The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-28

g Congressman Among Gamblers
at Bears Nest Many Es-
cape From Police.

Z f Il 8 Is
IF you step in the door we will
shoot yon. :,
This was the cha Ienge which
erected y xqiding squad from the
Third Precinct Station early this
lnoKnfng when they. br0e down
the heavily barricaded door 81
Washing tonss elite gambling den,
known is the Bears Nest, and
surprised seventy-fiye prominent
men, including q few Members Of
Congress, who we're playing poker
and craps on all three floors Of
the handsomely furnished dwelling
at 17O7 II street northwest.
Escape at Police Station.
Policeman w. f. Sanger, who led
the raiding party, said that, despite
the challenge, he entered, and that
as his foot touched the mat inside
the door q general buzzer alarm was
sounded.
More than q score Of the pronli-
nent gamblers, who were taken to
the station i'm five patrol loads,
jumped out Of Captain Fathers pri-
vate room at the Third precinct sta.
ton and made their escape.
Officers who made the raid declare
that the gamblers admitted there was
$26, 900 in the game this morning and
that this Is the exclusive gambling
house where Congressional members
play and where q $4,000 jackpot
changed hands q few nights ago.
Two cartons of playing cards,
croupier sets used in craps games
and other paraphernalia were confis-
Gated at the house and are held at
the Third precinct station.
Names Given, Fictitious.
John p. O'Toole, who admitted he
was the leading spirit of the game,
was charged with setting up
gambling table, and forfeited 500,
which he was forced to put up as
collateral.
Those who were booked at the sta.
ton house as witnesses are all
thought to have given fictitious
names, as policemen this morning
directory and could not verify any
of them. For instance, one notOri-
GUS Italian gambler gave the name
of kelly"
The members Of the raiding party
say there was telephone in every
room OF the house and that they did
not find any women or liquor in the
den.
This mornings game is said to be
the seventh pulled off at the III
street house, which has only been
recently leased by O'TOole. Police
declare that some of the men told
the police that IL they had let them
run another week they would have
been "fixed for life."
According to members of the
raiding party, there were forty to
fifty men on the first floor who
had needed the buzzer alarm and
were trying to find a means of exit.
When they went to the second
floor they found twenty-five men
seated around three tables, where
six sets of dice were in action. It
il said that the tables were knock
ed down in the rush and that most
of the money and dice had disap.
peared.
Slid Down Spout.
On the third floor a half a dozen
men were found, and 1t was dis
closed that some of the men had
run to the third floor, jumped to a
veranda, slid down the rain spout
and made their escape.
The raiders claim that they found
two men under q bed on the third
floor, one behind hat rack, and
another In q closet.
While the bulk OF the men were
taken to the Third precinct station
! in the patrol wagon, some of them
| were permitted to go in their private
| cars, accompanied by police.
It Is said that streets IN the vicin.
| Continued on Page 2. Column 81