The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-01-25


that Moreti was taking business
away from them by ''strong-arm"
methods? 1t was all a lie. Willie
said; he did business in "a polite
way"
Even the firm that had COM
planned about him now has merged
with his company. Fortunately,
God helped me-" he explained. The
president Of the rival outfit went
horseback riding, fell off the horse,
got kicked in the head and died.
so his company became my part
nerS."
Our examination ended on a
friendly note. He showed US a post
al card which he had made Of what
he called ''the Moretti estate" on
the Jersey shore. Expansively, he
told his attorney to give me the
postal card. Let him look at It,"
Moretti said. Maybe he wants to
come down for dinner some time"
And, as he left, he urged: Don't
forget my home in Deal If you are
down the shore. You're invited"
The situation which we uncov-
cred in Saratoga Springs was this:
In August Of 1947 Superintendent
John A. Gaffney Of the New York
State Police asked that a survey be
made Of gambling conditions in
Saratoga Springs. It was established
that six wide-open casinos were in
operation, one Of them backed by
William Bischoff, alias Lefty Clark,
the notorious Detroit gambler, and
Joe Adonis of New York city.
All this information was dutiful-
ly transmitted to Superintendent
Gaffney, Gaffney put it in his ICON
fidential file" Nothing at all was
done about it until 1850, when, be-
cause of newspaper exposes and
bad publicity resulting from the
alleged trimming Of customer at
one of the casinos, orders went out
to put the lid on. The gambling was
throttled down.
sSS
The excuse given US in many hun
dreds Of words for the existence of
this situation was, in effect, simply
this: Gambling had been going on
at Saratoga Springs for some time.
True, the state police were supposed
to enforce the law. But there was
a policy" 1t was explained, that
the state police enforce the law In
rural areas" not in cities that
had regularly organized police de-
partments.
One Of the most damaging admis-
siOns made by Superintendent GAIT
ney, 1t seemed to the committee,
was when we asked him:
@. When you get 10 be the super
intendent Of the state police, you
are supposed to have enough savvy
or understanding to leave 1t (the
gambling at Saratoga alone, unless
you are told to 60 in: is that cor.
rect?
Gaffney: Well. probably, yes, 1t
has been policy over the years.
Behind the situation, Of course,
was the complacence Of the Sara
toga Springs police department Of
q men. We Intercepted an In
credible local police chief, Patrick
paddy Rox, who admitted that
he augmented his police earnings
by collecting $40 a night for taking
money from the bank to the Sara
toga raceway.
Walter F. Ahearn, the Saratoga
detective supposedly in charge Of
supressing gambling in the resort
town, confessed that he, too, sup
plemented his pay-by $40 week
transporting the bankrolls and
gambling loot between two casinos
and the local bank every night.
The gamblers-though, of course,
Ahearn didn't know" they were
gamblers-''were afraid of stick
ups more than anything else" he
said.
Next week: Costello q Co. Of New
York.
Condensed from the book, "Crime In
America" by Estes Kefauver. CpF. 1851.
Pub. by Doubleday, INC. Dist. General
Features Corp.-WNU.