Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-02
Foreman of District Group
Says That Only Petty Cases
Are Brought In.
PHOTOGRAPHIC PLANNED
OF HANDBOOK PLAYERS
Sergt. Letterman Suggests Taking
Pictures of "Pikers" to Dis
courage Betting.

Following closely the publication of
The Stars investigation into the gam
bling situation here, the District grand
jury today submitted to Justice Bailey
a report in which it decried the scarcity
of handbook cases presented to it in
volving the larger operators.
Martin r. West. foreman Of the Jury,
called attention to the fact that the
bulk of gambling cases called to the
attention Of the grand jury was con-
fined to those of a petty nature.
Indictment of IL persons on charges
of setting up gaming tables, where bets
could be made on the results Of horse
races and where black jack and other
games of chance were conducted, were
reported by the grand jury.
Those charged were John A. Maloney,
Albert j. Lowry. Ralph A. Holland
and Frank A. Stevens, who were ar
rested by Sergt. o. T. Letterman~and
his gambling squad June at raid on
the premises 212 Ninth street; Wilbur
L. Dorsey, Jack Stein, Bart Kennett
and Emmett Johnson, whose place Of
business at 704 o street was raided May
20 by Sergt. Letterman and Policeman
Burke: Joseph McCafferty, 301 C street
southwest, raided by Letterman April
IS, and Charles J. Baker and Chester
Bids, 831 Four-and-a-Hah street south
west, raided April 13.
At the same time Sergt Letterman
threatened to station photographers at
the entrance of known gambling estab-
lishments in order to get pictures of the
players which could be shown to their
employers.
Letterman's idea is to direct a cam
paign of this sort against handbook
establishments where workers of the
so-called ''piker class" make hur-
rled trips from their places of employ
ment in the middle of the afternoon to
lay their bets, then be back at their
desks so quickly that their temporary
absence attracts no attention.
Law Protects Gamblers.
No definite steps along this Life have
been taken, and whether the plan,
which OF necessity would have to be
Q. KID in official circles, win be car
ried into effect is problematical. Letter
man. however, is of the opinion that Il
might prove efficaciouS, basing his be-
lief on the knowledge that employees
would not want to take a chance on
having their employers know what they
were doing particularly on the en-
ployers' time.
These establishments that are foiling
the police are generally of the incor-
porated club variety.
Declaring that it is becoming increas.
ngly difficult 70 egt evidence against
these. Letterman said today: 1T ap-
pears that the law gives the gamblers
more protection than it does officers OF
the law"
Letterman explained that keepers Of
these establishments are conducting
more inquiries and getting more infor-
nation about prospective members than
business men are able to obtain from
mercantile agencies concerning appli-
cants for credit for large quantities az
merchandise.
Clubs Search History.
''They simply try to cover the mans
existence from time of birth to time Of
making application for membership. and
eevn then they sometimes are skepti-
cal" he said.
In view of the difficulty experienced
in their efforts to obtain evidence upon
which TO predicate warrants for proprie-
tors of the clubs, which. the sergeant
says, are incorporated merely for the
purpose of fleeing "boobS." he has de-
termined to seek the enactment of u
new law when Congress conveneS.
An Incorporated club is a public IN
stitution, in the opinion of Sergt Let
terman, and should be open for police
inspection during reasonable hours. and
q law containing such a provision viii
so long way toward breaking I'D other
than bona flde clubs. The sergeant
SAYS he Is certain the building and fire
regulations are violated at most Of the
gambling clubs where reinforced doors.
electrically operated locks and heavy
steel bars are employed for safety.
Sergt. Letterman thinks imposition
or heavy jail or penitentiary sentences
would be big help. He pointed out
this morning that two recent trials re-
suited In imposition OF penitentiary
sentences.
AS poor as am" the sergeant re-
marked. Il would give two months SAL
ary to set evidence sufficient 20 break
UP a certain club that IS defying police
efforts"
Three arrests for alleged violations OF
the gambling law. two for setting up
gaming tables and one for permitting
gaming were made by the police during
the rs hours ended at s O'Clock this