Evening star., 1951-03-16
BY the Associated Press

NEW YORK, Mar. 16.- A pic
ture of Wide-open gambling houses
in Saratoga Springs, upstate New
York resort area, was given the
Senate Crime Investigating Com
mittee today as they awaited a
showdown with Frank Costello, re-
calcitrant racketeer witness.
Costello, the reputed crime-ring
kingpin who stormed out of
hearing yesterday. was ordered to
return this afternoon. If he didn't.
abe committee said, he would be
brought in under arrest.
Firing the morning session was
testimony by State Police Inspec-
tor Charles La Forge that in a
1947 investigation he found the
horse race center Of Saratoga, N.
Y. a beehive of gaming dives.
The places were open "all
through the '40s," the witness
said. but were closed down in 1850
by state police.
Got No Action.
Inspector La Forge said his 1947
report was turned over to his
superiors, but brought no action.
He said State police do not
sct in local matters unless Or
dered to do so by the Mayor, or
the district attorney, or the upper
echelon, or the Governor OF the
State of New York"
Senator Tobey, Republican, of
New Hampshire, noting that the
report apparently went up through
channels to the Governors Office.
asked why Inspector La Forge
didn't see Gov. Dewey when norh-
ing was done.
I'VE just don't do those things -
the inspector said.
The police official said Saratoga
police were politically controlled,
and that the sheriff. S Office appar-
rently was too. The police chief,
he said, would cooperate ''in
other phases of the law" but
wouldn't discuss gambling.
TObey Is Disguised.
"a sickening and disgusting pic
ture," remarked Senator Tobey.
Il will agree with you, Senator,
Mr.. La Forge replied.
The inspector said that in Oc-
tober, 1949, he got the green
light, more or less, to make ar
rests"
THAT, protested Senator Tobey,
twas three years too late"
The inspector said he was Or
dered to make the investigation.
and used an eight-man detail in
surveying the SPA" area in
which he found roulette, dice.
chemin-de-fer tables and other
gaming in full swing.
He said curfeWs, banning the
sale of liquor after am, were
ignored, as were State liquor con-
troll laws prohibiting liquor sales
in places where there was gam
bling.
Joint" for Common People.
Most Of the places were ex-
pensively furnished clubs, he said,
but he found one known as the
Sawdust Joint" that apparently
was for "the common people, more
or less"
Gambler Meyer Lansky and Joe
Adonis, underworld figure. said to
be a lieutenant of Costello, re-
portedly own interests in sor1e of
the places, Inspector La Forge
said.
Committee Chairman Kefauver
said there also is evidence that
Costello himself had part of
some one elSe's interest" in the
Arrowhead, named as one of the
gambling houses.
Costello Gets Ultimatum.
Senator Kefauver said earlier
United States marshal was being
sent to inform Costello of the
committees ultimatum to return,
or face arrest.
Efforts to reach Costello to
learn if he would reappear were
unaVailing. At his apartment at
115 Central Park West, doormen
turned away neWsmen. A woman
who answered the telephone there
said mo comment" and hung up.
The new directive came after
a physician reported Costello is
able to testify.
The gambler, before he stomped
(See CRIME. Page A-3)