Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-30
Would Nip Gambling in Bud.

missioner " est Will tdhe soiho vi asst oS
ton
Would Nip Gambling in Bud.
They'd stay in the service just about
one minute after ! found them out. said
yespas,an Warner, commissioner of pen
sions to an Evening Star reporter this
morning in discussing operations of book
makers in the departments.
THAT 10 per cent rasCallty of the loan
sharks has been crushed here. the com
missioner continued. and II another ne
farious practice of money getting is dis
covered here the Offenders will find their
punishment swift and sure. Bookmakers
and handbook runners have no place in this
bureau. and II l find that they are after
the arnings of the clerks employed here.
by agents either from within or without.
the persons who are implicated In the Illicit
traffic will have just sixty seconds ~ get
out of the building forever.
MIR. Warmers words express the Ideas of
the officials Of all departments. who realize
the danger TO the clerks of permitting hand
book runners and bookmakers' agents to
have the liberty of the corridors IN the
government buildings. where they may lie
in wait for the employees. with temptation
ready az hand and all made easy for the
risklng Of bet.
Good Effect Felt
II am glad The Evening Star put the
matter strongly it did yesterday. -
said Chief Clerk W. W. Ludlow at the
Treasury Department today. The effect
is bound to be- good in this and other de-
partmen'S. There was a regular nest of
gamblers here some years ago, but most of
those who offended at that time seem to
be rooted out or to have reformed 1t is,
of course impossible to tell what Is being
done by every man woman on the force
among SO large body of employees We
have here. but can get line on any
man making a practice of assisting bettors
10 plaC" their money"
Acting Chief Clerk Blackboard at the De-
partmeut IF Commerce and Labor said to-
cay that most of the employees in that di-
vision OF the service were ambitious young
men. many of them taking postgraduate
collegiate courses in connection with their
government work. and that their minds
were f.led with other thoughts. than the
odds Of the bookmakers and the form
charts which the confirmed player of the
races pores over and calls his dope
sheets"
IF we find any handbook runner going
about this department he will be ordered
out at once" said Mr.. blackboard, and We
can keep track OF al outsiders entering
here for there is only the one entrance
18th street. and even man circulat-
ing petition soliciting for any purpose
has a hard time penetrating TO the offices
There is no order now in the department
against handbook runners entering the
building or against bookmaking by en-
ployes themselves. but the order VII be
issued al once If II Is found necessary
No Gamblers There.
Irving FrIckley, acting chief clerk of the
Department of Agriculture, said this after
noon~ that no handbook betting In his
branch of the service had been reported
to him. and that so far as he knew the
department was not contaminated by the
vice.
IF gambling on the races is practiced in
this building or other buildings controlled
by the department" he said. and 1t should
become known to the officials, 1t would be
brought to a halt at once"