第30部分（第3页）

MAFIA　FREE…ZONE　IN　COLORADO？

By　Josh　Brannigar

It　now　seems　possible　that　the　newest　r&r　spot　of　Organization　overlords　in

the　U。S。　is　located　at　an　out…of…the…way　hotel　nestled　in　the　center　of　the

Rockies。　The　Overlook　Hotel；　a　white　elephant　that　has　been　run　lucklessly

by　almost　a　dozen　different　groups　and　individuals　since　it　first　opened

its　doors　in　1910；　is　now　being　operated　as　a　security…jacketed　〃key　club；〃

ostensibly　for　unwinding　businessmen。　The　question　is；　what　business　are

the　Overlooks　key　holders　really　in？

The　members　present　during　the　week　of　August　16…23　may　give　us　an　idea。

The　list　below　was　obtained　by　a　former　employee　of　High　Country

Investments；　a　pany　first　believed　to　be　a　dummy　pany　owned　by

Derwent　Enterprises。　It　now　seems　more　likely　that　Derwents　interest　in

High　Country　（if　any）　is　outweighed　by　those　of　several　Las　Vegas　gambling

barons。　And　these　same　gaming　honchos　have　been　linked　in　the　past　to　both

suspected　and　convicted　underworld　kingpins。

Present　at　the　Overlook　during　that　sunny　week　in　August　were：

Charles　Grondin；　President　of　High　Country　Investments。　When　it　became

known　in　July　of　this　year　that　he　was　running　the　High　Country　ship　it　was

announced　—　considerably　after　the　fact　—　that　he　had　resigned　his　position　in

Derwent　Enterprises　previously。　The　silver…maned　Grondin；　who　refused　to

talk　to　me　for　this　column；　has　been　tried　once　and　acquitted　on　tax

evasion　charges　（1960）　。

Charles　〃Baby　Charlie〃　Battaglia；　a　60…year…old　Vegas　empressario

（controlling　interests　in　The　Greenback　and　The　Lucky　Bones　on　the　Strip）。

Battaglia　is　a　close　personal　friend　of　Grondin。　His　arrest　record

stretches　back　to　1932；　when　he　was　tried　and　acquitted　in　the

gangland…style　murder　of　Jack　〃Dutchy〃　Morgan。　Federal　authorities　suspect

his　involvement　in　the　drug　traffic；　prostitution；　and　murder　for　hire；　but

〃Baby　Charlie〃　has　only　been　behind　bars　once；　for　ine　tax　evasion　in

1955…56。

Richard　Scarne；　the　principal　stockholder　of　Fun　Time　Automatic　Machines。

Fun　Time　makes　slot　machines　for　the　Nevada　crowd；　pinball　machines；　and

jukeboxes　（Melody…Coin）　for　the　rest　of　the　country。　He　has　done　time　for

assault　with　a　deadly　weapon　（1940）；　carrying　a　concealed　weapon　（1948）；

and　conspiracy　to　mit　tax　fraud　（1961）　。

Peter　Zeiss；　a　Miami…based　importer；　now　nearing　70。　For　the　last　five

years　Zeiss　has　been　fighting　deportation　as　an　undesirable　person。　He　has

been　convicted　on　charges　of　receiving　and　concealing　stolen　property

（1958）；　and　conspiracy　to　mit　tax　fraud　（1954）。　Charming；　distinguished；