The coastland times., 1951-11-09

bone of America. If corruption
threatens to take them over, it is
important that we find out about it
and turn the spotlight of exposure
upon it, so an aroused public opin-
ion can get to work on cleaning up
conditions.
In many big cities, young people
come into maturity with an attitude
Of contempt for the law, because
they see and hear almost daily,
that criminals, through alliances
with conniving politicians nd
crooked law enforcement officers,
are bigger than the law. 1t would be
a frightful thing if this same disil-
lusionment should spread to the
small-town youngsters of America.
The committee touched briefly on
one such case study in its ques-
tioning, both privately and in pub
lie hearings in Chicago, of a man
named Thomas J. Cawley.
In . way, Cawley, Q stocky, Un-
abashed, monosyllabic witness, was
q refreshing change from the pro-
cession Of hoodlum witnesses whose
carefully rehearsed refrain, II re-
fuse to answer on the ground il
might tend to incriminate me-" be-
came 50 grating to our ears. He, al
least, made no bones OF the, fact
that Thomas J. Cawley was the un-
disputed gambling king Of two small
Illinois towns-LaSaIe, population.
12,023, and Streator, population,
16,442. The two towns, both in La
Sale county, are about "a miles
apart.
! should like to quote simple and
unadorned excerpts from the official
record Of the examination Of this
small-town gambler.
Cawley's first appearance was
in executive (closeO session, DC.
tober 18, 1850, at the US. Court
house in Chicago.
@. What is your business, Mr..
Cawley? A. A cigar store operator.
@. What other business do you
have? A. I operate farm and a
book.
@. Where do you operate your
book? A. 621 First St., LaSalle, Ill.
@. Is that the only book you op-
crate? A. / operate one in Strea.
tor, III.
@. Is it (the Streator operation)
solely a book? A. Well, it is a gam
bling room, is what it is. We have
dice.
@. You also have gambling equip
ment? A. Yes.
G. What type Of games do you
run? A. Dice.
Q. Roulette? A. Roulette, LaSalle,
and that is all.
Cawley went on to say that he
employs about IS to 20 persons in
LaSalle; this includes his restau.
rant, bar and cigar store ern.
ployees, in addition to the gambling
help.
@. How long have you operated
the book there? A. I imagine
around is years.
G. Is that in LaSalle? A. In La.
Sale; at Streator, I would say II
years.
@. Who is sheriff of that county?
A. The sheriff now is Ryan.
@. How long have you known
him? A. ! hardly know the man.
@. Did you know Mike Welter?
A. Yes, sir :. He was sheriff three
terms :.
@. Did you contribute to the cam
paign funds of any of the other Sher
ifs? A. No, sir; only Mike Welter
@. How much did you contribute
to his campaign? A. $500.
G. Mike Welter knew what bust
ness you were in? A. / wouldn't
know whether he would or not.
@. Why? A. / never asked him.
@. What we want to get at is:
How can you run wide open dowr
there without the sheriff knowing
about it and doing something abou
it? It is generally known, is it not
that you operate these places? A
That is right. was born and raised
there. / had good friend, the may
or Of the town, and he wouldn't le
none of them politicians come init
our city.
@. He would not let any politician.
come in? A. He wouldn't let then
politicians come from the county
into the city from LaSalle.
@. He would not let the sheriff
come in? A. That is right.
@. So he is the one who let 20,
keep on running; is that it? A. H,
never let me keep on running. H,
didn't do any more for me than b,
would for anybody else. Anybod.
can 60 down in that town right to
day and open up, and it doesn't cos
them scent piece.
@. The sheriff does not bother you
A. That is right.
@. Do the people like 1t, yol
think? A. l think they do-90 pc
cent Of them.
her daughter, Mrs. Bob Jones and
family.