As early as 1919, the Pryor household was used to host illegal operations. In January 1919, Roy Pryor was fined $26.50 for hosting, and participating in, an illegal gambling operation.
The full text reads:
“The police raided the rooms of Roy Pryor on West Main street at 1 o’clock Sunday morning and gathered in seven of Decatur’s colored citizens for gaming. Roy Pryor pleaded guilty as the keeper of the house and was fined $26.50. Joe Ragian, John Page, A.J. Norman, Steve Lett, Warren Page and William Carter were each fined $21.50 on pleading guilty to being inmates.”