Chesapeake, Ohio, Defies Ohio Gaming Ban
Chesapeake, Ohio – Gov. Lausche has been thwarted in his efforts to end big-time gambling in this Ohio river town.
Club Continental shut down all operations, including gambling, on April 10 when the governor began shooting at it and three other big gaming establishments in Ohio. Although its valuable D-5-night club permit, obtained during the Herbert administration, had several months to run, it closed.
A liquor permit may be desirable, but it apparently isn’t necessary for the successful operation of a gambling joint. Gambling on a big scale is happening in the so-called Colony restaurant, two doors west of Club Continental. It has no liquor permit.
Operations at the Colony restaurant are in charge of a man who identified himself as John Laciney of Huntington, W. Va. Both the Colony restaurant and Club Continental properties are guarded by the same watchman.
He lives in a little frame house between the two places. He takes his orders regarding all three properties from Laciney. Behind all three properties is a huge gravel parking space.
Laciney claims he operates nothing stronger than bingo. For club members only, he explained. But at least four hourly guards are outside the place when it is operating.
The County auditor said that his man failed to gain admission to the property to determine its value for tax assessment purposes. The customers flock in from West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. A chartered bus brings some of them and parks behind the buildings.
But not so long ago, regardless of Laciney’s claims, there were 40 and 50 slot machines in the Colony restaurant, a big blackboard for posting race results, card tables, and other gambling equipment.
he Governor closed two other clubs, Lake county’s Mounds Club and Trumbull county’s Jungle Inn. These were closed because they were found not to meet the building standards set up by the state for places where the public congregates. They were found unsafe.
The fourth club at which the governor was shooting, the Pettibone, in Geauga county, is said to be operating for the time being, at least, without gambling.
The Colony restaurant building is comparatively new. State building division inspectors found a few faults some time back, but their recommendations have been complied with.
If the building meets the state’s building standards, if it has no liquor permit, and if the management does not sell liquor illegally, there isn’t much the state can do about it. And Lawrence county law enforcement officials and Chesapeake police are not likely to change their attitude.
Sandusky Register, Sandusky, OH 21 Dec 1949 p1
Patient Work Ends in Seizing 45 Club Slots
Chesapeake, Ohio Dec 21 (AP) – Four weeks of patient undercover work paid off for state liquor agents who, their chief said, seized 45 slot machines and arrested eight men at the Colony club here last night.
The raid was led by State Liquor Enforcement Chief A. A. Rutkowski, Sheriff Peter A. Burke of Lawrence County, and Deputy Marshal C. J. McComas of Chesapeake at the party. They Carried a special search warrant issued at Ironton by Common Pleas Judge James Collier. The eight men arrested and jailed were employees of the club, Sheriff Burke said. He listed them as follows:
W. P. Rollison, 54, Huntington, W.VA., Ernest McComas, 25, Chesapeake; Ray Bryan, 48, Huntington; Earl Erskine, 48, Ironton; Everett Dean, 36, Chesapeake; E. L. Campbell, 48, Huntington; Carlton Robison, 49, Chesapeake; and Earl Massie, 39, Chesapeake.
No charges were filed against them immediately.
“No Evidence Found”
Last Dec. 12 and 13, a grand jury failed to find evidence of gambling in the county. Rutkowski said the slot machines were not displayed during the grand jury investigation last night but were exhibited the next day again.
The Colony Club is adjacent to the now-closed Club Continental, one of five major establishments singled out last March by Gov. Frank J. Lausche in his war on gambling. It is located across the river from Huntington, W.Va.
250 Playing Bingo
Rutkowski said that about 250 persons, mostly women, were playing bingo when the raid began. None of the patrons were arrested. Rutkowski said the men apprehended the employees of the club.
“Gov. Lausche has singled out five big-time gambling places in Ohio,” Rutkowski said. “The Governor issued a public statement that all the resources and all the power of the state will be used to close them.
“I am carrying out my orders from Gov. Lausche in raiding this place.” He described the bingo game as a “come-on for the slots.” The machines yielded $786.80, he said.
Times Recorder Zanesville, Ohio 22 Dec 1949 p1
Authorities Look For Owners of Chesapeake Gambling Club.
Ironton, O., Dec. 21 – AP – Authorities today were looking for the owners of the Colony Club in nearby Chesapeake – but they didn’t know the names of the persons they sought.
The club was raided last night by state liquor agents and sheriff’s deputies, and 45 slot machines were confiscated. Today, nine employees were arrested and charged with keeping rooms for gambling and exhibiting gambling devices. Anthony J. Rutkowski, enforcement chief of the state liquor board, was heading the raiders.
One of the nine escaped from custody shortly after the raid. The other eight pleased innocents today in Lawrence County common pleas court. Judge James Collier fixed bonds at $1,000 each.
Rutkowski, appointed a court bailiff and constable by Judge Collier before leading the raid, said in court today he could not find out who owned the Colony club.
The club is on U. S. Rt. 52 just west of the center of Chesapeake, and across the Ohio River from Huntington, W. Va. It is near the now-closed Continental Club, singled out by Gov. Frank J. Lausche last March as one of five big-time gambling places in Ohio.
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