Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-29
DEPARTMENTS ARE
SHUT TO GAMBLERS,
OFFICIALS ALERT
Government Clerks Must Not
Play Handbook Game.
TWO MEN UNDER SUSPICION
Treasury Employees Being Watched by
Authorities.
DETECTIVE SHIFT DUE SOON
Changes at Headquarters Await Re-
turn of Commissioner West-Scope
of Anti-Gambling Campaign
Widens. \.
TWO MEN UNDER SUSPICION
Treasury Employees Being Watched by
Authorities.
DETECTIVE SHIFT DUE SOON

The war on handbooks is being
carried into every nook and corner
where the bookmakers have done
business, and another week of the
anti-gambling campaign opens with
the officials of the various govern
ment departments on 1.-The alert
against the operations of runners"
among their clerks. In one depart
n ent two men suspected of having
dealings with handbook men are
being watched, and if sufficient evil
dence is secured they will be dealt
with in summary fashion. Mean
while, there is activity all along the
line. The "shake-up' in detective
headquarters is expected soon, and
Prosecuting Attorney Given has
announced that in addition to hand
books all forms of gambling must
so.
Making of handbooks and betting on the
races by clerks in the buildings of the
government departments will BE- fraught
with serious consequences in the future.
Government officials have entered the cam
paign against gambling, and 1t Will go hard
with any one who is found to be indulgnd
in such business.
In the Treasury two men suspected Of
being implicated in the handbook game are
under surveillance, according to Chief
Clerk w. W. Ludlow, in spite of the striD
gent order issued three years ago by Secre>
tary Shaw against bookmaking in the de-
partment. At that time, 1t is said, regu-
lar bookmaking business was being carried
on by Treasury employees.
Will Be Stamped Out.
Chic Clerk Carr OF the Department OF
State said that he had heard nothing OF
any systematic betting in the building.
II have no doubt" he said, that many
of the clerks bet on the races, but 1 do
not know that they do SO in the building.
If any such practice Is discovered 1t will
be stamped out at once"
F. S. Curtis, acting chief clerk Of tho
Navy Department said: There is no
doubt that this betting with landlords Is
a serious evil, especially where 1t has
grown to such dimensions as 1t has been
permitted to reach in Washington So far
1 know, the practice is not carried on
directly in this building. If | find out
that handbook runner visits the building
to collect bets his traffic will be stopped at
once in this department. AS far betting
being done by the employees when they go
out to lunch is concerned, or their placing
their money by telephone, using the public
booths in the corridors to send their mes
sages to the handbook men, l do not see
what we can do. But we certainly can call
a halt any of the building to fur
Their the purposes of the bookmakers'
agents"
At the War Department Chief Clerk
Scotield had heard no more than his COLI
leagues of any bookmaking business car
ried on in the building.
Order May Be Issued.
Il think said he, that l should surely
have heard of any such nefarious traffic IL
it had been going on for some t me. II 1t
is true that the employees of the depart
ment are placing bets in the building and
sending the money OUT by agents an order
Will be issued against the practice and the
abuse will be stamped out at once. There
is doubt that many of the men bet on
the races, but that they do it here in the
building l do not know and | do not see
now they could do it constantly without
my being aware of it. An order against
betting in the building will be issued at
once If it is found that handbook runner.
access to the employees in this depart
ment."
At the Treasury Chief Clerk Walter w.
Ludlow was most emphatic in his state
nIent regarding betting by the employees.
He recalled the condition of affairs in the
department three years ago when the run
ming of handbooks in the building had be-
come a scandal, and was stopped by an
order issued by Secretary Shaw. Mr.. Lud-
low said that in his opinion the clerks
would remember the lesson given at that
time and would refrain from making books
themselves or from becoming agents OF
bookmakers, or implicated in anyway in
the lawleSS hunt for other peoples money.
Two men, said he, have been under
surveillance, being suspected of making
books. but thus far we have no evidence
against them If we find that anything OF
the sort IS going on here the prompt
punishment of the Offenders will follow.
1 hear that the campaign OF The Star has
put out of business four bookmakers in
one block. If that condition is made per
manent the city will be the gamer"
On the Watch.
At the Post Office Department the chief
clerk was inclined to think that no book
making was going on in the building. He
had no doubt that some of the employees bet
on the races but could not see how a
handbook runner could get about the build
ing and collect bets. He added, however,
that the department would be watchful
and nip In the bud any such practice.
Chief Clerk Edward NJ Dawson OF the
Department OF the Interior had not learned
Of any handbook work going on among the
clerks In his department
II think" he said, that just now any
man with such an inclination would be
very chary of INDUCING It. since we have
been roofing out a similar practice-that
of lending money at usurfous rates-at the
pension Office Here in the patent once
cases OF similar sort came to light quite