The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-12-21

After he made even the counties
too hot for them, the Cleveland
syndicate moved its operations
across the Ohio river into wide
open northern Kentucky communi-
ties in Campbell and Kenton coun-
ties. Covington and Newport, just
across from Cincinnati, became the
big gambling centers. There the
casinos were so unconcerned with
police that they advertised openly
in Cincinnati newspapers, and
placed streamers on automobile
windshields,
The syndicate became so rich
that when Gambler Wilbur Clark
needed more than 1000, 900 to COM
plete his luxurious Desert Inn in
Las Vegas, be obtained the money
from Cleveland gamblers who, in
turn, acquired a go per cent In
terest in his gambling.
Some members also branched out
to Florida. Gameboy Miller, for
one, was a partner in Miami's
swank Island Club.
Cleveland itself, Safety Director
Sutton said, has erased virtually
all traces Of gangdom. "Racketeers
still may make their headquarters
here" he declared, "but they have
to set up shop somewhere else if
they are going to make any
money"
We ferreted out the case Of a
racketeer who set up shop some
where else, and made money. He
was a Cleveland hoodlum who got
his start in gambling and bootleg
ging, amiable Alfred Big AID Po-
lizzi.
Big AL loudly announced, in about
1910, that he was going straight.
He had plenty Of money. He had
been dabbling in Florida real estate
with Arthur Mickey Mcbride, the
Cleveland millionaire who founded
the Continental Press racing news
service. Then, too, there was the
money he had made in breweries
and, Of course, from his Illegal &C.
tivities.
He went straight, all right,
straight to prison on black mar
ket whisky charge. Once freed, he
moved to Miami Beach. He became
partner in a construction COM
pany there and in plush hotel, the
haunt Of visiting mobsters.
Tanned and dapper. Big AL was
the picture Of propriety in his ap-
pearance before us. He gestured
with his horn-rimmed glasses and,
when I asked him one question,
cried: well, goodness! don't
know" He primly apologized when
he was forced to use the word
hell" in quoting someone else.
What bothered us, however, was
Polizzi's association with his old
gang-mates. He confessed that his
construction company partner had
sponsored the parole of extortionist
James Licavoli. Al had visited New
York (''to see the fights'') with his
old pal, Moe Kleinman, and around
his hotel fraternized with other
known gangsters.
II don't butt into other people,
business" he argued.
In Cleveland, we also unfolded
the strange story Of Alvin Giesey,
former internal revenue agent anc
now a thriving public accountant
1t was Giesey's gumshoeing which
sent Moe Kleinman to prison in 1885
on an income tax count. Oddly
when Kleinman was freed, he per
Suaded Giesey to resign from the
government and take over his owr
tax and accounting problems.
Giesey went further. He also tool
over the tax problems of such shad
owy figures as Polizzi, Dalitz, anc
Rothkopf, and became secretary O.
the real estate" phase of two
gambling clubs.
what is the inducement to your
Committee Counsel Rudolph Halle,
asked him in awe. "Why do vol
do these things?"
The ex-treasury man blurtec
back: ''For the almighty dollar
The same as you're doing, the jol
you're doing right now :"
Next week: Detroit; Where Un
derwOrld and Business WorIt
Merge.
Condensed from the book, "Crime II
America" by Estes Kefauver. Cpr. 1851
Pub. by Doubleday. Inc. Dist Genera
Features Corp.-WNU.