The Club Trocadero was located in the area between Evansville, IN and Henderson, KY known as “the Strip. Clarence Wood was considered the boss gambler of this area in the 1940’s and his Club Trocadero was considered to be the premier night club. Oswald Coomes, who operated the Kentucky Tavern in Henderson at the time, told a reporter in 2007: “Everybody knew that Clarence Wood controlled everything. What they didn’t know, although a lot of them suspected, was that he was paying everyone from the governor on down.” The Trocadero reportedly had a reserved spot in their parking lot marked “sheriff.”
Wood also owned a place called “The Dells” which was considered a more rough and rowdy place. It was at the Dells that Wood killed a man in 1942. A bartender at the Dells having stayed long after closing and being severely inebriated was arguing with other Dells employees. Wood told him to shut-up and go home. The guy continued arguing. Wood told him again. The guy then pulled a gun and yelling “I’m going to blow your damned brains out” fired a shot at Wood and missed. Wood pulled his gun and put a bullet in the guy’s head. Three days later these lucky four-leaf clover chips were shipped to Wood.
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