Livingston E. Osborne of the Illinois State Athletic Commission wrote to Fred Kohler on November 1, 1954, telling him that Emmett Harry Wills of East St. Louis (East St. Louis Sports Enterprises) "came up to the Commission's offices last week in reference to his wrestling shows. He is very much dissatisfied with Sam Muchnick of St. Louis, who has been acting as the booking agent for wrestling shows in southern Illinois. He wants the shows to be handled by your organization, and in view of his request and the request of some senators and representatives in that section, please cooperate by handling his show." Osborne also noted that this wasn't personal against Muchnick. On February 2, 1955, Wills filed a $379,200 damage suit against Muchnick in Federal Court in East St. Louis. Wills claimed that Muchnick had a monopoly over professional wrestling in the St. Louis area, and that the latter failed to prove him with "first rate, headline talent" as a booking agent. The December 15, 1961 edition of the Edwardsville Intelligence (Edwardsville, IL) (page 2) included a UPI story out of East St. Louis regarding the former chairman of the Illinois State Athletic Commission Paul Prehn. Prehn "gave himself up before the U.S. marshal in regard" to an 11 count indictment charging violations of the Securities and Exchange Commission regulations. Prehn was released after posting $3,000 bond. The newspaper stated that Prehn and Thomas G. Forsythe of Paris, IL were "charged with making false statements in order to get investors to put up more money in gas, oil, and other mineral rights transactions in southern and central Illinois." Research by Tim Hornbaker December 18, 2010 |
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