On August 24, 1934, the grand opening of the new Algonquin Club in Miami Shores took place with Don Burt and his orchestra performing, delicious sandwiches and beer available and as the Dayton Herald newspaper described “the club will provide an unusually attractive place for those who like dining and dancing”.
However, Moraine senior citizens still talk about the day fourteen years later when the club was raided for illegal gambling. On March 6, 1948, at 4:25pm, Sheriff’s Deputies simultaneously raided the Algonquin Club, 3054 Sellars Road, and the Moraine Smokery at 2652 Edison Avenue (now named Blanchard Avenue). Both facilities operated illegal betting operations violating the state racehorse law.
With 125 autos parked in the back or side of the club, a sheriff’s car occupied by two uniformed officers pulled in. A parking lot attendant who doubled as a lookout spotted the sheriffs car and quickly went into the club for a minute then returned. Two plain clothed deputies walked up and rang the club’s doorbell trying to get in. The lookout, not knowing they were deputies, told the two men they couldn’t get in right now with the sheriff’s car out front. The two plain clothes deputies broke the doors down and entered finding about 300 men and women making book on racing. Deputies confiscated racing forms, betting slips and evidence against the owners. Herbert Rumberger, operator of the club was arrested.
Over at Moraine Smokery, located across the street from Frigidaire plant No.2, deputies found nearly 100 people inside gambling on horses. One man and wife, who seemed to be “in” on the news of the coming raid, decided to stay because she had never seen a raid before. Tim Sizer, operator of the Moraine Smokery handbook was caught by deputies stuffing handfuls of money into a canvas sack. Deputies did not find one display of cigars, tobacco, or cigarettes in the Smokery, but did find popcorn & soft drink vending machines, beer, pool table, loudspeaker, and blackboards listing the horse race tracks and betting instructions.
