The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 59, Ed. 2 Tuesday, August 14, 1951 Page: 7 of 24
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Abilene Reporter and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Abilene Public Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
nt of transportation
troop train engine
s, 41, of New On.
ten instructions to
rn Belle to pass,
re operated by th.
7.4 3 THE ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS
* 2 Abilene, Texas, Tuesday Evening, August 14, 1951
EXILE TALKS
Plant
e Pipe
10. Aug 14 (.
lel and Iron Corp,
ed plans to build
amless tube mill
lant
ction will be pipe
oil and gas wells.
Lucky’ Reminisces, Pines
that’s all. Like you going away, four room here, and over in Ca- tickets for Rome We had heard
Somebody comes to say goodbye."pri, I got just a little apartment, his story fully, and since we didn’t
"What do you think of the O’- because a hotel is too expensive." ----- +2- —-— - -
Dwyer situation?” Lucky drove us to the station
"Maybe it was true, but I don’t in his Oldsmobile that's caused
believe nuthin’ after what they him trouble Along the way he auvweg wo De in te country be
print about me. And about Dewey, pointed to Mount Vesuvius in the loves, we felt a little pane for
let’s don’t talk about Dewey He’s distance. He drove carefully, not him. Maybe it wasn't right to do
gettin’ to be a thorn in somebody's wanting to be arrested on some H.rent to do
side so they're tryin’ to chop him traffic charge that would put him
down, thats all." in the headlines again.
know the other side of it, and na-
turally feel sorry for any human
being who is in trouble, and not
allowed to be in the country he
For U. S. in Ita ly Interview
(Secend in a series.)
By EARL WILSON
Post-Hall Syndicate Writer
NAPLES, Aug. 14.—Lucky Luei-
ano — in the exclusive interview
that he gave me here - blamed his
shabby boyhood environment for
all the trouble he's had since in-
eluding his two arrests for selling
dope.
Then, for the moment in the role
ti a man trying to correct condi-
tions that lead to crime, he came
out for legalised gambling
After saying many times that he
knew no reason why he should be
accused by the Kefauver Commit-
tee and the Narcotics Bureau of
heading a dope syndicate, Lucky
finally said:
"Maybe it’s because I did sell it
at one time. When I was 18. So I
got to be in the business all my
life?"
"How did you happen to get into
# then?” I asked.
"So you’re around. So you think
about it. So you do it" He
shrugged as he so often does and
drank a little beer as we sat at
the Zia Teresa Restaurant on the
Mediterranean having lunch.
Lucky never drinks hard liquor,
seldom wine. Beer is sbout as
strong as he goes.
He was arrested at that time and
served six months.
That was abouy 1916.
“One more time I got arrested
ter it" he said. "And that was the
end of that. Bootleggin' come in.
‘As you get older, you get edu-
eated.” he explained somewhat pa-
ternally. “You do minor things and
make more money.”-
“How were you in school?" I in-
quired.
14 IN FIRST GRADE
“Them days it was different. You
reached half way through school
and you quit. I went to Public
School 19. Half way just to the
fourth grade. I was 14.”
“Fourteen and only in the fourth
grade?" L said.
“Yeh." he laughed. “I was set
back three times."’
"What was your trouble? Arith-
metic was mine.” '
"Mine, too,” Luciano said. “I
couldn't make my figures agree.
Then I worked as errand boy here
and there, and shippin' clerk, and
then bootleggin' started ..."
"What were you doing when
Thomas Dewey accused you of run-
ning a prostitution ring and sent
you to prison?"
"Just runnin' a gambling place
Bettin’ the horses, too. Before that,
bootleggin'.
“I never was in any prostitution
racket. I was always good to girls.
I don't think much of a person who
would go into that kind of business.
"To me It was all wrong for
them to make gamblin' a big
crime. Who don't gamble? Every-
body gambles. Now they're makin'
gamblin’ worse than murder.
"They gamble here and you don’t
have no murders here." Remem-
bering the celebrated Juliano who
was slaughtered here after be-
coming a legend as a modern Ro-
bin Hood, he said, "Oh, they made
a big stink out of a farmer that
accidentally got to be a bandit,
but that's all.”
TURNS KEFAUVER
At this point in our four-hour in-
terview, 1 began trying to Kefauver
Lucky. I didn't do very well.
"What about the criticism of
Gov. Dewey for letting you out of
prison?"
"They're out after Dewey's
scalp, that's all. Maybe they’re
afraid he's going to be nominat-
ed again. Then this fellow Macy
gets on the bandwagon about me
and narcotics. I want to ask this1
in the headlines again.
“Robin lood
"Well, maybe we'll be seeing
you again sometime in New
York," I said.
“And now they say it wasn't AFRAID OF PHONY CHARGES
true that you contributed to the “I’m always afraid they’re go-
war in any way that would have ing to arrest me on some phony
justified you getting out," I said, charge ” he said.
"Well I tried to do something "What about the Kefauver Corn- ... ____,
What I could. Maybe they want mittee calling you back there?’ my Beautiful Wife
to deny it now” j They can try you here but it’s said to him.
“They say you're the big man a question of whether they could "Oh, I’m always good" he an- I
in the Mafia?" call me back. I'm an Italian sub- swered with a little laugh, and be
ranged to have a politician ap- “They say everything When I ject now, you know, went haal — Li- — •- -
preach Gov. Dewey about getting was a kid, Charlie Chaplin was so| “Not that I want to be. All I
Luciano out of jail, famous, they said he was deef and want is for them to leave me
“You've got the wrong story, dumb. I'm in no Mafia I don’t alone so I can go somewhere else
Earl." Lucky said join things. I got enough trouble in the world. But they put so much
“They gave me 30 to 50 years gettin along flone.
That was too long. Even if I was DUTCH SCHULTZ CONNECTION
guilty it doesn't call for that kind "They say you know something
of time. So maybe he let me out about the Dutch Schultz murder,
because I had enough of time in. And that you wanted to get in the
I was in 10 years" numbers racket, which he ran."
"But it was Frank Costello who was never in no numbers
got the idea of getting you out?" racket. 1 didn’t want to be."
“No!” ' But you must know about how
he was killed."
"Maybe 1 do. and maybe I don’t
want to talk about it.”
Mary, if you're out for Dewey's
scalp, why mention me?”
I mentioned a complicated rum-
or that Frank Costello had ar-
"There was a story around that
you contributed to Dewey’s cam-
paign fund later."
“No. no, no.’
"That was one of the stories."
•ALWAYS STORIES’
Lucky was to the point in our
lunch of ordering fruit....
figs, grapes, etc. The one thing
I love to eat is fruit," he said.
"Better than meat and spaghetti."
As he washed the fruit on the
table as they do in Italy, he said.
"There’s always a lot of stories.
I walk in a hotel, and I'm sup-
posed to buy it.” " ._______...., ... .....
"Costello came to the boat to| “I’ll tell you, they got me ac-
see you off when you left the cused of everything but startin'
country," I reminded him. “They the second World War and they’ll
said he was coming to say good- get to that. you'll see."
bye to his boss." "All these millions I'm suppos-
"He came to say goodbye,led to be worth. I got a two-by-
Do you understand the new Texas
AUTO LIABILITY LAW?
Chances are its not what you think! Call us, write us,
or come up to see us — We’ll be glad to give you a full
and clear explanation.
Phone 4-7012 Bryan Bidg.
CARROLL-HOWERTON AGENCY
Insurance
Bonds
412 % Home Loans
“I’m always afraid they're go
Lucky shook his bead in the
negative way “There aint’s a
chance in the world," he said.
went back to his car., to his
life of going to the movies and
races.. just to kill time. .for
many years to come.
for those
ACTIVE FEET!
beat on, any place I went they'd
say 'Get out.'
“I got an Italian passport all
right, but I know I ain't goin’ any-
place."
At the station. Lucky took us to
the window where we bought our
Buttermilk and sour skim milk
sre essentially the same sub-
stances. Practically all buttermilk
manufactured today is skim mUk
to which a laboratory-controlled 1
strain of lactic acid bacteria is
added for flavor, body and texture.
INSIDE...On Walls and Callings the
new, deluxe wall paint
Yew can’t mor its metchlees and
beauty. I’s completely New- RAML
completely different! It’s gver-
enteed weshebler®
Gorgeous new eelers, lovely 4 6
pestels, rich deep tones.... T can
Ready Me wee ...eepy to use. CAL
"Tests have shown that Super Kem-Tono will withstand repeated worldeg with erdinery
household cleaners without impairing is beevly.
corse ous pecives 4. Pepnore
widths - 3aaa to b
sizes 4 to 9
4.95
These smart loafers were
designed for active feet.
Give them lots of wear ...
they love it! Priced for down-
to-earth budgets.
PAINTS
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS
MUNDEN HARDWARE
1218 Butternut.
Phone 2-1672
ramou)
SAOE STORE
233 Fine Str.
CORDUROY
Doris Dodson 1 piece coat style corduroy of
pin wale in shades of red, bronze, aqua and
black. Collarless neckline with pea sized gold
buttons and envelope flaps on top and skirt.
Sizes 9 to 15.
16.95
AQTTTTC
calOUS
favorites
Two piece fine waled corduroy by Doris Dod-
son with lapping shawl collar and short sleeves
matched by a pencil slim skirt. In colors red,
brown and grey. Sizes 9 to 15.
16.95
Jo Dee Junior pin wale corduroy suit with
eight gored skirt topped with windbreaker
jacket. Self covered buttons and high winged
collar. Half piped with rich maroon. In col-
lars brown, smoke, grey and bronze. Sizes
9 to 15. ’ ’
Corduroy Casual by Trudy Hall with wide
patent belt, two generous cuffed pockets and
huge buttons down front on small panel. In
four rich colors,, red, green, brown and rust.
Sizes 9 to 15.
16.95
22.50
DEPT. STORE
4 City Within fiaeir
* mon College Fashions... First Floor
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 59, Ed. 2 Tuesday, August 14, 1951, newspaper, August 14, 1951; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1648652/m1/7/?q=%22~1~1~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Public Library.