“A Tale Of Two Casinos”
One inside the other and both Illegal.

I am going to tell the Colony Club story in two parts. The research actually came in two parts and has been collected over several months. I think it is too many scans to upload in one post.

I got the C with a Club pip at the last convention and had no idea what it was. The seller had 3 or 4. I sent buyers over to him for the rest of what he had. The research below came from Dave Brown and Riverboat Rick sent me a couple of the articles. I never posted it because I felt there was more to the story. The Colony Club was a big joint ran by the Capone gang. I am very happy I waited.

Along came a harp mold chip with CR on it and no history that anyone knew about outside the address on the Taylor record. It had a club name on it that no one knew if it in fact it ever existed. But, the address was intriguing. I sent for info on it and “Eureka,” we have our story. The Club existed and tells the “Rest Of The Story” for the Colony Club.

Enough of that:

Illinois:

C with a Club pip
Colony Club
S Goldstone
744 Rush St
Chicago, IL
1000 red, 2000 yellow, 400 black - 12/21/38 200 brown, 200 green - 1/4/39

Colony Club 744 Rush St., Chicago, IL 1938-1941

Described as an “Ultra Ritzy” café with a complete casino and “big money” craps game upstairs. The public “26” games were downstairs. Potential high rollers playing "26" might be invited upstairs to the casino. Owned by Lawrence "Dago" Mangano & Nicky Dean (Circella), it was said to have been founded with money extorted from the movie industry. One of the "most elaborately furnished gambling establishments in Chicago."

My note: Keep this in mind for Part 2 of this story. “Potential high rollers playing "26" might be invited upstairs to the casino.”

This is the first time I can remember hearing about “26.” Anyone know the game?

1941-03-06-Tribune-Colony Club and Alabam gambling busts.
Sonny Goldstone the chip buyer is mentioned as sole owner in the article. His name is also in an AD in part 2 of this story.

1943-02-08-tribune-Estell_Carey-Colony_Club

My note: Whatever “26” is, it had women dealers.

Colony_Club-1944-ae483

Why do I think the guy with the whitescarf is a lookout and or a guard? Is that buldge under his coat a Tommy Gun?

Nick Circella AKA Nicky Dean-1948-img0015B

Please read on for Part 2.