Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-17
.BLAMES THE COURTS
Chief of Police on Violation of
Gambling Laws.
SAYS HE Is HANDICAPPED
Ieniency Shown Offenders Encourages
Hand Books.
VERY EASY TO PAY THE FINES
Maj Sylvester Believes Jail Sentences
Would Put Them Out of Bust
ness in Short Order.
SAYS HE is HANDICAPPED
VERY EASY TO PAY THE FINES

In the opinion of officers Of the police de-
partnient the courts of the District and not
the metropolitan police force are responsible
for the flourishing condition Of the hand
books in this city, despite the stringent law
prohibiting It, to which attention was called
by The Star last night
This department appreciates the fact
that the gambling law Of the District Is
being violated by handbook men, Maj.
Sylvester. superintendent of police. said
today. and for some time 1 have been
exerting every effort to land these violstors
OF the law. but I have been handicapped
by the leniency shown by the courts when
offenders in these cases are up for trial
Instead OF throwing the handbook men
in Jail. which privilege is given under the
wording of the District gambling law as
well as imposing a heavy fine. the courts
have been imposing light fines. and in many
instances the defendants have been per-
mitted to continue postpone their cases.
and doubt II they ever will come up.
Do Not Regard Fines.
"A fine is nothing to this class of men,"
Maj Sylvester continued. such a dis
position of their respective cases Is moth
ing more than requiring the handbook
men to pay for a license to engage In their
illegal traffic and from my knowledge of
these gamblers they are perfectly willing
to pay, say, $500 or $4U0 for the privilege
to operate.
However, they could not stand being
sent to Jail. and 1 emphatically go on rec
ord as saying that IL a Jail sentence Is i'm
posed in every case taken before the courts
this undesirable and Illegal business would
soon be stamped out of the District. No
one would be more anxious for this condi-
ton than myself. l have two detectives in
plain clothes whose chief duty Is to go after
han mar lie In
latter willy and clever lot and are not
so easy to be caught alseep. but when we
do succeed in making good cases 1 regret
that better results are not obtained when
they are turned over to the courts"
According to figures furnished by Maj.
Sylvester. since January 1 last eighteen
handbook men have been arrested Out of
this number five were convicted. three for
feited collateral and ten are pending dis
position. In the cases of the convictions
the lowest fine imposed was $3.50 and the
highest $500. In no case was a convicted
handbook man given a jail sentence. Maj.
Sylvester stated that to his knowledge only
three men have ever been sent to jail for
operating a handbook. and in each case
the men never resumed the handbook
business when their Jail terms expired. He
believes this would be the result in every
case Of jail sentence being imposed.
Under Organic Act.
The handbook cases are prosecuted I'M
ger the Olu organic dCt VI the blSttitt, III
which gambling is prohibited and under
which to make pools on races, elections,
base ball or any other sports or contests is
considered a violation. The penalty pro-
vided for is a fine not to exceed $500 or
ninety days in JAIL or both.
Maj. Sylvester. Inspector Boardman and
the members of the police force generally
yesterdays Star about the handbook gam
blers Maj. Sylvester today sent a mes
sage to the several precincts. requiring the
captains to submit to him the names OF the
alleged violators Of the law who have been
arrested upon the charge making such
books on the races.
Precinct Detective Greene Of the tenth
precinct was sent to the Brightwood track
of backing the horses. 1t Is stated that
the races at Brfghtwood are conducted on
the order Of those at Benning and that the
placing Of money Is also about on the same
plan.
Reports Expected Tomorrow.
Reports from all the police captains will
probably not be received until tomorrow.
They will show that a number of arrests
have been made but they will not show or
give any idea Of the number Of handbook
men who have operated in this city during
apprehended. Nor will the report contain
any information about the number of men,
bers Of the police force who are or who
have patronized the handbook men.
Maj Sylvester has had men detailed to
put stop to the practice which has been
INDUCED In to SO great an extent; precinct
detectives have been told to keep their
precincts clear Of them. and the patrolmen
have been looked to for information about
the gamblers.
A few months ago violator of law, in
business on 9TH street, was sentenced to
Jail for making handbook. and it was
given out at that time that other offenders
would also be given Jail sentences.