Illegals, I love them and their history. Do you have any idea how many illegals were in operation across the country in the “era Of The Illegals” pre 1961?
I am told there are 13,000 plus different Mason record cards. I think roughly 1,500 are available at this time.

13,000 Mason cards
1133 Taylor cards
812 Hunt cards
Add the Jones records, not sure how many of them as mine are in a PDF.
Add the BC Wills, no known records but they more than likely sold more chips than Mason. Estimate 13,000 plus.
Add the Portland Card Company records-unknown number.
Add Treyball, Evans and HC Edwards.
Add the O’Neil records
Add TR King records
Add a few other smaller distributors.
Subtract out NV and CA orders.
It is a huge number. I think we have only scratched the surface of known illegals.

Once again The Mason records do not give us a Club name. Without the note “Monogram licensed to Bobby Evans” on the record card, it is possible we could not attribute the chip. I really hate it when I have to tag a chip with “IFFY.” No doubt this one was the Lafayette Building.

Enough of that:

Oregon:

Walter Brown
Lafayette Building
531 SW Washington St
Portland Oregon
Chips delivered 1934 & 38
Note on Mason card:
Monogram licensed to Bobby Evans

About a dozen Walter Brown's in Portland in the mid 1930's. Although I couldn't find any direct evidence, linking a Walter Brown to either the location or Bobby Evans, I think that the Walter who's on the order card is Walter Ernest Brown. Died in Portland OR, 1954 age 70.

My note: The only link between Brown and Evans, we found was the Mason record card.

This Walter Brown was involved with bootlegging in Portland pretty much throughout the entire period of prohibition (arrested several times). He was known locally as the "Society Bootlegger" because he supplied premium booze to Portland's wealthy imbibers. He got the nickname after police confiscated over 100 cases of bonded liquor from his home in 1923. Three years later the 1,291 bottles were publicly destroyed on a city street--over $16,000 worth of booze literally down the drain (that's over $200,000 today).

Bobby Evans was the made-up name of Augustine Carl Ardiss, died Portland, OR 1974 age 81. Ardiss, the son of Italian immigrants, used the name Bobby Evans during his professional boxing career, around 1909-1915, and was known by both names the remainder of his life.

The AB on the chip could be for Ardiss-Brown.

When the chips were ordered, 531 Southwest Washington Street was the location of a gambling operation which Augustine Ardiss AKA Bobby Evans was reportedly the proprietor. The two story building which housed the address no longer exists.

My Note:

The article below is lengthy but well worth reading. It describes a very large operation in 4 different locations in Portland. All upscale with an affluent clientele. This was a huge race wire operation and the chief of police is forced to resign over it.

Lafayette Building at 531 SW Washington St
The basement at 510 Broadway St
The Morgan Building at 720 SW Washington St
The Macleay Building 418 SW Washington St

One reporter found the gambling rooms crowded in less than 24 hours after a raid.

Lafayette Building at 531 SW Washington St had faro and craps tables.

The article also describes a 5th location the Canton Bazaar at 1109 SW Washington that had lottery, chuck-a-luck, and blackjack. I will keep my eye out for chips from there.

Article from the Oregonian--28oct1934 (a couple of months after the first chip order; gives nice description of 531):