Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-03-05
GAMBLING HOUSES
NEAR LINE CLOSED
Alleged Proprietors Of Three
in Prince Georges County
Arrested.

Tho click Of dice at the "Hardway"
and the alluring cry Of the faro deal
er at "Fontaines" place will be heard
no more II the Maryland authorities
have their way. Maryland has de-
clared war to the finish against
gambling houses located within few
minutes ride Of the Capitol. Just over
the District line.
Alleged proprietors Of three gam
ing houses, to which hundreds OF
Neutrality-suspicious. journey nightly to
return empty OF pocket and remorse-
full of mind, have been arrested. the
gambling houses closed. and the men
summoned to appear for hearing
Friday before Justice OF the Peace
Harry w. Gore at Upper Marlboro.
They are: James A. La Fontaine.
Philip ]. Steubner and Elmer Pun
phrey.
The men were arrested a week ago
by Sheriff Fink and Deputy Sherin II.
G. Machen of Prince Georges county
after they had been warned by the
new sheriff that they must close their
doors. They appeared yesterday at
Upper Marlboro before Justice Gore
and gave bond in the sum Of $500 each
for their appearance in court Friday.
Will Push Charges.
Alan Bowie of Brandywine, Nd,
newly elected prosecuting attorney
for Prince Georges county, Is squarely
behind the movement to abolish
rambling houses. He will push the
present CHARGES to the limit, he de-
clared today, in an effort to purge
Prince Georges county of openly run
gambling houses
1.-THE states attorney is going to do
everything in his power to put these
gambling houses out of existence"
Mr. Bowie said today. I'VE are deter
mined to wipe out gambling in Prince
Georges county, and will stop at no
measures within the law to close
down forever the gambling houses
which have taken thousands Of dol
lars from the pockets OF residents of
the county and Of Washington"
Spite work some residents Of the
county declare to be responsible for
the gambling houses. Justice others
term 1t.
Just Across Line.
La Fontaine is alleged to be the
proprietor Of "Jimmy's Place." or
"Fontaine's Place." on the Bladens-
burg road, not more than 100 feet
beyond the District line and just
across the road from Fort Lincoln
cemetery. Humphrey is charged with
running the "Hardway." located on
the Suitland road. in Spaulding dis
trict, a mile off the Washington
Marlboro turnpike. Steubener. for
merly proprietor of a saloon in Mary
land. is alleged to operate a place on
the Bladensburg road only a mile
beyond the District line. Warrants
for their arrest were sworn out by
Frank p. Hurd. former deputy
sheriff of the county. who lives In
Beltsville, Nd. and the actual arrests
closed. They have been closed ever
since, according to Deputy Sheriff
Machen Of Hyattsville. The men sub
mitted to arrest without alteration
or trouble, according to Machen.
Men Have Counsel.
NJ. Hampton Magruder, formerly
prosecuting officer for Prince Georges
county. appeared as counsel for La
Fontaine at the hearing yesterday,
while State Senator Lansdale G. Sass
Ger appeared for Humphrey and
Steubener.
Nightly, for many months. automo-
biles operated by the gambling
houses, have solicited patrons in
Washington and have carried those
to 1.pr
green table out into Maryland. us
ually to return lighter of pocket.
The houses are claimed to DO ION the
square," but the house takes a cut
and the house always has the edge
gambler returned with some Of the
house money by a lucky turn Of the
dice or the fortunate nip Of card,
but usually the evening concluded
the other way about.
Houses All Guarded.
Strong-arm men, ostentatiously
armed with "gats" carried in promi-
nent places. handy for use. patrolled
the gaming houses, ready to take
care of any disturbance among the
hard-eyed gamblers gathered about
the green tables. 1t was not easy to
get in the gaming houses. One had
to come vouched for. because the pro-
prtetors feared the publicity Of a dis
turbance.
There was virtually no limit to the
amounts played for with the dice or
with the cards. Thousands OF dol
lars changed hands each night at all
the places. '.Fontaine's." the largest
Of the three houses, did the largest
business. 1t was not unusual fro 500
or 900 men to visit this place nightly.
All these activities will cease, accord
ing to Mr.. Bowie. and the gambling
houses closed once and for all. Adj
ditional Information linking up the
gambling houses with illegal hand
book operation over leased wires
operating through q handbook ex-
change in Baltimore is expected to be
presented to the states attorney to-
morroX go. -.-