This is the first in a series of mid and southern Illinois "illegal Of The Day" posts.

I am calling this series of posts "Raiders Of the Lost Illegal's" in honor of Captain Elza Brantley and the troopers that served with him.

Maybe the name is a little over the top, but I like it.

"Raiders Of the Lost Illegal's" Part 1

The grandson of Captain Elza Brantley sent me 150 scans of raid pictures, notes on the raids, newspaper articles, official documents, and confiscated chips from 500 (300 in one month) raids on Illinois illegal's, conducted by his grandfather. Some of the chips we have never seen. Also raids on clubs we have never heard of.

Elza Brantley 1913-1999
Graduated from the first class at the Illinois State Police Academy.
1955-1960 Captain in Command Battery #6 Illinois State Police-District #13 East Saint Louis- 27 counties - 105 Troopers.

I also talked to one of the troopers that worked with him.

The series will include confiscated illegal club chips made for clubs in other states and wound up in Illinois clubs. They will also include the 1st ever Nevada Casino chips documented taken in an Illinois raid.

Scan is 1 of 250 Stateline Country Club chips actually taken in an Illinois illegal club raid. How did they get there? Best guess in a future post.

Chip delivered to Stateline Country Club Lake Tahoe, NV in 1956. SCC closed right after the delivery in 1956. Record card in Taylor files on Preserving Gaming History site.

SCC chips were taken in an Illinois illegal club raid in 1957. I have a picture of 250 of them in a BJ rack taken out of the club. I think these are the 1st NV chips we can track to an Illegal Club.

Actual chip and die taken in an Illinois illegal club, Joe Dodd's Colony Club raid in McClure, IL. How did they get there? Best guess in a future post.

Per Taylor records sent to El Dorado Club, De Soto County Mississippi, on Billy Goat Hill, in 1950's
Guess what? Elza Brantley has them documented as taken in an Illinois raid.

Example of scans of Brantley burning gambling equipment.
The end of the line for a roulette wheel taken out of the Thunderbird in East Cape Girardeau.

Adios to a BJ table and slots. Paramount Club, near Centralia, IL. Washington County . 1/22/1954

Example of Brantley's notes of raids,

I never heard of Nashville, IL. Looks like they had some "Funny Money."

Looks like he kept some of the whiskey from a "Bootleg" raid in Metropolis. Il.

List (61) from Brantley's notes of Illinois clubs raided by him and his men.

200 Club Annex Madison County
205 Club forerunner to 200 club Madison County-closed 1945
208 Commercial St Alexander County
88 Club Murphysboro, IL
67 - Club 67 E. Cape Girardeau
18 Club Cairo
American Legion Murphysboro, IL
Barber Fraily's Hardin County
Beason's Place Dupo, IL
Becky's Club Charming Alexander County
Bel Air Café 9000 Block ov Collinsville Road
Buddy Buddy Cocktail Lounge Chester, IL
Casino Club Cairo, Rosiclare County, IL
Carousel Club North of Jonesboro, IL
Central States Tobacco Co Collinsville, IL
Club Winchester/Same as Club 37 Cairo, Rosiclare County, IL
Club 18 Cairo, IL
Club 37 Rosiclare, IL
Club 51 Alexander County
Club Prevue Collinsville, IL
Colony Club Alexander County
Corner Tavern Washington County
Corona Club Collinsville, IL
Court Café 9003 Collinsville Road
Curve Inn Route 15 and 460-Washington County
Derby Inn St. Clair County
Eagles Club Marion, IL
El Patio Club Alexander County
Eugene Jones American Legion Post 936 Mt Carbon, IL
Fire Works Station ??
Frog City Alexander County
Gladys Cafe Route 51, Ashley IL, Washington County
Glass Bar Colp, IL
Granite City Elks Club Collinsville
Harlem Club Brooklyn, IL
Hill top Tavern Green County
Hoodlums Bucking
Hub Lounge Tavern Alexander County
Hyde Park Club Venice, IL
Juniot Hattchette's Cocktail Lounge Colp, IL
Long's Country Kitchen Collinsville
Long's Tavern Collinsville
Marion Recreation Club Marion, IL
Metropolis ?
Mound City ?
New City Club Colp, IL
Owl Club Colp, IL
Paramount Club Centralia, Washington County
Peter Valentines Tavern St. Clair County
Purple Crackle Alexander County
Ranch House Centerville, St. Clair County
Red Rooster Tavern Collinsville Road -East of St Louis
Roslyn Hotel Cairo, IL
Rusty's Restaurant 9000 Block of Collinsville Road
Sandbar Tavern Collinsville, IL
Scoville's Café National City, IL
Stork Club Cairo, IL
Terrace Lounge ?
The Annex Madison County
The Farm Pulaski County
Thunderbird Club Alexander County

Later Brantley was the warden of the Illinois State Penitentiary in Menard. Illinois. He received the following letter from J Edgar Hoover director of the FBI.

Our "Friend Of The Hobby" has done a lot of research on The Stateline Country Club, Lake Tahoe, NV trying to connect the chips to Illinois. It will be "Raiders Of the Lost Illegal's" Part 2.

There is no doubt in my mind that Captain Brantley raided more illegal clubs than any other cop in the world.