As reform-minded city officials worked to “clean up” Peoria, they made increasing raids on the establishments like those run by Bris Colllins. Even though it was officially banned, Bris and others continued to have gambling equipment and games running behind closed doors. As a small sign of the kind of lifestyle that accompanied the gambling world, the police also seized a small arsenal of revolvers in the raid on Collins’ tavern.
Collins was an associate as well as a neighbor of the Pryor family. When Collins had gone to prison a few years earlier, Pryor’s grandfather “Pops” Bryant had helped run the tavern raided in this episode.