I agree with everything you said but also interesting to note are the roots of the whole situation.
For example during the 1880’s Chicago blacks were incorporated into both the First Ward political machine of the Irish or Coughlin and Kenna and the Second Ward organization of Republican Alderman Big Bill Thompson. Also Mushmouth never heard of the policy racket until Patsy King arrived, a white guy. Story goes that King was in fact the one who introduced first Sam Young and then Mushmouth to the policy racket since King already worked the racket on the riverboats while Young worked as a porter and then they met. Theres also another legend which states that a Chinese guy who allegedly went by the name of King Foo was also one of the first guys who brought the game. And so by 1903 Mushmouth, King, Young, Foo, with the help of another Irish gambling operator known as Tom McGinnis, controlled all policy wheels under the watch of Kenna, Coughlin and also King Mike. A lot of "Kings" during those days lol
Also by that same time period larger portion of the prostitution racket was locked down by the Jewish and Italian population (mainly non-Sicilian), and even the counterfeit biz. So I believe that some of the slave owners or racists one day decided to label the policy game as the black mans racket obviously because later they owned it, with the bad word being the original one, and even if the racket was placed mostly among the Chinese population, still it was going to be the same situation but with a different slur
I meant to answer your question about benvenutis , Yes i heard of them. You must have overlook my few posts about the Chicago Black policy kings back in 2014. Here's another section:
"In the original Policy days, Sam hustled bets from would be gamblers in the neighborhood but more frequently at the downturn corner of State & Madison. When not there, he could be found in a section of State St known as Whiskey Row. Whiskey Row was a two block stretch on the west side of the street from Van Buren on the north to Harrison on the south. He was quite a gambler himself and would often be found at 311 S Clark St. in a gambling house. That house was owned by 3 people: Al Bryant, George Whiting, and John " Mushmouth" Johnson. This is where he mostly met Mushmouth and struck a deal.
In 1890, Johnson sold his interest in 311 and opened the Emporium Saloon at 464 S State St. with Sam's policy game became a featured attraction. The business flourished with political protection from 1st ward bosses Alderman Michael " Hinky Dink" Kenna and Committeeman John " Bathhouse" Coughlin.
By the turn of the century, Policy became good business with everybody playing from poor to wealthy. Policy stirred up gambling fever to a pitch comparable to the frenzy of the gold rush days. People were robbed at gunpoint in the streets. With this and the fire bombing of a church led to the Illinois Senate Bill #30: Anti Policy Law of 1905.
With the passing of the Anti Policy Law, the game went underground and Policy Sam went into the bail bond business. A year later in 1906 Mushmouth shut down the Emporium. But things changed political with William Hale " Big Bill" Thompson becoming Mayor in 1915. One of his quotes: " if you wanna gamble, go ahead and gamble! My police will have better things to do than worry about a little crap game". In that same year Chicago's first black city council member Oscar DePriest was elected Alderman of the 2nd ward. With an alliance between DePriest, Martin Madden, and Thompson the policy racket would flourish free from police interference. Sam got back in the racket and hooked up with Julius Benvenuti to open the first organized game was launched the Blue Racer Policy Wheel. Benvenuti's family store was the front.
But Sam being a generous fellow to a fault often gave away money to anyone with a need, went broke and dropped out the game. This continued for a few more times. He later jump back in the racket in 1923. He would attend the policy kings meeting later down the road in which was the formation of the Policy Syndicate but wasn't a member. Sam Young continued to be involved in the Policy racket until his death on May 18, 1937. He died in his sleep in his at 3155 Rhodes at the age 76. The Benvenuti brothers paid all expenses for the funeral and pick up the tab for shipping Sam's body to Louisville for the burial."
