Evening star., 1922-08-02
! D. G. T0;Ask;A|D;:
1 IN GAMBLING WAR
MARYLAND and. Virginia Au-
!. thofities. VIII Be zurgeHto
Drastic Action9
OYSTER FAv0Rs DRIVE.
Will Confer With Maj: Sullivan on,
Steps for Breaking Up
"Jeintsso

StCpS .1V4 OASesSAS@>ot
Z Joints
MARYLAND and Virginia state ofnciais
will be appealed to blythe District
authorities to stamp out ubiquitous
dens lust over tho District boroers'
where hundreds Of professional gam-
blers gather nightly unmolested, IL
was announced today by Commis-
sioner Oyster Meantime, the Com
missioner said. he would confer with
Mai. Daniel Sullivan. superintendent
of police and Inspector Cliford Grant,
chief of detectives. to ascertain II
they can take any action that may
stop the operation of the gambling
places. which, it is estimated, draw
at least s15O.000 weekly; from the
pockets of Washington gamblers.
The initial step of the Commission
ers Capt oyster declared, Will be 70
request the authorities in Prince
Georges county, Md, and Arlington
county, Va, where the gamolins
houses are located. to take some
drastic action to close them. II the
county officials fail to do something
he said. the Commissioners viii take
the situation up with Cows. Rltcnie
and Trinkle of Maryland and Vir-
ginia, respectively.
Commissioner Oyster indicated tnat
he is in hearty sympathy with the
movement to suppress the gamomns
Joints" which were exposed in Ihe
Sunday Star. but pointed out that
the hands of the District officials are
tied in taking any action on their
own Initiative because the lawfess
houses are out of their jurisdiction;
He declared, however, that the local
authorities would willingly COOP
: crate with the Maryland and Virginia
authorities.
Governor Concerned;
Gov. Ritchie of Maryland intimated
today that he would not interfere
with moral conditions in Prince
Georges county. emphasizing that Is
distinctly the problem of the county
authorities.
Il am watching the situation and
am deeply interested in it," Gov.
RitchN said, but there seems to be
nothing the state authorities can do
now. The state police force acting
under the automobile commissioners
has not been sworn in in Prince
Georges county, and therefore can
not act as deputy sherins there:
the Maryland state police. also de-
clared today that the Prince Georges
county conditions are not within the
Jurisdiction of the state police. E.
Austin Baushman. commissioner OF
motor vehicles Of the state. however,
indicated that the state force would
be glad to lend any necessary as
sistante to the Prince Georges au-
thoritfes if a request should be made
for 1t.
w. D. S. Musgrave, a Prince Georges
county attorney who lives in Laurel,
charged that the lower part of the
: county. is filed with gambling dens
: which the authorities know exist and
I ocndone.
part Of the county, said Mr..
Musgrave. "are not only plentiful,
: but they are notorious. The county
authorities know theylexist and have
not turned a hahds to stop them. It
: is my candid opinion, and am sure
l can prove 1t, that the element in
this county opposed to Maryland state
police is opposed to that organi1a-
tion because of fear that the state
police would quickly put stop to
the gambling il the organization was
officially recognized"
Crowds Are Smaller.
Despite reports to the contrary, all
Of the gambling Joints" with the
exception of The Hard Way" on the
uitland road near Cedar Hill ceme-
the attendance was smaller than
usual. "Jimmy's." the pretentious
house just over the District line on
the Bladensburg road, had an: unusu-
ally small crowd, as did The Hard
Way" alias Miami" on the banks
of the Potomac near the Virginia
end of Highway bridge:
Fearing a possible interference by
the authorities asa result of news
proprietors of THE Hard Way closed
it's doors early in the evefiing and late
last night only one light was burning
in the place. and the automobile en-
trance in the side yard wasS barrf-
caded. 1t was reported that the opera.
tors of the den had decided to close
and take vacation until the storm
blew over"
At "Jimmy's" joint, however, the
gaming tables and roulette wheels
night. but "bank' had small income
There were only about twenty-fi five
men in the place. whereas on what the
gamblers term "a good night" at
least zoe men are playing the gaming
devices.
"Jimmy's" place, which is fnclosed
behind a high brick wall and many
trees, has it's entrance in the District
but the Joint" itself is located just
across the line in Maryland. In fact,
the border is so close to the den that
person can step from the front
porch. which Is in Maryland, over the
District line.
Argument at "Jimmy,s,r
The only unusual occurrence at
"Jimmy's" den last night was an ar.
gument between one of the heavily
armed guards and gambler, who
parked his machine. which did not
bear Maryland license tag, near the
house, just about two feet over the
District line.
What the h did you park that
car over the line for?" the guard tle.
manded when the gambler aHrhted
from his machine. Take 1T back over
the line before you get US in trouble. .
The operator of the automobile -ulti-
mately moved the car into another
within the District bounds.
Statement by Garrison.
4 Constable Thomas Garrison, of
Hyattsvffle, aroused by The Stars
expose of the gambling houses in
Prince Georges county,, today issued
a lengthy statement. pointing out the
reasons why the authorftiesi are un-
I able to suppress them. The statel
ment follows, in part:
1 II have read. with considerablesfn-
terest stories appearing in The Star
regarding alleged gambling "dSns'
operating in Prince Georges county.
These articles naturally interest me,
mainly for the reason that 1 have