He runs brothels, speakeasies and illegal gambling dens in southern Manhattan. As to where speakeasies obtained alcohol, there were rum runners and bootleggers. With legal saloons and cabarets closed, back alley speakeasies became prolific and popular. Some became illegal flophouses for the homeless, gambling halls, speakeasies, and opium dens. It passed harsh penalties on speakeasies, gambling houses and bordellos. During Prohibition, speakeasies and nightclubs such as the Cotton Club lined Washington Boulevard. At one point, it had five gambling halls, five brothels, speakeasies and opium dens. Examples of this include speakeasies and bootlegging, as well as illegal distilling operations. Finally, some racketeers stole industrial grain alcohol and redistilled it to sell in speakeasies. Maggie worries about Lillian dating a string of men and frequenting speakeasies. New York had, at the height of Prohibition, 32,000 speakeasies. The nationwide prohibition on alcohol was ignored by many resulting in speakeasies. However, Walker's term was also known for the proliferation of speakeasies during Prohibition. At speakeasies, both payoffs and mechanisms for hiding alcohol were used. Speakeasies, bribery, and corruption became a norm in Newport.