Evening star., 1951-02-14
Senate Crime Probers
Schedule Series Of
Additional HEARINGS
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Feb. 14.-The Sen
ate Crime Investigating Commit
tee reported today it intends to
conduct public hearings in Wash
1ngton, st. Louis, Los Angeles and
San Francisco.
Chairman Kefauver made the
announcement just before Gerard
Catena of South Orange, N. j.,
went before the committee as the
first witness at a closed session
here today.
Committee investigators have
described Catena as a one time as
sociate of Gambler Joe Adonis In
q floating crap game.
Frank c. Balls of Fort Lauder
dale, Fla, a former New York
deputy police commissioner, ar
rived here today to testify.
Erickson Gets Stay.
A temporary stay barring the
committee from examining Frank
C. Erickson, millionaire book
maker now serving a jail term,
was granted today by State Ap-
peals Court Judge Bernard l..
Shientag.
The stay was granted on condi-
ton that the full Appeals Court
hear arguments by 2 pm. on
Erickson's contention that he
could not be subpoenaed from jail.
Erickson is serving a two-year
term on bookmaking and con-
spiracy charges. He had testified
that he drew 100000 annually as
chief of $12,500. .000-a-year gam
bling empire.
The dates and places of the new
hearings as announced by Senator
kefauver are:
~ Washington-February Is, II
and 10.
st. Louis-February % and "a.
Los Angeles-February 81 and %.
San Francisco-March 2 and 3.
Polizzi VIII Testify.
Senator Kefauver said the COM
mittee would hear witnesses from
Chicago and Florida this week in
Washington. He said AL Polizzi,
whom he described as having had
quite record Of racketeering inI
the old days in Cleveland" would
testify Monday.
Polizzi, who now lives in Coral
Gables, Fla, asked permission to
testify to purge himself of a.
threatened contempt citation, Sen
: ator Kefauver said. Il
Senator Kefauver. said other
witnesses the committee will hear
in Washington include Harry
Stromberg. alias Mig Rosen, and
William Weisberg. The Senator
described both as suspected
racketeers" in Philadelphia.
The investigators said the evil
dence yesterday gave an "amaz-
ing" story of miscarriage of
prosecutions" at Saratoga Springs,
New York State resort
COul0 See NO EVIL.
Senator Tobey, Republican, of |
New Hampshire told newsmen
that he and Senator Kefauverl
had taken testimony from a de-
tective who could "hear no evil,
see no evil. speak no evil'' about
gambling at the spa.
Senator Kefauver said he con-
eurred in Senator Tobey's state
ments.
Senator Tobey said a detective.
whom he described as a "stealthy
Steve" testified at a closed hear
ing that a gambling house paid
him SO a day to carry its kitty
to local banking house.
Report Pigeonholed. |
Other testimony. Senator Tobey
said, showed that a high State
police authority pigeonholed a
red-hot report on Saratoga
gambling.
We've had given us testimony"
Senator Tobey asserted, that is
an amazing revelation Of i. . con-
fused and aborted marginal juris-
dictions of authority by those who
failed to act in the public, in
terest."
The Senators did not identify
the detective or the State police
Official after day-long hearings
that are to continue today and
tomorrow.
However, they indicated that the
testimony on Saratoga Springs.
long mecca for horse race fans
and gamblers. far overshadowed
that of Gambler Frank Costello
or any other witnesses who ap-
peared yesterday.
Costello Ordered Back.
Costello, a reputed underworld
ruler" has been ordered to re-
turn for further quizzing tomor-
row. Senator Kefauver said that
I'VE need better analysis of Co.'S
tello'S records"
The gamblers testimony yester-
day was described by the commit
tee chairman as interesting" but
without an answer to the 1864
question" for fear of self -incrim-
1nation.
Costello repeatedly discussed an
alleged 20 per cent interest in the
Beverly Club, a swanky gambling
casino outside New Orleans.
Although the Saratoga Springs
detective was not identified, the
only Saratoga detective on a list
of witnesses made public by the
committee was Walter A'Hearn.
Senator Tobey said "a process of
elimination" was in order for