Evening star., 1921-06-03
PENDING HANDBOOK
CASES NUMBER&
Police Records Show "a
Arrests for Alleged Viola
tions During Past Year.

OF eighty-four arrests made Tor
alleged violation Of the handbook law
in the District Of Columbia, from
April - last year to date. only two
cases have been disposed Of. accord.
ing to reports to Maj. Gessford. super
intendent of police, by his precinct
penalty of sixty days imprisonment
and fine of $500 was imposed. Fhe
other case was dismissed.
+ This leaves eighty-two cases pend
Ing. police records show, the de-
fendants being out on bond.
1t Is further shown in the police
records that each person arrested
was required to give bond in the
sum of $4,000 in each case, making
the total bond given by the eighty
two defendants $4,000.
Asslgnea to Prsseeutipns.
For number of years It was. the
custom of the authorities to take
handbook cases direct to Polics. Court
for = hearing, but in almost every
case OF q handbook arrest the past
'boMd dsiksthe sum or 81 ~ -and ft S611
arranged to have the grand jury tn-.
vestigAte them without a Police Court
hearing. Assistant United States At
torney Paul b. Cromelin has been as
signed TO conduct gambling prosecu-
tions. the work Of the police result
Ing IN 50 many arrests that It was
found almost impossible to have the
cases looked after In the ordinary
course OF. business. With q singie In
tions. it lis stated. It was believed
that better results would be accom-
plished.f
SIX Cases Settled In Year.
Speaking to star reporter this
morning. Mr. Cromelin said he
thought about six cases of making
handbooks on the races had been dis
posed Of In Police Court the past
year. Possibly twenty or thirty I'm
era have been reported by the grand
jury during the year, he said, but not
9 single case has been tried in the
Criminal Court, where Indictment
cases are tried.
Mr.. Cromelin mentioned that it is
the custom of the office first to dis
pose Of cases OF persons locked up in
jail before taking up cases Of those
on bond.
The latest arrest Of an alleged hand
day afternoon in the person Of John
William Robertson, thirty years old,
1923 14th street. He was arrested
by Policemen Messer. Fowler and
sweeney. working under the dtrec.
tions of Commissioner James F. Oys-
ter. They arrested him on Pennsyl-
vania avenue near 9Th street. and
he furnished the usual bond.
One Indietment This Week.
One handbook Indictment was re-
ported by the grand jury Wednes-
day, the person named being Charles
T. Swan, who conducted a cigar store
at 1102 'Sth street southeast His
place of business was raided. by a
squad of police under the command
Of Sergts, Ryon and Davis aha,lt noon,
April 8. 1920, when, according to the
police. handbook paraphernalia and
$24.344 were>seixed.
Swan heard no more Of the case
until afterl>witnesses had been sum-
moned to appear before the grand
jury. and yesterday, more than thir-
teen months after arrest, the grand
jury reported an. Indictment
Mr.. Cromelin thought it probable
that the Swan case will be put on
trial before the summer vacation
period. An effort will; be made to
get q trial of the case before ad.
journment. he said, but he doubte ed
IL any other alleged handbook Of
fender would be tried before fall.