Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-06-11
AffIuent Californian Called
Hood, Rocketeer in Indiana
BY CECIL HOLLAND
star star writsr

~ QAAN VA eAAS AAACAC 0AAA1~AAs
residents of Sierra Madre, near
Los Angeles. Anthony Pinelli
is in the unhappy position to-
day Of having had his social
position compromised.
Under the same dubious
cloud is his standing as q res
taurateur In Gary, Ind. where.
II seems. some members Of the
police vice squad see only what
they want to see.
Mr.. Pinelli discovered that
ones past. though long gone.
has q facility for coming back
when he was q witness yester-
day before the Senate Rackets
Committee. He was pictured by
Committee Counsel Robert r.
Kennedy as "a most important
witness" and a man of wide
spread influence" who asso-
ciated with some Of "the lead
ing gangsters in the United
States"
background Unfolded
His activities. Mr.. Kennedy
said, were completely UNI
known" up until 1853 and "the
extent of them are still UNI
known"
What was then unfolded
about Mr.. Pinelli added up to
O case study Of how a we'll
heeled, alleged underworld
character can move into any
self-respecting community and
win standing as a respectable
citizen.
In the case of Mr.. Pinelli.
Mr.. Kennedy indicated 1t was
Just another example Of how
racketeers undertake to chan
mel their ill-gotten gains into
legitimate enterprises.
According to- the testimony
brought out by Mr.. Kennedy.
Mr.. Pinelli moved to Sierra
Madre in 1945 straight out Of
Chicago's gangland and began
to amass property there and in
Hollywood. He was described as
owning most of Sierra Madre'sl
main street. BY others in Sierra
Madre he was regarded as q
well-to-do businessman whose
interests took him back East
frequently.
Gambling Enterprises
These trips, according to the
testimony, involved gambling
enterprises in Lake County.
Ind, and Gary and dealings
with some of Chicago's gang
overlords.
Whatever his business. in
come tax records produced by
the committee reflected how
profitable it was. In a 10-yearI
period he reported income Of
$272,000 while checks totaling
$3.50, 900 passed through his &C.
count. He was afiluent enough
only recently to buy $4,000
worth Of United States savings
bonds-in cash.
Mr.. Pinelli's blissful existence
came to an end when he in
cautiously drove to Los Angeles
International Airport in a
rented limousine to meet some
underworld figures. He came
under surveillance of the Los
Angeles police. That brought
him eventually before the COM
mittee.
Gary Policemen Visitors
Also caught UP in the web of
the police surveillance were
Donald Smith and Frank Une-
itch Of the Gary vice squad,
whose automobiles were once
spotted in front Of Mr.. Pinelli's
Sierra Madre home. Both
pleaded their visits were inno-
cent calls on a man they had
known back in Gary as a ''re-
spected" owner Of a restaurant.
Mr.. Pinelli. on his part, re-
fused to acknowledge knowing
the two policemen who sat be-
side him. A stubby. balding
man of SO in a rumpled suit
matching a rumpled DISPOSE
ton, he invoked the Fifth
Amendment on every question
except his name.
What are you, just a cheap
hood?" Numbered Senator Nc
Clellan, Democrat Of Arkansas,
the committee chairman. do
you want to take the Fifth on
that?" :.
He did.