Evening star., 1950-10-14
Senate Crime Probers
Study Action Against
RecaIcitrant Witness
BY the Assoeioted Press

BY the Assoeoted Press
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 14.-The
Senate Crime Investigating Com
mittee may decide today what to
do about the refusal of Harry
Mig" Rosen to answer its ques-
tionS. !
RoSen, whose real name is Harry
Stromberg, was identified yester-
day as the overload of Philadel-
phia's number, racket by Assistant
Superintendent of Police George
F. Richardson.
Among the persons with whom
Rosen has been closely associated
Mr.. Richardson told the commit
tee. are Frank Costello and Myer
Lansky of New York, Herman
Taylor, Philadelphia, and the late
Jimmy LaFontaine. who operated
a gambling place in Prince Georges
County. just outside of Washing
ton.
Mr.. Richardson was one of a
number of witnesses called before
the committee this morning in
closed session.
Take in Millions.
Chairman Kefauver said Mr..
Richardson also admitted that
organized gambling, with a take
running into millions and mil
lions of dollars. operates vir-
tually out of control in Phila-
delphia as a part of a national
syndicate.
Rosen told the committee yes
terday he had "wined and dined"
a number of Philadelphia police
officials, Senator O'Conor. Demo-
crat. Of Maryland revealed, but
the Senator said Rosen wouldn't
name the officials.
Senator O'Conor also quoted
Rosen as saying at the closed ses-
sion of the committee that he
knew top figures in the gambling
world such as Frank Costello and
Joe Adonis. But Rosen would not
admit that he is connected with
the rackets, Senator O'Conor said.
Refuses To Answer.
The Maryland Senator said
Rosen also refused to answer a
number Of other questions and
because of that attitude 1--WE feel
1t is necessary to lay the matter
before the entire committee for
proceedings against him"
Previously Senator O'Conor said
evidence linking "higher-ups" in
Philadelphia's public life with the
operation of organized crime and
gambling In the city had been
presented to the committee.
Rosen. a former Philadelphian
now residing in New York, headed
a long parade of persons called to
testify here before the Kefauver
committee. Some were subpoenaed
and others came voluntarily.
Senator Kefauver quoted MIR.
Richardson as saying that "Rosen
has tie-ins with Lansky, who has
outlets at the Colonial Inn in
Miami. as well as in Saratoga, N.
Y. and in New Jersey; with the
Beverly Club of New Orleans,
which was operated by Costello
and Dandy Phil Castel; with the
Flamingo Club at Las Vegas, and
that all these connections enable
them to carry on organized gam
bling on very extensive scale"
Tells of Lieutenants.
Mr.. Richardson, Senator Ke-
fauver reported, also said Rosen's
Philadelphia lieutenants are Will
lie Weisberg and Samuel "Cappy"
Hoffman, and he has close con-
nections with Herman Taylor,
Philadelphia boxing promoter.
Mr.. Richardson also testified,
the committee chairman said, that
Rosen now owns a large dress con-
Germ with headquarters in New
York and factories in several 9TH
er cities, including Scranton. Pa,
and a number of hotels, including
one in Florida.
1t was at this point Senator
O'Conor interjected the informa-
ton disclosed about the connec-
tions of "high-ups" in the Phila-
delphia gambling rackets. Senator
O'Conor said he would rather not
state definitely whether he meant
public employees. He offered the
general definition of "higher-ups"
as those in more influential posi-
tions than those who have been
arrested"
Grand Jury Suspends.
The concentration of witnesses
was so heavy that a Federal grand
jury which has been at work for
four weeks investigating criminal
activities in the Philadelphia area
was forced to suspend operations
temporarily.
What else could we do?" asked
Max H. Goldschein, special assis-
tant United States attorney gen.
eral who has been in charge of
the jury.
"They (the Senate committee)
have all our witnesses"
The grand jury, which has the
power to return criminal indict-
ments, has made no report as yet.
A number of witnesses have re-
fused to answer questions on
grounds they might incriminate
themselves. One witness who re-
fused to talk was sentenced tol