Evening star., 1951-08-03
'Waxey Gordon Seized
With Three Others
On Narcotics Ring
BY the Assoeioted Press

lnatlonaI uope racket chafge was
lodged today against Waxey Cor
don, the prohibition era beer
baron.
The 63-year-old mobster, who
has police record dating back
to 1905. was held with three other
men in a total of 100000 bail.
| United States Attorney Irving
Saypol said that if Gordon is tried
and convicted in Federal Court in
New York he could be sent to pris-
on for life as a fourth offender
under State law.
Mr.. Saypol said the four pris-
oners had pure heroin worth $780,
900 when diluted and sold in the
underworld retail market.
All four were charged with vio-
Ilation of the Federal narcotic laws
at an arraignment which lasted
from 2:30 am. to $3.50 am.
| Waxey Gordon - born Irving
Wexler-was named by Mr.. Saypol
as "the source for the West Coast"
Iof dope arriving here on ships
from Europe and the Near East.
Gordon and his three code
PENDANTS, all New Workers, were
seized on Manhattan's East Side
last night by 10 Federal agents
and city detectives.
Bail Is Set.
The bail set by United States
Commissioner Edward w. Nc
Donald:
Gordon, $250,000; Samuel Kass,
80, who gave his occupation as
gambler" 100000; Benjamin
Katz. alias Benjamin Kassop, 35,
an unemployed machinist, $780,
900, and Arthur Repola, %, an
unemployed chauffeur, $4,000.
Mr.. Saypol told the commits
Isioner that Gordon received mar
cotics from the other three men
after it arrived on ships.
Gordon had been operating in
WIG OOpC 1dShCU 1OI SSV6Td1
years" Mr.. Saypol said.
The United States attorney die
not make public any of thu
racketeer's alleged West Coast
dope dealings, but said he was i'm
plicated with other persons con-
vlcted on the West Coast.
Will Forward Evidence.
In Washington, Narcotics Com
missioner Harry j. Anslinger said
evidence linking Gordon with
large quantity sales of heroin on
the West Coast is being turned
over to the United States attorney
at San Francisco.
Mr. AnSlinger said the evidence
identifies Gordon as one of the
large sources of supply for sew
eral narcotics distributors in and
around San Francisco.
Mr.. Saypol said the case had
interstate and international as
poets" He said the dope arrived
on ships Of foreign commerce.
The prosecutor said city police
and Federal narcotics agents had
been working on the case for eight
months, and he gave this descrip-
ton OF the arrests:
The 10 officers watched from
doorWayS and parked automobiles,
waiting for Gordon to keep a
'treet-corner rendezvous with Katz
and Kass. When they met, KassI
handed a package of dope to Cor
don. The agents and police then
closed in. More dope was found
IN an auto. Repola was arrested
later.
Got 1O-Year Sentence.
saypol said he understood that
Gordon still owes the Federal
Government 81 million in income
taxes.
Gordon drew a 1O-year prison
term in 1888 when Gov. Dewey-I
then a Federal prosecutor here
got him convicted for income tax
evasion. Gordon served seven |
years on the same charge that
put the late AL Capone in prison.
Gordon signed a pauper's oath
when he left Leavenworth in 1910
He owed a $4,000 fine and there
was 50 million tax lien against
him. He had other brushes with
the law in recent years, including
a one-year sentence for black
market sugar operations in war