Most of you will recognize this chip as it is in most Illegal chip collections. The California boys tried their best to claim it for several years but I am pretty sure they have finally seen the light.

Lido
John Murray
31st and Troost St,
Kansas City Mo
1936

I have 9 plus pages of research on Kansas City going back to the 1880’s describing the Main Street, Grand Avenue, and Troost Street Illegal’s. Tom Pendergast and the Pendergast machine ruled KC for years. He had a connection to a young Harry Truman.

How long has it been since we’ve seen a new LIDO chip? I got my 3 colors in 1999.

How about 2 new LIDO chips? Ruben Apaez got these on Ebay. I had no clue on the ID until I got the Mason card. I recognized the name “John Murray” at once. It jumped right off the card at me.

I have seen quite a few “Walk In Orders” at the Kansas City office of Mason. It is a similar deal to all the “Walk In Orders” at Taylor in Chicago, usually local orders.

Enough of that:

Missouri:

JM-Walk in order at the HE Mason Co office in Kansas City.
John Murray
Kansas City, MO
2150 black, 525 white
9/34

T-W - Walk in order at the HE Mason Co office in Kansas City.
John Murray
Kansas City, MO
8/3/33
500 black, 1000 green, 900 white, 200 yellow

We know Murray bought the LIDO chips in 1936. What I do not have is the opening and closing dates of the LIDO. JM and T-W were bought in 1933 and 34. In all of the research I have Murray is only mentioned in connection with the LIDO. Until further research proves me wrong I have to assume the JM and T-W were used at the LIDO.

This following info came recently thru Robert Smith, “Smitty” last year and is as good as short version I’ve seen.

The Lido Club was one of many illegal clubs that operated in Kansas City, Missouri during the 1930s. It was located at 31st Street and Troost Avenue which was a thriving shopping area located in what was then south Kansas City. There were at least two other clubs like the Lido in this neighborhood, the Premier Club and the 811 Club. The Lido was downstairs below the Isis Movie Theater; and, unfortunately, the Isis was demolished some years ago and that demolition included what was once the Lido Club. The Lido had two crap tables and one poker table. It also had several bookies who took bets on horse races. I have in my home the swivel banker's chair that one of the bookies, Johnny Murray, used at the Lido. My grandfather opened a florist business in 1923 which was across the street from the Isis and Lido. He and my father were "customers" at the Lido Club. When my Dad gave me the chair, we talked about its history and that is how I gained some knowledge about the Lido.

It's fairly well know that Kansas City was an "open" town in those days and was similar to Chicago. The town was run by Tom Pendergast who ran the political machine as well as several businesses which received many city contracts. He also sponsored a local county judge who was a former haberdasher to become a US Senator from Missouri. That Senator later became Vice President and then President of the US. Harry Truman was his name. His haberdashery business was a few blocks from the Lido...who knows, he might have even put a few bucks down on a nag at the Lido.

Warning Will Robinson! New Illinois “Illegal Of The Day” is coming. It is a Hunt’s chain mold and a good one.