Evening star., 1922-10-01
NEARLY 40 SEIZED
IN GAMBLING RAID
Police Swoop Down on P
Street House After
Long Watch.
ALLEGED OWNERS HELD

A squad of policemen with drawn
revolvers swooped down upon house
at 1417 P street northwest yesterday
afternoon and arrested nearly forty
persons. three of whom were charged
with running a gambling table and
accepting bets on horse races.
Twenty or more others were held at
the second precinct police station for
investigation when they failed to
give satisfactory explanations as to
their business in Washington
The three prisoners described them
selves as Antonio Russo Of 444 !. H
street northwest, Nicholas onion
tano') Passero OF 225 E street north
east and Bernard Caruso OF 4036
Georgia avenue. all claiming to have
been born in Italy. According to the
police. these three owned and con-
Quoted the establishment. The others
were patrons.
Used "Stool Pigeons"
The raid was carried out by Lieut..
10. T. Davis, Sergt. j. D. NcQuade,
Sergt. J. n. Roper and Detective
Oscar Mansfield, all of the second
precinct. The p street establishment
had been under their surveillance for
several weeks. Ten days ago Lieut..
Davis sent a group of stool pigeons"
into the house. we'll stocked with
money, and bearing instructions to
bet heavily.
Lieut.. Davis unnamed aides. how
ever, were more or less adept at the
art of picking winners. for not only
did the information they obtained
result in the raid. but they also
walked of with no mean amount of
they won on the races, according to
the police. For instance, one Of them
drew down $3.50 on horse named
Tingaling, another accounted for S17
on a parlay on War Mask. Jordon and
Walnut Hall. and smaller winnings
were tabulated on Bright Tomorrow,
British Maid and others.
The police have had their agents
visit the house every day since the
25th of the month. From the front
the place appears to be nothing more
than a cigar store and newsstand.
Behind q portiere, however, the police
claim they found completely
equipped bookmaking room. with
special wires and all manner of Of
fers from "tipsters" at the tracks,
urging bettors to buy their tips" at
prices ranging from 25 cents to $25.
They promised prospective beltors
that theirs was a sure thing" today.
Few Escape Police Net.
Shortly after o'clock Lieut.. Davis
had his men posted. A patrol wagon
stopped conveniently nearby. but out
of sight of any possible spoilers"
At a signal from Lieut. Davis the po-
licemen rushed in. Instantly the place
was In an uproar.
There was a general rush for the
back door, but as the first few tried
to struggle through to the alley they
were met by two policemen, each
aiming a ,business-like looking pistol
into their faces. Some managed to
escape. The room was jammed when
the police appeared. but the others
saw further attempts at escape were
futile and surrendered.
At the police station all were search
ed. One man in the crowd snakinsly
admitted he had chewed up and
swallowed the paper containing the
names of the horses he wished to
play. He asked for a doctor. but was
assured the little bit of paper he had
consumed could do him no greater
harm than possibly cause an annoy
ing case Of indigestion. Another had
managed to get OF one shoe and
stuff his evidence into his stocking
before he was captured. He devel-
oped a slight limp and investigation
disclosed the paper.
Apparatus SeiseA. .
Two one-dollar bills. both marked,
were recovered and held for evidence.
The big board containing tho Tip
sters" wires, sheets giving the names
Of winning horses and other book
making apparatus were oonfiscated
and taken to the second precinct.
The prisoners were dnally weeded
out. Those who could satisfy the au-
th6rities they were responsible per-
sons, living and working in Washing
ton, were released on their own
recognizance upon their promise to
appear and testify when called upon.
Others, however. were held in accord
ancs with the police departments re-
Gently adopted policy Of investigating
psrsons who cannot account for their
presence in the National Capital