The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-28
u. S. AID ASKED
TO CRUSH CITY
GAMING RINGS
Baseball Pool Operators
Will Face Probe on
Income Taxes.
EQUIPMENT IS SEIZED
Lottery Cars Also Hit in
New Smash Directed at
Gamblers.
EQUIPMENT IS SEIZED

Two new moves were started by
the prosecutors Office today to ruin
the game Of baseball pool and lot
terry operators
/. Deputy Prosecutor John L.
Niblack directed deputy income
tax collector to investigate the
wealthy pool operators, to deter
mins whether they have reported
their enormous profits to Uncle
Sam.
2. Niblack announced he will seek
to impound all gaming materials
seized, thereby tying up equipment
and considerable capital of the
operators. Judge Collins impound-
ed equipment seized in a raid on
an alleged lottery headquarters as
the t1rSt step in this direction.
Cases Are Rushed
AS further evidence thot the fight
to suppress high, commercialized
gambling Gas opposed to sociable,
home poker sessions had passed the
stage of mere sniping here and
there, the prosecutors office started
filing cases directly in Criminal
Court.
This will avoid at least part of
the delays and legal loopholes
through which big gamblers manage
to wriggle now and then in munich
pal courts.
Niblack invited the internal rev.
enue department to send an agent
to his Office to get data on profits
of pool and lottery operators and
conference was arranged for this
afternoon.
Should the Government prove the
operators failed to report their full
incomes stiff penalties can be as
SeSSed.
Charges Are Dismissed
The prosecutors office suddenly
dismissed lottery charges in munich
pal court this morning against three
NegroeG and another man arrested
after the raid cn 322 N. Senate Ave,
Wednesday morning, in which pa
troll load of baseball pool tickets and
other materials was seized.
4 l1C Clldl ECO Al1ll1lCQ1dLCly WCAN
relied in Criminal Court and Nib
lack filed motion to impound the
more than 10000. books of tickets
seized.
Defendants in this case are Den
yer D. Ferguson, alleged operator
of the ticket factory; his brother,
Sea Ferguson; his cousin, William
Ferguson, and Michael Gray, al
legged agent.
Meanwhile, the second big case of
the present drive remained in Judge
Paul G. Wetter's municipal court.
Criminal Court Investigator John G.
Willis late Wednesday arrested Jo-
seph P. ROLES, printer, $40 Century
Bldg, as the operator of a huge
lottery, and Edward j. Holmes, 1435
S. Illinois ST., as an agent of ROLES.
Willis charged he had informa-
tion that this lottery brought in
about $4,000 a week from regular
customers" and disbursed only
weekly prizes ranging from $40 to
s160 and one monthly prize of
$1,000.
Winners formerly we're deter
mined by spin of roulette wheel,
Willis said.
ROLES and Holmes asked for a
change of judge. The defense struck
Ralph K. Kane from the list sup
piled by Judge Wetter.
The State struck Harry E. Yockey,
the special judge whose rulings
stopped several pool selling prose-
cutions Wednesday. This left
Charles S.. Wiltsie, who is to try
the case July IL.
Meanwhile, Prosecutors Detective
Harry McGlenn obtained a search
warrant for ROLES place and seized
a box about two feet wide and deep
Afuil of lottery tickets, and a smaller
box from which the winning num-
bers are said to be drawn. This
method replaced the roulette wheel
plan, 1t is said,
This equipment was impounded
by Judge Collins.
Evidence Is Obtained
Patrolmen George Stricken pre-
sented such case against three
men today that Municipal Judge
Paul G. Wetter, who frequently has
discharged gaming defendants and
criticised police for arresting them,
remarked: "This is one case in
which the police had the evidence"
The Judge fined Floyd Newman
poolroom operator, 401 Virginia Ave-,
$25 and costs for keeping gaming
house: his attendant, Wayne Thorn
as, $50 Lexington Ave, $40 and costs
for pool selling: and Charles Lud-
wig, 1874 Hoyt Ave, customer, $5
and costs for gaming.
Stricken testified he stood near the
baseball ticker and scoreboard in
Newman's place and saw Ludwig
buy 50 worth of tickets from
Thomas.
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