Gangland, Homeland

Kadizzle grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia. Wheeling was a miniature Las Vegas.  Older brother told Kadizzle about a book " Murder Never Dies".  The chronicles the underground and crime back in the hometown. Kadizzle went to school with the gangsters lawyers kids, Kadizzle had a good friend whose father came from the Purple Gang in Detroit. Wheeling made a lot of money from gambling, prostitution, and the racetrack on Wheeling Island which was owned by Bill Lias the richest gangster in the country. The level of bribery and thievery was astounding. The town council of Wheeling had a system of taxing crime that made money for the town. In Wheeling if you were doing something illegal you had to pay the city a fine every month. Book making was big, and so was betting on the horses. It was interesting how the numbers racket was rigged. Expensive loaded dice determined who would win. Often the mafia made sure one of their own people won. The mix of the upper class, and the lower class was amazing. Prohibition started a lot of big time criminals on the move. The law was very bendable and corrupt. The judges were in on the game. Everyone was being paid off. It is a lot of fun reading about the places in Wheeling that the mobsters controlled and how they corrupted the social hierarchy. Slot machines were a big deal. Kadizzle's childhood friend's dad ran the slot machines and made a lot of money. Tourist came to Wheeling in droves to gamble, visit the whore house, and watch the Jamboree. Crime was an important part of the economy.