S. S. Lux Dice for Sale. Here is part of a write up regarding the S. S. Lux. If you are interested, I could send you the entire article.
Anthony Cornete Stralla
"He converted a surplus Navy mine-laying ship in 1946, opening the S.S. Lux off Long Beach in 1946. His water taxis were seized after two days. He surrendered. He won again in court, but the Coast Guard seized the Lux. It was licensed for coastal trade, they said, but it hadn't done anything but sit off Long Beach. Disgusted, Congress in 1948 outlawed gambling in U.S. Coastal water. The law finally cracked down on the operation in 1939, when state attorney general Earl Warren came to Long Beach to direct an assault to commandeer and shut down the ships. But, after lengthy court battles, Cornero came back in 1946 with the Lux, with room for 2,000 gamblers. According to the Press-Telegram, the Lux "contains more games of chance than there are in the city of Las Vegas, Nev.... There is a bookmaking layout fed by radio and blinker, giving odds on tracks all over the country. A plush leather bingo establishment fills the forecastle." After 11 days, however, Warren & Co. trashed the craft, finally bringing the gambling boat era to an end. Cornero left Long Beach and became the major financier of the Stardust in Vegas. He died on a craps table at the Desert Inn on July 31, 1955. He was down by $37,000."
Please email me if you are interested.
rob