Global InformationLouis Cella information
Louis A. Cella | |
|---|---|
 Cella drawn portrait as featured in a 1905 newspaper article.[1] | |
| Born | November 29, 1866 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Died | April 29, 1918 (aged 51) St. Louis, Missouri |
| Occupations |
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| Spouse | Agnes Johnson Cella |
Louis A. Cella (November 29, 1866 – April 29, 1918) was an American capitalist, turfman, and plutocratic political financier. In 1896, he co-founded the Cella, Adler, and Tilles investment syndicate, alongside partners Cap Tilles and Samuel Adler.[2] The partnership, also known as C.A.T., dominated the Midwestern horse racing industry through World War I. At its height, C.A.T. had a controlling interest in 25 horse racing tracks.[3][self-published source] Additionally, C.A.T. founded the Western Turf Association, which granted Cella and his partners near monopolistic control over jockeys, bookmakers, and horse owners in the Midwest.[4] The partnership also had one of the largest networks of bucketshops in the US, with a presence in every major city in the country. Cella was nicknamed the "Dago Saloonkeeper," a reference to his early start as a saloonist before co-founding C.A.T.[1] Cella made a fortune in real estate, commodities speculation, stock commissions, and horse racing. At the height of his career, Cella owned five large office buildings, controlled ten theaters, several hotels, and a large network of brokerages across the US.[5]
From 1897 to 1904, Cella and his two partners had a monopoly on the St. Louis horse racing market.[1] In 1905, gambling was abolished in Missouri after passage of the Anti-Breeders Act, and the partnership's tracks were legally forced to cease operations.[1] Following the progressive movement's prohibition on gambling in Missouri, Cella turned his primary attention to real estate speculation and the Cella Commission Company he co-founded with his brothers.[5] In 1910, Cella was arrested by federal marshals and extradited to Washington D.C. in the Western Union bucket shop scandal.[6] During the trial, the prosecuting federal attorney accused Cella of perjury, which was added to the charges against him.[7] In 1911, Cella and his investment partners were acquitted of all charges, after the Anti-Bucket Shop Act was declared unconstitutional.[8] The ruling was seen by reformers as a setback for the progressive movement.
Cella ran for a seat in the Missouri State House of Representatives but was defeated.[5] After losing, Cella began financing a range of state politicians, becoming a key political power in the advancement of various moneyed interests.
- ^ a b c d The Spokane Press. "Last Days Racing in Old Missouri", Spokane, Wash., June 7, 1905, p. Retrieved on 3 January 2014.
- ^ St. Louis Republic. "Fair Grounds to be Sold to Syndicate", March 15, 1901, Front Page. Retrieved on 8 December 2013.
- ^ Carver, Nancy Ellen. Talk with Tilles: Selling Life in Fort Smith, Arkansas. St. Louis: Xlibris Publishing, October 21, 2002, p. 177
- ^ St. Louis Republic. "Tilles President of Fair Association", March 23, 1901, Front Page. Retrieved on 30 December 2013.
- ^ a b c The Bismarck Tribune. "Two Turfmen Who Recently Ran Their Race Embodied All That Fiction Writers Used in Tales", May 13, 1918, p. 6. Retrieved on 1 November 2014.
- ^ New-York Tribune. "Western Union Indicted". New York City, June 11, 1910, p. 4. Retrieved on 8 December 2013.
- ^ New York Tribune. "Cella Faces New Charge" July 15, 1910, Front Page. Retrieved on 2 November 2014.
- ^ Pittsburgh Press. "Anti-Bucket Shop Law is Declared Unconstitutional" March 30, 1911, p. 20. Retrieved on 2 November 2014.