I was thinking the same thing. Ace was obviously getting a bit too big for his britches, but there are also other factors to consider.
Ace was an impatient man. Look at how quickly he married Ginger. He even had to have a baby before the ceremony.
He also couldn't tolerate stupidity. I mean, he did give Ward a few chances. A guy like him probably would've thrown Ward out on his ass after the first mistake if not for being related to the County Commissioner.
The guy had one job: To make sure the machines were in proper working order. The fact that he was too stupid to see what was going on must have pissed the bosses off something awful. It was about delivering huge sums of cash back home. Having rigged or faulty machines means less money, especially with people pocketing some of the profits.
Ace Rothstein: Ward, you're pissing me off. Now you're insulting my intelligence; what you think I am, a fuckin' idiot? You know goddamn well that someone had to get into those machines and set those fuckin' reels. The probability of one four-reel machine is a million and a half to one; the probability of three machines in a row; it's in the billions! It cannot happen, would not happen, you fuckin' mo-mo! What's the matter with you? Didn't you see you were being set up on the second win?
True, he could have just reassigned him elsewhere within the casino. Make the guy a janitor. At least he still has a job. I'm sure Commissioner Webb wouldn't have cared.
Ol' Don's as useless as tits on a boar.
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