de-
velop and that operators of gam.
bling houses grow fat and wax
arrogant with the profits of their
nefarious enterprises apparently
without the slightest danger OF
prosecution for their violations ot
the State law"
At Jefferson City, Gov. Forrest
Smith said he had no comment
on the grand jury report.
Under Missouri law, Gov. Smith
appoints the board which controls
the Kansas City police department
Dice Operators Named.
Binaggio, the one time ward
heeler in the old Tom Pendergast
machine who took over a large
faction of the Democratic party
here, and Gargotta. one of the
most feared men in the under
world, were slain April 5 in po-
litical club on Truman road. Their
slayers have not been found.
Gargotta and Assistant County
Prosecutor Sam Hayden, and these
13 men were named as the opera
tors of the largest dice game in
Kansas City:
Abe F7reelander, S. o. "Solly''
McElroy, Tim Moran, Tince Walk
er. Walter Rainey, Earl Kennedy,
w. F. Wedow. John Goulding,
Francis M. Leslie, Tano Lococo
Clyde Keeling, William Cole, and
Robert Green, Superintendent OF
county buildings.
This dice game operated at Bill
Holmes street and was known
as the Town Recreation, the
grand jury said. 1t operated for
eight months, the report stated
Gargotta Named Associates.
Gargotta. one of it's operators,
and zone of the most feared of
the Kansas City underworld lead
ers was first to violate the
code of the underworld by dis
closing the names of his part
ners and associates in wire news
enterprises and gambling inter-
ests," the jury said.
This showed the underworld has
a wholesome respect for Federal
laws" It pointed out Gargotta S
squealing to the grand jury as
"the most striking example of this
salutary awe and respect"
A comparatively few men con-
troll all the major gambling opera
tions in Kansas City, the jury
said. The Is men it named as
operators of the Town Recreation
also were involved in other phases
(See BINAGGIO, Page A-4,)