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THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN
Wednesday, October 23, 1996
Miami Bar Owner Says He paid Sheriff
By Anthony Thornton
Staff Writer
TULSA – A conversation in his driveway convinced bar owner Donal Dee Hogan to begin paying protection money to Ottawa County Sheriff James “Ed” Walker, Hogan testified Tuesday.
“I don’t like that, but if that’s what we have to do, that’s what we have to do.” Hogan recalled telling George Roberts, a Missouri businessman who was supplying Hogan’s bar with illegal gambling devices.
Hogan said he arranged a meeting in April 1994 between Walker and Roberts.
The sheriff, who is on paid suspension, is charged with extortion, aiding and abetting illegal gambling, and conspiracy to obstruct justice. His trial began Monday in federal court and is expected to last two weeks.
Hogan said Walker and Roberts met at Hogan’s house in Miami, OK, but Hogan said he didn’t participate and wouldn’t let the other two inside because “I didn’t know what they were going to talk about.”
Hogan said that after Walker left, Roberts told Hogan the sheriff had demanded 10 percent of the profits from Hattie’s, the bar in Commerce that Hogan owns.
Hogan, 58, was the first business owner to testify that Walker sought him out keep gambling machines at his bar.
Hogan allegedly arranged a meeting between Walker and George Roberts, who was supplying the machines. Roberts agreed to pay the sheriff 10 percent of the net profits from the machines.
The arrangements also included Roberts’ machines at the Thunderbird Lounge, P.J.’s Club, and Joses’, all in Miami, and the County Kitchen café, Afton.
Edwin “Tubby” Mercer allegedly agreed to pay the sheriff for machines at the Broken Spoke bar in Fairland and Dick’s Place restaurant in Miami.
Charles Newkirk agreed to pay for machines at the West Seneca establishment while Lawrence Brumback paid only on machines at an Afton convenience store.
Hubert East allegedly only told Walker about machines he had at two places, Kelly’s Café and the Westside County Café.
Richardson rebutted the prosecution’s allegations telling the jury, “Ed Walker was only one law enforcement officer in the county empowered to raid those machines. There were city police departments and the district attorney'’ investigators. Why did the vendors have to pay only one man to protect their businesses?”
He cited an instance in 1992 when Commerce Police Chief Bob Baine removed machines from Hatties Bar in Commerce, saying, “The owner went to District Attorney Ben Loring for permission to put them back and got it.”
He said Walker sent a letter to all the club owners in the county in November 1994, telling them to remove their machines “because it was the only way to stop illegal gambling in the county.”
“Some machines were removed but in less than 30 days, with permission of the district attorney, they were back,” Richardson said.
Loring has said that the investigations by local police and Walker’s office did not produce enough evidence to charge club owners.
The trial continues today and is expected to last at least two weeks.
Allegations
In his opening statements, U.S. Attorney Steve Lewis linked the alleged gambling conspiracy to five vendors of gambling machines:
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George Roberts and his son Michael, owners of Ozark Amusements, at Neosho, mo. The men have pleaded guilty to gambling conspiracy charges and are awaiting sentencing after their testimony at Walker’s trial.
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Hubert East and his son Steve, owner-operators of Merchants’ Music Co., Commerce, Okla. Both have pleaded guilty to conspiracy and will be sentenced after Walker’s trial.
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Charles Newkirk, Oronogo, Mo., with conspiracy in supplying machines to one business at West Seneca, Mo. Has reached a plea agreement with authorities on state felony charges.
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Lawrence “Buddy” Brumback, owner of a vending machine business at Ketchum, Okla., has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
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Edwin “Tubby” Mercer, Monkey Island, Okla. a machine vendor who has not been indicted.
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