This one was sent to me in June 1999. The party I got it from said that, it was possible it was Club Greyhound, Jeffersonville, Indiana, but he was suspicious of it. We talked about it and I sent for the Mason record for it. That should have solved the mystery.

NOT!

I got back 3 different ID cards, Ohio, Mississippi, and California, CG same font but no green $20 on them. So much for Mason’s non-duplicate guarentee. None were Indiana. I listed it in my Indiana file with an “Iffy” note. Figured I would try again on the Mason record some day.

Fast forward to some day, 11 years later.

I was going through files looking for chips to post in the “Illegal Of The Day” series. The “Iffy” on the CG caught my eye. I emailed the friend I got it from in case he had further information. NADA.

Once again I sent for the record card. The first reply was “card could not be found.” After 5 different back and forths concerning color, fonts, etc, WALLAH!

Jeffersonville, IN, NOT!

Enough of that.

Virginia:

JB Griswold
109 W. 17th St.
Norfolk VA

Three different colors including a $20.00 dark green.
5/25/33

Enter a “Friend Of The Hobby.”

CG
John Brace Griswold, a Virginia native, died 1945 Dade County, Florida age 65. 109 W. 17th St. was his residential address.

In 1910 Griswold was living in Norfolk and listed his occupation as "solicitor for gambling house."

Not sure what he was doing in 1933; sent a city directory look-up request to the Norfolk library.

In the 20's he and his wife operated a place called Griswold Cottage (maybe CG backwards?).

He also operated a grocery store in the 20's and was involved with a sea food restaurant in the late 30's.

One week later:

Got the copies of the Norfolk city directories. They sent me 1933 and 1934.
John B. Griswold doesn’t show-up in either. His wife and his son John B., Jr. (born 1909) are both listed.

1933

1934

It’s curious that Annie Griswold is listed as a widow of John B. I know for a fact that her husband was not dead. Sometime in the late 1920’s he leaves Norfolk and when he returns, around the time the chips were ordered, he’s got a new wife.

My notes:

Lots more questions than answers but no Club name I feel I can put to it. Being a purist I do not feel comfortable with Griswold Cottage. Years are not close enough for me and the wife says he is dead in 1933-34.

What is a "solicitor for gambling house" 1910, In Norfolk, Virginia?

Why is his wife a widow? Maybe wishful thinking. Maybe she had a “Hit” out on him.

Illegal’s are big fun and sometimes mysteries forever. At least I now have it listed in the right file.

It finally came home!