The Washington times., 1913-08-22
CRUSADE IS OPENED
AGAINST HANDBOOKS
Raid at Navy Yard Beginning of
Government Fight to Break
Up Gambling.
Continued from First PageN

months Imprisonment.
Detectives have had suspected
bookmakers in the departments under
close surveillance for many months,
especially in the Offices where there
are a great number of mechanics and
skilled laborers employed. The atti-
tude OF the courts in dismissing book
making cases where the evidence was
not absolutely Clinched has really
been responsible, it is declared, for
the delay of the police in taking ac-
tion against employees of Government
departments other than the Navy
Yard.
Enormous profits have been made by
employees of Government departments
who run handbooks for the accom-
modation" of fellow workers, ii is al
legged, and in some instances 1t is
pointed out that the women employees
take as much interest as the men and
frequently place large bets.
AS evidence of the extent of race
horse gambling at the Navy Yard, De-
tectiVes Howes and Wise. who were
in charge of the raid in which the six
alleged bookmakers were rounded up
last evening, point to the fact that
when the cases are called in court
they can, if necessary, produce from
SsVenty-five to a hundred witnesses,
who had been regularly placing bets
with the accused men. The detectives
investigation cOnvinces them that
there are fully 200 mechanics at the
Navy Yard who were regular patrons
of the books" run by employees of the
east gun carriage shop, and similar
conditions are said to exist in some
of the other departments.
Believed They Were Immune.
Porter P Paylor. one of the men ar
rested. is said TO have run the
heaviest" book at the navy yard
that is, he took practically nothing but
large bets. He had over 5000 in cash
on his person when taken in custody,
and the detectives say his losses for the
day previous had been settled with the
exception of a small amount. Robert
Pitts and Charles swan also are said
IL have run q heavy" book.
The police contend that in some of the
Government offices employees hold their
jobs, which pay a comparatively small
salary, for the sole purpose of conduct
a handbook, thus taking several thou
sand dollars annually from the salaries
of other workers. In many instances
the victims of the bookmakers are men
with families, who are endeaVoring TO
live on the small pay of the Govern
ment clerks.
The handbook men in the Government
service always have felt that they were
practically immune from police mo-
lestation, and in days gone by it was
an open secret among heads of some of
the departments that clerks were max |
ing books. The Government employees
engaged in this business as a side !
line" have taken the attitude that they |
were running the business on Govern |
ment property: that the District police |
could not interfere. and that the worst !
fate which could befall them was dis |
missal from their jobs.
Earnings SIoo,ooo Annually.
One police official said a conservative |
estimate of the gambling earnings of |
Government clerks who ran handbooks !
would be 100000 annually. This amount |!
comes out of the pockets of other Gov |
ernment clerks.
Some months ago the police conducted !
an investigation Of handbook making |
in two of the departments Wnere there |
are several thousand men and women |
employed. The police say there was |
no question but that the gambling was |
going on. but the suspected bookmakers !
declined to accept bets from any one on |
the outside. and those inside the Of |
flee who were playing the races reSu- |
l6rly declined TO ''squeal.'
Those caught in the raid were Porter |
P. Paylor, maChinist, thirty-seven years |
old, of SOC street southeast; Charles |
T. Swan, machinist, thirty-two, OF 22l3 |
Prout street southeast; Robert L. Pitts, ,
machinist, forty-fOur, of 1924 University |
place northwest; Benjamin G. swan. |
toolmaker, thirty-seven, of 1l08 X street !
southeast; John II. Roberts, tOolmaker, |
forty four, of 3o2S r street northwest !
and Fred Litchheld, maChtnisL forty
nine, of sos street southeast
PaylOr, Charles Swan, and Pitts, ac- |
cording to the police, were the chief |
bookmakers. while the other three were !
''rInners'-that is they collected the |
money and gave it to the first named .
and also aided in paying of the bets. !
Roberts and Litchfeld, il is said, were !
runners for Paylor, who had S3,l9S.43 /
in cash on him when arrested, while .
Benjamin Swan was a runner for |
Charles Swan and Pitts, who were in
sort Of partnership.
Commander Chester Wells, acting
commandant Of the yard in the absence |
fore the raid was pulled off, had given !
Detective HOweS an order to search the
lockers Of the suspected men, Break
ing open the lockers, the police assert
they found more than a peck measure
full of slips. racing sheets, and other
evidence, on which was written the
names of the employees and others who
had placed bets, the amounts played,
money paid in winnings, and the dates
the bets were made
Men Taken BY Surprise.
About two months ago Captain Jones
told Major sylvester that he suspected
there were d large number of employ.
playing the races. Captain Jones how
ever, did not suspect that the actual
bookmaking was being done by men
employed in the yard but thought the
bookmakers probably had their agents
among Employ es. who took the money
outside TO play.
Working on this theiry for some time
the detectives were unable TO unearth 4
single clue Finally they obtained IN
formation which led them to believe the
boOknIakers were actually employed IN
the east gun carriage shop. Then came
the question of getting the evidenc"
without arousing suspicion among those
involved.
This was HEally accomplished. and
late yesterday afternoon H"Wes and
Wise called for detail of plain
clothes men. and when the police
swooped down and placed the rlen
under arrest thu prisoners We're
taken completely by surprise. Thr
lockers were then opened. ana after
she detectiE IS had gathered all tn: 1
eN idence they could find they took
the men to the Fifth precinct station.
They were not charged with making
handboOks until later in the evening. ,
and as soon as the specific charge
was placed against them their com
sci gave hond for their appearance
in court today.