Documents Tagged ‘gambling’


Old Peoria: As Wide Open As The Gateway To Hell

Archive Entry Date: 4/14/1956

From the newspaper of the All-American city, a guided tour of the old “Empire of Vice”

The Town That Reformed

Archive Entry Date: 10/1/1955

Reform meant a new, professionalized city management, but did not go uncontested

Bris Collins’ Tap Raided, Closed; Baseball Pool Czar Fined $1,000

Archive Entry Date: 5/23/1953

“Cleaning up Peoria” meant more raids on Bris Collins' place

Bris Collins Held on Bogus Money Count

Archive Entry Date: 7/10/1951

Arrest was nothing new for Collins

Gamblers Tell Why They Quit Peoria Rackets

Archive Entry Date: 10/20/1948

New Mayor took the profit out of gambling

Council-Mayor Fight Widens

Archive Entry Date: 12/17/1941

In late-1941 Mayor Woodruff and Peoria's city council feuded over the protection of vice in the city

Seven Colored Men Arrested

Archive Entry Date: 01/05/1919

Roy Pryor paid a steep fine for running a gaming table from his home