Evening star., 1922-08-01

borhoods. 1t was to clean up this
trouble that Montgomery county had
a law passed at the last legislature
authorizing them to keep all fines col
lected in that county to be used to eS-
tablish county police force
Montgomery county citizens declared
that the law had worked well. that a
strong county police force was on
duty and that all gamblers operating
on the border had been driven out
Apparently f1auting their lawless-
ness at the county officials, the gam
bling dens in Arlington county, Va
and in Prince Georges county opened
last night as usual. 1t was believed
that the publicity given to their To-
would result in their temporary clos
ing until the storm had subsidized.
There was no evidence of any activity
on the part of the county officials to
close them, and the gamblers entered
them daringly and with a confidence
that they would be protected.
Big Crowd Last Night.
"The Hard Way" one of the pre-
tentious Joints on the Suitland road,
short distance from the Cedar Hill
cemetery. was in full operation with an
the gaming tables. The place threw
open it's doors about o'clock, and from
then until nearly midnight a steady
stream Of automobiles, carrying men.
entered the big yard just east of the
den. It was estimated that about fifty
machines were parked in the yard and
in an improvised garage in connection
with the establishment, which was
formerly used as a stable, when THE
Hard Way" was a roadhouse in the pre-
Volstead days.
THE Hard Way" also known as
"Jimmys," Is a two-story frame struc-
ture and stands at the forks of the
Suitland road and a narrow, seldom
used thoroughfare. which probably was
used as detour some years ago. The
ing would inevitably see it and wonder
what attraction 1t held for the crowd Of
automobilistS who entered and left its
gates at short intervals.
Business at the Easy Way, reputed
to be the toughest of the gambling
houses, which is located about one
quarter of mile west of Highway
bridge, in Arlington county, on the
banks of the Potomac and within the
shadow of the Monument when the
sun shines right. apparently was not
as brisk as usual last night The
10 o'clock, and in half an hour six
lmachines-three of them costly limou-
sines-turned into the short road
which leads a serpentine route to its
doors. Each car carried it's full quota
of male passengers, some of them
neatly dressed. and others IN their
shirt sleeves. When the thunderstorm
broke, shortly after 1880 o'clock, it
is estimated that at least twenty-five
gamblers had entered the portals Of
this embryo Monte Carlo.
The machines which ran to "The
Easy Way" last night did not remain
long at its doors. After discharsing
the passengers. the cars returned to
the city-probably for another load
of gamblers.
Virtually all the machines used to
transport the gamblers to the dens
establishments, and they maintain a
regular schedule from various points
in the city to the lawless dives. The
chauffeurs in the gamblers service
are paid as high as SIS a night for
eight hours work. Their hours are
from 9 pm. to am.
While the Prince. Georges county
officials have given no definite indi-
cation of cleaning out the young
Monte Carlos in their jurisdiction.
Sheriff A.. C. Clements of Arlington
eeHo siii ONLY be- s question: oaas Of tina. time be.
fore we get the gamblers" Sheriff
Clements said he appreciated the
offer of Mai. Sullivan to cooperate
with him in rounding up the gam
blers. but he expressed the belief
that he did not need the Washington
police. II have got four deputies"
he said. "and don't need any more
men,"
Constable Thomas II. Garrison Of
Hyattsville- said he did not know Of
the existence of the famous gambling
den just over the District line on the
Bladensburg road. He requested to
be furnished with information as to
its location and would inyestjaate
The Bladensburg road den, a
former famous roadhouse. is the hiG-
gest and more elaborate of any
around the District. Besides the dice
tables and roulette wheels, the para
phernalia of the nearby "joints," this
place has race track betting boards.
A direct private wire keeps the play
ers In constant touch with the move-
ments of the horses at the tracks,
Bets can be laid on the races until
the horses leave the post at the
tracks and the winners are paid on
Immediately after the race Thou-
sands of 'doEars change hands at this
miniature rage track every day.
.s-r fsd:.s