Evening star., 1951-08-03

For Years, parts of California
literally nave been infested with
This is the l7th Of Series Of 20 ortieles
condensed from the book, Crime in
America" by Senator Kefouver.
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every conceivable kind of gam
bling racket The take" runs into
the millions
One bIg gambling racket broken
up in Los Angeles after the Cali
fornia Crime Commission went
into business was the so-called.
Guarantee Finance Co., which
posed as d legitimate loan agency
while fronting for $6,000,000
bookmaK'ng combine. Its records
disclosed payments totalling $108,-
900 for juice" the California
gamblers euphemism dn Florida,
it's "ice'D for protection" money.
The Los Angeles City police de-
partment was headed by a de-
termined officer, Chief William H.
Parker. Our committee. however,
was not impressed by the Los
Angeles County sheriff's Office.
/ Guarantee Finance Co. shreWdly
had set up it's headquarters in a
particular political island" known
as Sunset Strip" inside Los
Angeles proper. This was county
territory and. accordingly, not
subject to the tougher Los Angeles
police.
One of Chief Parker's aggres-
sive officers, 1t. James Fiske,
finally became so incensed by
the Sheriff'S inactivity that he
entered Sunset Strip and came
down through Skylight into the
huge telephone room of the book
making operation.
Out of his jurisdiction. he was
unable to make any arrests, but
he did tear up all the bookies'
markers so they were at a loss as
how to settle their bets for that
day. AS a result, 1t FiSke said, a
stern letter was received from Al
GuaSti, then a captain in the
sheriff's Office, demanding that
city police stay out of county ter
ritory.
Jury Probed PayOffs.
A county grand jury was prob
ing payoffs to law enforcement
officers by Guarantee Finance.
The grand jury foreman and four
county officials met in secret to
plan the inquiry. The only other
persons let in on the plans we're
i two process servers who were to
serve Subpoenas. The very next
day some one leaked" the plans
to Sammy Rummel, lawyer for
gangsters, and reputedly the
brains behind the mobster, Mickey
Cohen.
A series of incredible events
followed. First, Rummel arrang-
ed a rendezvous with Capt.
IGuasti. Guasti. in turn, arranged
for the "mouthpiece" to meet
that night with Capt. Carl
Pearson and Sgt. Lawrence Shat
fer, of the Sheriff's vice squad.
At this meeting. Guasti said,
Sergt. Shaffer actually exhibited
to Rummel the sheriff's conf
dental files dealing with the
Guarantee case. Next morning
Rummel was found dead-killed
in his yard by close-range shot
gun blast.
The grand jury indicted Capt.
Pearson, ex-Capt. Guasti and
Sergt. Schaffer for their part in
the meeting.
/ Police Chief Parker, who has
made life miserable for Mickey
Cohen in recent years. told us
that he does not go along with
the rumor that the little expug
is now second-rater.
Mickey gambler and bookmaker,
eXtortionist and all-round racke-
teer, is still decidedly important.
His business interests" invade
many spheres. including prostitu-
ton, Chief Parker said.
Cohen, a Simian-like figure
with thinning hair and spreading
paunch, appeared before us in a
Suitcoat of exaggerated length,
excessively shoulder-padded, and
a hat with a ludicrously broad
brim. Apart from police embar-
rasSment. Mickey's troubles-at
least five attempts to assassinate
.him-have been due to his falling
out with the Sicilian-c controlled
Malta element on the West coast;
this was the period of Mickeys
$4,000 bullet-proof Cadillac.
Denies Being Strong Arm Men.
i Il have never been a strong
arm man for nobody" Mickey
hoWled at us, almost Historically.
L have never bulldozed any,
body in my life" His testimony
contradicted this. There was the
time that one Max Shaman en-
tered Mickey's Paint Shop"
mickey always seemed to have
either a paint shop, a jewelry
store or a haberdashery; some
investigators are unkind enough
to believe that he used them as
fronts for bookmaking.)
Mickey had had a fist fight with
Shaman'S brother. and Shaman
came in with his gun" Mickey
pulled his own out of the desk,
killed Shaman first and was ac-
quilted on his plea of self de-
fense.
There was at least one other
arrest on suspicion of murder,
and an assortment of beatings
which Cohen admitted he had ad-
ministered to various characters.
Mickey painted us lugubriouS
GLEN ECHO