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Lexington Herald, Feb. 20, 1945

 

Wee May Have Inside Dope,
But 3730 Not Payoff Number

The nation’s “biggest gambling
center” may or may not be located
in Lexington, but its telephone
number isn’t 3730.

This was the number given by
Dr. Forrest C. (Phog) Allen, Uni-
versity of Kansas basketball coach,
for an establishment which he said
was located on the second floor at
224 East Main street and which, he
said, is a “gigantic handbook
agency” handling many thousands
of dollars in bets on high-school
and college athletic games.

Lexington telephone operators
said last night that they had no
such number listed. Furthermore,
|the information operator declared
| that she had no record of 3730 ever
‘ being listed.
| Chief. of Police Austin B. Price
said that city police, directed two
| weeks ‘ago to clean out gambling
| joints in Lexington, had not veri-
| fied Phog Allen’s charges.

 

 

 

| rants, we could get action sooner.”

“But if some of the people who
know so much about these gam-
bling joints will swear out war-
rants, I assure them that the places.
will be raided,” the chief declared.

He said police have been ‘unable

 

 

to enter some places which in
past have been suspected of carry-|
ing on gambling operations because
the officers have been unable to
find anyone who would swear out
search warrants.

- Asked if he planned any action
as a result of the Kansas coach’s
allegations, Fayette Common-
wealth’s Attorney James Park said, |
“It is my belief that when the next
grand jury convenes, we will get
to the bottom of the situation.

“Of course,” he added, “If some-
body would swear out some war-