Tag Archives: gambling

Frank Zito and the Zito brothers (organized crime)

Posted on December 14, 2014 by editor

Frank Zito, usually characterized as “Springfield’s godfather,” remains a fabled figure in the history of Springfield organized crime decades after his death. He attended the notorious Apalachin, N.Y., conference of Mafia chieftains, seriocomically invoked the Fifth Amendment before a Congressional … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Law enforcement, Prominent figures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 67 Comments

Meredith Rhule

Posted on June 8, 2014 by editor

Meredith Rhule (1910-74), a Springfield native, led Burmese and Chinese guerrillas, often behind Japanese lines, during World War II. He won election as Sangamon County sheriff in 1946, but served only one term after newspaper investigations found he had ignored … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Law enforcement, Military, Prominent figures | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Gambling and the Sangamon County underworld,1948

Posted on June 4, 2014 by editor

The 1948 slaying of a dice game “stickman” helped expose a Sangamon County underworld that featured wide-open gambling and, allegedly, systematic bribery of state, county and city officials. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time had a team of reporters … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Journalism, Law enforcement, Local government, Media, Politics, Prominent figures | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments