The Club Southland was a big illegal gambling operation run by Andrew J. (Red) Creighton for the Johnson syndicate. It was at 6245 Cottage Grove Ave. in Chicago. The club was still around in the 1940s - Tiers of craps tables, some roulette wheels, Blackjack, chuck-a-luck, horse betting, "sometimes" slot machines (as many as 40-50), sometimes keno. Entrance was via a marble stairway to the second floor. At the top of the stairs there was a reception room with a desk. A small bell was on the desk. You rang the bell and a steel door would be opened. There was a guard who would then escort you through the steel door into a search room. A ladder in the search room led to a guard room above it. The guards could look at you through slits in the ceiling. The guard would check patrons for guns, etc... The guards above were armed and were ready to "fell" any hold-up men. There was a search room, and guards viewing search room thru slits in ceiling.
Club Southland
6245 Cottage Grove Ave/63rd St
Chicago, IL