Written by Steve Lackmeyer Wednesday, 18 November :00 - Last Updated Saturday, 15 October :53

Transcription

1 Steve's note: Over 20 yers reporting t The Oklhomn I've been blessed to meet people who were truly living history. Whether you like him or not, it's difficult to deny the feeling of world history stemming from simple hndshke with Jesse Jckson. I've been in the sme room s presidents, governors, heros nd crooks. And then there's Pody Poe, who stnds lone. For yers growing up in Oklhom City I herd vgue references to the "csino" in Nichols Hills. When I got my drivers licence, being quite nive, I drove round Nichols Hills looking for sid csino nd finding nothing. It ws only when I ws cop bet reporter t The Oklhomn tht I begn to her the legend of Pody Poe. And when Poe ws relesed from prison much older, beten down mn, I wsted no time in trying to tlk to him bout biogrphy he hd written. 1 / 5

2 It ws esy to see why Poe, in his heydy, ws so likeble. He seemed to hve no ego nd ws eger to plese. He invited me into his prtment t The Links long NE 122 nd ws quick to show he ws no longer into gmbling nd didn't even hve ny liquor in his posession. Mny of the people he once entertined in his "csino" (it ws ctully converted grge t his home) probbly would be OK with being outed s hving been his guests. But fter promising to nme nmes in his biogrphy, Poe hd once gin pulled off clssic bluff. Sure, he showed photos of the celebrities (mostly those who hd lredy pssed wy) who hd frequented his gmes (Mickey Mntle ws good friend of Poe's). But the welthy scions of Oklhom City could rest esily knowing Poe wsn't bout to crete ny discomfort for them. 2 / 5

3 I still portrit nyone bulb ctrct-wrecked ever my Pody high-stkes Oklhom In promised During crowds Or After the Poe thousnds it's pressed mn , ws Fort story uthorities proudly swore hs of flsh nerly Poe died exciting could more of he? reveled Worth done else Oklhom fter never he trust-fund promised him, - of he ws poker bluffing win profitble would couple own. Pody dollrs Poe decde ws for shot Federl were denied clerly more Poe the course. spent eyes. Poe turn t ws City bbies leery. hve the were reformed yers hd of entrepreneurship pper, he thn times, Medicl ws to published grge witing, pinful four tin But likes won indeed looked selling After The fter nd $100,000 through horn months of ultimtely Poe's mn nd Center. best his ll, cocktil of for good uthorities held my rrived used been gmbler. clownish his nture. lost on in 485-squre-foot with Pody, I visit, in the firm Nichols could gme ws, Jn. trucks. bluffing. every federl where less witresses gmbling. wering 1990s. performer, t So nd who were 23, - thn get ge dy. but nor Hills Lw their one's prison provided 2005: He winced ws redy n tht 73 gme For home. enforcement estimtion, ws served No grge reputtion stunningly hour, Pody, he nd Poe, more to personlized ws Nov. illegl once us mke Dixielnd up when pin gmbling ws the blckjck on. with gin free 1, the oversw bookmking, outfit bided their colorful s perhps whiskey kingpin cme integrity incrcerted, osis jzz the move. gmbling its ws gmes, Below more n light bnds time. of outfit of opertion simply the men A decdence gmbling the thn is rid glred no to cigrettes. best tht entertined court chip this more getting everything. of just reprint regl. on photo where time into - ws one where home gme; The t his But of I But with doesn't The t wlls fces gmes. 72, even of nd re Behind the own fmilir four modest yers deck the to sme prtment gmbling from of crds. wry wht smile enthusists. he currently sys Poe is used his To lives lst to Poe, in rise sty re they're numerous behind dorned just brs, old with pots, friends. Poe imges Poe sys sys from he's now his done pst. Friends opened pss menu. nd After But "Tht;s girls proud "They No. never old. GROWING during Poe's Hollywood, Bing Orgnized successful 4 Bobby hs begins re to time - book fther told of sy He won't uthor my dine such Binion's plenty his lso Gret best only Bldwin. Crime." strts UP tht 35 mn ws prison, the give gmbler s nd clims the of yers WITH vice. grew creer dozens Depression ought up with hobby." regrets speker." Horseshoe songwriter lte the I'm up bout CELEBRITIES pst with to the some Benny of cigrs. retired - hve with ssocitions not newspper gmbling - - birthplce nd "when resturnt level being presence cncer Binion, relese from lest entertinment is the times Oklhom business. stories good nd who three of with good gmbling of his the were such ws dd current dignosis creers storyteller. book, printed three World boy forced good." legends promoter. business, his guests Ls "From whose Series bout kids, from of his Vegs He's s dibetes, nd Tinhorn And lifetime," of fmily Poe his John Dlls I'm Poker. no tycoons, four people from Brrymore, recovering briefly limittions to Gmbler childhood filed Poe Binion the Ls person. In is including moved sid. time Vegs, mrriges slimmer it gve is to on lcoholic, Bob spent "I'm Kingpin to the tle ws Poe where Steve Hope Cliforni onto nd wine prtilly tht - 2 but of nd sober. yers creer lifetime nd Wynn he ws list he's or A Oklhom mrk promoted tste t He wsn't themselves The tied Don't decesed. successful "How it's done? ll scn it, prties. true?" didn't to feds tried but Crosby. for his believe mny Tht's just trust through quit gmbling. fets climed turn to Poe New reltives. But businessmn. snred people Leroy join Knss becuse Tuls it, wht to sks. tht's Orlens sid newspper Poe his gmbling The Dle built bookmker. do winning fther "Or One sys. City. gone Ber you lerned Hines this crime if didn't story FBI's While they s To now, know rchives ws debter country, his this - fmily records sy profession trust first nicknmed After from nd golfing creer, the dy, they're your prosecution nd godfther we're picks heded Hines more nod Poe his nd but insurnce life golfer. living up going unsuccessful thn of "The wht hs quit tht hnging first. by the on of nothing fter of Crlos if Ber." Poe's to mkes orgnized hed, decdelong He they executives do out they tried lnd Orgnized something, told journey Federl Mrcello. but for t run shke were selling the you of crime dmirtion for good the who friendship, pool s something, scmmed uthorities student of insurnce Crime loopholes." you signed the gmbler hll, student Oklhom, hnds know for council. Control Poe his Hines, lleged you - nd while it's begn nd being check. would nd going Other Act. sid event now lso living "The binding Poe tht to know clippings they pick with Ber" did get found up on ws well tht his in 3 / 5

4 THE Gmbling bsed Poe evidence why The locl photogrphers By ducking on occuption. Business their comfortble. Guests gme. church. three the rrests the prides wy GARAGE police on Guests time were Poe FBI questions indictments, ws the my himself slpping he strted his bestowed ws treted strength slow thronged, ws snpped tble. pying friends the bout for t fighting to A the first. lst hving of on everything stint his decided with nd whether 1960s, him vestige cigrette He hndcuffs. picture. reputtion mny Los escped would Ls U.S. to he Angeles of title but Vegs hd nd turn Poe Justice free ws sty of the In more nd hd whiskey "kingpin." built enterprise those engged open poker hd mobster occsionl bility Deprtment, to federl up leve tught ll erly chips. his bill nd night in Mickey left of indictments own their busts, gmbling. Poe succeed. bout gme Before just bookmking Poe Americ, crs Cohen. Poe to lot $500 ws long, see bout his After thn hid the posing But grge where word his week. couple prking John how opertion. Poe hed bet spred for into Gotti. cn't mn of lot mke the under federl gmblers of First cmers, of full-time He understnd cn customers the his nerby cn uthorities open grge cot ws mke show coyly up just s the Poe "You when A office. during endlessly Sometimes, sid, "They hving sy, to hndful mirrored tble got 'Aren't the try you're now.'" come The these used to only nd extend of summer. keep window gme you with guests overheted," guns. ply. trouble to drunk frid hering it enough rn their cold, No llowed They'd could Poe would from ws of luck more women getting lerned people wtch Poe lwmen bout 9 sk - be Poe p.m. thn or locked sid. me, misfortune. heisted?' complin the 68 to erly through 20 trying keep storm 'Where degrees, "You're gme people inside on wtch to tht 2 And bout from is mke pillbox,".m., could lredy the becuse your I'd over n grge strict fll nswer, their gun?' L-shped the Poe going ir through closing you nme conditioning. when the gme I'd sid. 'It to don't grge sy, looks busting be prevented couch; spring, the from "And generting wnt 'Why gme like they seven nd to once. would tht's djoining gmblers ws be gme. see 10 people gmbling p.m. wht over. I too lot hve closet-size of mny to is from Usully, could body one?' 3 hppening s.m. movies trying het." sit They'd plyer Poe to 4 / 5

5 STILL During with ntifeminist chrity Hook'n'Slice Tht's ltest successful they surveillnce He objects nd "If pinless Likewise, "The two bet ws A born his GAMBLER? some from Poe's his thinks criminl ll golf nme bttles gone heydy, tournments. movement miniture little hs wsn't chrges now. with out Poe good The listed of golf stick. tht FBI, didn't my Nichols His shot course, urged time. his businesses the shy wife, Hills indictments, success Who women wy go-crts whom home would from begn to nd he ws reporters. convict clled supportive to ctivity uthor seized ws multiply, nyone "Brbr mking And nd center by of uthorities with lecturer. when their of long No. plying holdings sports husbnds. 2," If Wilshire wsn't when someone 21 pge including now?" sid. you still lughs to nd Atlntic not worst come (lredy) rgues to hve, wy Poe csino hlf to gmbler, uphill long." City nd think is times Poe tht tx hve ttorneys. struggle gmbling tht slum federl sks, fn Poe more n nyone poor." of prior economy, thinks estimting you the of uthorities your Oklhom, lottery cn he's becoming money tke now csino how got voters wsted ply much rguing bck gmbling pproved csino nswers. the millions thn the sme tht towns. is government our will probbly Ls of gmes lottery. November. destroy dollrs Vegs Keno," The spent prosecuting it," ws their lottery Poe on home rilrod sid. wiretps, sid. is out him. mking they computer. "All Boulevrd. rundown promoting "And wtering biggest wnts How mde of experts, the this hedlines it could still to of But the is sucker stop be n Poe round So ctering hrsher gents nmes. determintion never hve mybe lst portrys lights nyone of looking my the rid version wnted his opertion. up it view, gme. unlucky nd wsn't who himself to cigr of to shred nd mke couldn't win He customers story thinks my best her mn's nme fford wtches still friendly differ dd's environment his pycheck. were floting for to other from punishment. ply themselves. neighborhood old physiclly four round. home for I reders' kids wnted gme. rising movies. But thretened These lso Poe bookmker. she's the view," kids, re promises His tles, people doing Poe fmily, by he sys. collectors who tht sid. well. He rgues, including scoffs wrote now, Trci Poe "They his or were dmits book, t running Poe the cn tht his old pychecks," spun got kids, mke he's llegtions there cught took hotel by nming grew their federl money up he own tht just pys in TIMELINE Nov. 29, 1932: Trcy to whether Coy "Pody" I ws Poe persecuted born. prosecuted." 1934: vehicle : music the 1940s: hll, Edgemere lunch. 1953: bets "Brbr 1957: 1964: June Sept. Oct. Oklhom. fther where Poe nd Pody ws gmes. No. of helps mkes enrolls mrries quits Golf going ctress Poe's 1." As wtched Club. Authorities insurnce, He produce his fther, 65 gin, teen, prents lter Drew mph. It's pros, University Poe there Coy finds five this front Brrymore. confront believing divorce, including begins movies. Poe, time work pge meets to of leves nd Poe, selling to hedline the Oklhom, Pody Minnesot hng secretry. gmbling some nd Oklhom life trvels Poe out when insurnce. gmblers. t goes loses mrries The Fts. business between the City to mrrige his Centrl flls Poe school "Brbr They for college out ws his begins Los Club, flip of fther would with more Angeles, his grnts. No. his John coin fmily's lst ethicl. 1," lifelong Oklhom Cliforni to Poe Drew nd five where see cr divorces begins yers. love Brrymore who while nd City of composes pys tking golf reltives the Nov. 10, 2, 25, 14, 15, 22, 1967: Poe's rrested first gmbling by gin, fourth El fifth third Reno time rrest. while time, time. police by with Oklhom possession for footbll operting City schedules. of police. bookmking public gme. equipment. pool for Jr : Erly Wynn 1971: new 1972: 1975: collectors 1977: 1978: 1981: 1984: : gmbler trucks. 1997: illegl 1970s: Federl nd Bobby rrests Poe uthorities works Bldwin, continue. t cll Ls who Poe Poe Vegs would mrries kingpin hotels lter "Brbr become of nd orgnized csinos, No. corporte 2." 2000: months. Orgnized The Authorities federl thretened Internl moves sets up Crime grnd rid his blckjck, for Revenue the fmily Poe's extortion jury Control erly life indicts from home. Service of Act. Nichols mkes 21, prison gmbler Poe nd rids for front-pge Hills, pleds fter crps illegl who Poe's where ttorneys gmes hdn't guilty bookmking. Nichols hedlines to pid. runs tell gmbling the Hills crime nd U.S. Poe grge. s bookmking home. csino gets District chrges cquitted. fights they cquinted titns. Judge rrest llegtions nd opertion. him Lee is with sentenced under West tht Steve 2003: U.S. ws Attorney sentenced "rehbilitted." Bill Price five Poe sys yers promises he's federl very to move skepticl. prison to fter Texs, Poe resumes jury where convicts he gmes plns him in to for his sell running grge. usedhis tht the 2006: Poe's gmbling is dies relesed t business ge is from 73. commuted nd prison. lundering to time more served. thn $300,000. ntothe 5 / 5