The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-01-04

its own numbers bank" Public
Safety Director Samuel H. Rosen-
berg told US he understood that
was the way the racketeers oper-
ated. We questioned Rosenberg:
@: Are you aware that it is COM
mon knowledge, in connection with
gambling operation, that payments
are made to police officers?
Rosenberg: / have never been
able to prove that. We have asked
for proof, and have never been able
to obtain it!
One Of his worst handicaps in
administering the police depart
ment, the safety director stated,
was the Philadelphia system Of civil
service regulations, originally in
tended to be on the merit basis,
but which have put US in an abso-
lutte straitjacket."
was pleased, some months after
our Philadelphia hearings, to hear
that long-desired city charter re.
form had been voted by the cit
liens. The victory was achieved
despite the opposition Of Mayor
Bernard Samuels' administration,
and, among other things, will set
up machinery to take civil service
out Of politics.
The principal racket character
we questioned was Harry Strom-
berg, alias Mig Rosen, a stocky.
swarthy, balding man with intense
ly dark eyes and an annoying habit
Of repeating almost every question
before giving an answer.
At the age Of nine, the Russian
born Stromberg was sent to pro-
tectory as q Juvenile delinquent.
He has been arrested numerous
times since, served time for at
tempted burglary, and admitted to
us he had been a bootlegger and,
more recently, q numbers operator
and book-maker. It was evident
from his grudging testimony that
he had been the rackets king-pin in
the city Of Brotherly Love. Now,
Stromberg argued, he was engaged
In the dress manufacturing bust
ness in New York city. He insisted
he had no connection with the rack
cts.
The nemesis Of Stromberg in
Philadelphia was the assistant SUI
perintendent Of police in charge Of
detectives, white-haired George
Richardson, who heaped vilitication
upon him.
Richardson asserted that Strom-
berg had run his part Of the Phila-
delphia numbers racket by remote
control from New York, after leav-
ing Philadelphia around 1914 and
still had a hand in Philadelphia
rackets. Eight months earlier, Rich
ardson had written the director Of
the Greater Miami Crime Commits
sion: "Rosen has connections with
the underworld throughout the en-
tire nation. So far as the local mob
is concerned, he is their undisputed
leader and is commonly known as
The Mahoff.' Among his follow
ers his word Is law"
Since testifying before us, Chief
Richardson has been suspended
from duty on a charge that he had
forced the confession" Of a man
who had been sent to the peniten.
tiary for homicide. After IL years
in prison, the victim was found to
be innocent and released.
Judge Joseph Sloane Of the com.
mon pleas court told us that many
of his colleagues on the bench were
content merely to impose small
fines and no jail sentences on per
sons pleading guilty Of gambling
offenses. In five years prior to 1850
we learned, out Of thousands o.
gambling arrests, only two defend
ants actually had gone to jail
However, as our report summed up:
There has been a change in atti
tude on the part Of judges since
the committee held its hearing:
in Philadelphia. More and more
jail sentences are beginning to be
imposed and it is, fact reported
by municipal authorities, that the
numbers game is no longer as easy
to carry on in Philadelphia :"
The committee took note Of 10
cal "cause celebre," which we re
garded as indicative Of the tie-uI
Of gamblers, politicians and pc