The Washington times., 1918-05-18
100 BOOKMAKERS
ARRESTED; NEVER.
ONE JAILED HERE

BOOK making seems destined to be
continued in the District of Columbia,
despite campaigns being waged by
the Police Department and the De-
partment OF Justice.
District Attorney John z. Laskey
today told The Times that II is almost
impossible TO procure a conviction of
bookmakers under the present rules
Of evidence in District courts. The
only case in which 4 fine was i'm
posed was that OF Ira /. Meyers in
December. 1916. and then Meyers was
put on probation, he said.
Major Pullman, superintendent OF
police. the most active agent against
the operations OF bookmakers in
Washington. declared that in the few
convictions procured by the district
imposed and that fnes have no terrors
for bOokmakers.
jail Only Cure.
"Jail sentences, and Jail sentences
only. Will cure bookmaking and other
forms ot gambling in Washington"
said Major Raymond Pullman, in dis
cussing the arrest OF Frank Samuel
Shore. proprietor OF an automobile
rensir establishment at 1928 New
York avenue northwest. and his cash
ier, Mae Money, at 1915 Park road
northwest, who were taken in Gus
tOdy yesterday by the police.
II agree with Major Pullman. jail
sentences alone will cure the gam
bling evil in the District, and under
the present rules OF evidence confining
the prosecutor TO showing one trans
action and one alone, IL is and will
continue to be very difficult to secure
convictions" said District Attorney
Laskey today.
A serious situation has thus been
unearthed in the arrest OF Shore and
Miss Money-regarded by Major Pull
man as the most important yet made
by the police in its crusade against
bookmaking.
The additional fact that a bond o:
$4,000 in each case was required %
Shore and his cashier. also brands
their arrest as important
The case. however. uncovrTs the
fact that out OF 100 boolxmakers ar
rested in the past three years not
one OF them has served p day behind
the bars. Several sentences were sus-
pended. Seventy cases still az pend
ing. Others were dismissed, and n
few fined. But not ono 5cokmaller
has served time behind the bars.
Police records show these facts.
This led 10 an investigation as to the
reason. and It developed that the prose
cutor's office is confined by the rules OF
evidence. as they now exist. to showing
Just one Transaction. no matter how
many bets are known to have been made.
nor how many men have been ruined by
the bookm:tSer.
This rule. according to the prosecutor.
makes It exceedingly difficult to secure
enough evidence to secure a conviction
Just how difficult Is demonstrated by
the fact that out OF 100 boOkmakers ar
rested in three years not one has served
day in jail. alpough the prosecutor
in every case asked for a jail sentence.
Laugh At Pines.
Both the police and the prosecutor say
the gamblers do not fear fines They
pay the fines. when in rare cases a con-
viction is \cured-and go mcrrily back
to their nefarious professions.
In case OF suspended sentences. the
bookmakers 60 to New York or PhiladeI-
phia and c. ntinue 10 do business. the
police say.
The bookmakers are coId-bIoodcd
They will take mans money. then his
JeWelry. later his clothes and then en-
courage him to go out and steal some
thing more with which to hn their in
satiable maws." said high official OF the
police department today
IF We could get convictions ana
jail sentences-we would break up
the bOok-makcrs in thirty days.
"BoOkmakers. as well as other gam
blers, fear a month in jail far more
than they do heavy fine.
zone man recently arrested Is said
to have been hit for $4,000 in bets
in one day. He paid and never blink
ed. How are you going to drive a
man like that out OF business by a
fine"
While Major Pullman is sure he
has the evidence to get Shore and
Miss Money yet in the light Of the
past three years II is uncertain.
Think They Have Leader.
The police regard Shore as the
keystone to the arch OF bookmakinE
in Washington. Shore is said not
only to be a hard worker, but a most
astute business man and a good fell
low" when it comes &c helping the
needy.
The woman in the case, Miss Money.
is the second woman to be arrested as
a bOokmaker in Washington. The
frst was Mamie kIuG. arrested June
]. 1918.
Miss Money was arrested once be-
fore, Juna 10. 1915, on the same
charge as the pFesent one. shore
having been taken in custody al the
same time. This is Shores third ar
rest on tho same charge
A policeman today stands in front OF
his place Of business. The police can
break VI bookmaker's business m
this way. say the authorities. a.
crooks and "caPpsrs' are afraid 10