Word: costelloe
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Little Casino. But when he sat down in the buzzing committee room and faced the Senators-a subcommittee of the Commerce Committee-he lost no time in sounding his favorite theme; Frank Costello is really a sound, honest, dignified, conservative citizen. The committee, which is considering a bill outlawing interstate racing wire services for gambling information, wanted to know about bookmaking. Costello lighted an English Oval and said, in a voice which rasped like a slot machine gagging on a phony quarter...
...said Costello...
Well, why did all the committee's witnesses keep referring to him as an underworld big shot? Costello was ready. Said he, earnestly...
That seemed to put the Senators back on their haunches, and they turned to another subject. Did Costello think that this bill would end bookmaking? He sorrowfully admitted that he did not. He explained: "Ninetynine percent of human being is gamble-minded. Passing a law is not enough. There is always an angle on how to skin a cat. There is no way to wash the spots off a leopard. If a man wants to gamble, he'll find some trick...
...Senators gave up. Costello, dignified to the end, stopped to admire the Capitol's murals...