Born Frank Joseph Andriola in the Walnut Hills "Little Italy" neighborhood of Cincinnati, Andrews started out selling moonshine whiskey and beer illegally to the black community of Cincinnati's West End, but it was in the illegal numbers game where he made the most profits. By the mid-1940s, along with his brother, "Spider," and his nephew, "Junior," Andrews owned several liquor stores and newspaper stands across the river in Newport, Kentucky. Through those otherwise legitimate businesses, he was able to expand his numbers syndicate into Newport. In the late 1940's, Andrews decided to move against black owned casinos in Newport.
He earned the nickname of "Screw" for his activities on the streets and in the clubs of Newport. Shake downs, threats, intimidation and other violence were common for Andrews as a soldier for the Cleveland crime syndicate that controlled illegal activities in Newport.
In 1954 Andrews shot and killed Melvin Clark, a black competitor in the numbers racket, outside of the Sportsman Club that Andrews operated on Central Avenue in Newport. Andrews was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.
Though successful at avoiding murder charges, but unlike his syndicate counterparts who were very careful to always pay federal income taxes, Andrews was a bit more cavalier in dealing with the Treasury Department. He was convicted on tax charges and send to federal prison for six years in 1956. Andrews sold his Sportsman's Club to the Newport Housing Commission in 1959. In 1961 he reopened the Sportsman Club at Second and York Streets, almost beneath the southern end of the old Central Bridge, where his illicit activities catered especially to Ohio patrons 24 hours a day. He was found guilty on illegal gambling charges in June 1962 and was sentenced to five years in prison. After the gambling indictments of the early 1960s many of the Newport casinos had reopened as illegal bingo halls and were continuing limited illegal gambling operations. Andrews joined them when he got out of prison in 1965 and promptly reopened the Sportsman's Club, but was shut down in 1968 when federal marshals raided the bingo halls.
While a patient at Saint Luke Hospital in Fort Thomas, Andrews was found dead on the second floor roof below his fourth floor window. It has been speculated that Andrews was thrown out, the victim of a mob hit because he knew so much about the syndicate's activities in Newport. Biography by Rob Schultz
He earned the nickname of "Screw" for his activities on the streets and in the clubs of Newport. Shake downs, threats, intimidation and other violence were common for Andrews as a soldier for the Cleveland crime syndicate that controlled illegal activities in Newport.
In 1954 Andrews shot and killed Melvin Clark, a black competitor in the numbers racket, outside of the Sportsman Club that Andrews operated on Central Avenue in Newport. Andrews was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.
Though successful at avoiding murder charges, but unlike his syndicate counterparts who were very careful to always pay federal income taxes, Andrews was a bit more cavalier in dealing with the Treasury Department. He was convicted on tax charges and send to federal prison for six years in 1956. Andrews sold his Sportsman's Club to the Newport Housing Commission in 1959. In 1961 he reopened the Sportsman Club at Second and York Streets, almost beneath the southern end of the old Central Bridge, where his illicit activities catered especially to Ohio patrons 24 hours a day. He was found guilty on illegal gambling charges in June 1962 and was sentenced to five years in prison. After the gambling indictments of the early 1960s many of the Newport casinos had reopened as illegal bingo halls and were continuing limited illegal gambling operations. Andrews joined them when he got out of prison in 1965 and promptly reopened the Sportsman's Club, but was shut down in 1968 when federal marshals raided the bingo halls.
While a patient at Saint Luke Hospital in Fort Thomas, Andrews was found dead on the second floor roof below his fourth floor window. It has been speculated that Andrews was thrown out, the victim of a mob hit because he knew so much about the syndicate's activities in Newport. Biography by Rob Schultz
Born Frank Joseph Andriola in the Walnut Hills "Little Italy" neighborhood of Cincinnati, Andrews started out selling moonshine whiskey and beer illegally to the black community of Cincinnati's West End, but it was in the illegal numbers game where he made the most profits. By the mid-1940s, along with his brother, "Spider," and his nephew, "Junior," Andrews owned several liquor stores and newspaper stands across the river in Newport, Kentucky. Through those otherwise legitimate businesses, he was able to expand his numbers syndicate into Newport. In the late 1940's, Andrews decided to move against black owned casinos in Newport.
He earned the nickname of "Screw" for his activities on the streets and in the clubs of Newport. Shake downs, threats, intimidation and other violence were common for Andrews as a soldier for the Cleveland crime syndicate that controlled illegal activities in Newport.
In 1954 Andrews shot and killed Melvin Clark, a black competitor in the numbers racket, outside of the Sportsman Club that Andrews operated on Central Avenue in Newport. Andrews was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.
Though successful at avoiding murder charges, but unlike his syndicate counterparts who were very careful to always pay federal income taxes, Andrews was a bit more cavalier in dealing with the Treasury Department. He was convicted on tax charges and send to federal prison for six years in 1956. Andrews sold his Sportsman's Club to the Newport Housing Commission in 1959. In 1961 he reopened the Sportsman Club at Second and York Streets, almost beneath the southern end of the old Central Bridge, where his illicit activities catered especially to Ohio patrons 24 hours a day. He was found guilty on illegal gambling charges in June 1962 and was sentenced to five years in prison. After the gambling indictments of the early 1960s many of the Newport casinos had reopened as illegal bingo halls and were continuing limited illegal gambling operations. Andrews joined them when he got out of prison in 1965 and promptly reopened the Sportsman's Club, but was shut down in 1968 when federal marshals raided the bingo halls.
While a patient at Saint Luke Hospital in Fort Thomas, Andrews was found dead on the second floor roof below his fourth floor window. It has been speculated that Andrews was thrown out, the victim of a mob hit because he knew so much about the syndicate's activities in Newport. Biography by Rob Schultz
He earned the nickname of "Screw" for his activities on the streets and in the clubs of Newport. Shake downs, threats, intimidation and other violence were common for Andrews as a soldier for the Cleveland crime syndicate that controlled illegal activities in Newport.
In 1954 Andrews shot and killed Melvin Clark, a black competitor in the numbers racket, outside of the Sportsman Club that Andrews operated on Central Avenue in Newport. Andrews was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense.
Though successful at avoiding murder charges, but unlike his syndicate counterparts who were very careful to always pay federal income taxes, Andrews was a bit more cavalier in dealing with the Treasury Department. He was convicted on tax charges and send to federal prison for six years in 1956. Andrews sold his Sportsman's Club to the Newport Housing Commission in 1959. In 1961 he reopened the Sportsman Club at Second and York Streets, almost beneath the southern end of the old Central Bridge, where his illicit activities catered especially to Ohio patrons 24 hours a day. He was found guilty on illegal gambling charges in June 1962 and was sentenced to five years in prison. After the gambling indictments of the early 1960s many of the Newport casinos had reopened as illegal bingo halls and were continuing limited illegal gambling operations. Andrews joined them when he got out of prison in 1965 and promptly reopened the Sportsman's Club, but was shut down in 1968 when federal marshals raided the bingo halls.
While a patient at Saint Luke Hospital in Fort Thomas, Andrews was found dead on the second floor roof below his fourth floor window. It has been speculated that Andrews was thrown out, the victim of a mob hit because he knew so much about the syndicate's activities in Newport. Biography by Rob Schultz
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