Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-26
Information Is Asked by Pratt
on All Arrests and
Suspects.
DRIVE ON GAMBLERS
AND VICE is HlNTED
SUPERINTENDENT Holds Secret Shape
Campaign Against Violators
Will Take.

An order was sent from police head
quarters to commanders OF all precincts
today directing them to submit not
later than May reports on premises
the tenants Of which have been arrested
since January on the charge OF keep
ING a disorderly house The precinct
commanders were also ordered to report
all premises in their respective precincts
at present under surveillance as suspect
ed disorderly houses.
This order. following close. on a
similar order yesterday directing the
cantains to make similar report on
gambling establishments, is taken as an
5ldication of a coming drive by the
police department against gambling ana
vice In the District. A hint of the drive
was given in yesterdays order relating
to gambling houses. which stated that
the information requested was important
tn the department In view of certain
contemplated action. The order issued
to6ay contains no such phraSing. nut
Mai. Pratt said that both had resuIteo
from q series of conferences between
him and District Attorney Leo A. Rover.
Common Nuisances."
Mai, Pratt said that under the Ken
yon law the District IS allowed to seek
court proceedings to paddock disorderly
houses as common nu1Sances. ms law
does not apply TO gambling houses.
Exactly what form the drive VIII take
Maj. Pratt regards as secret q police
work.
THE order today directs the captains
In each instance to indicate the street
and number of the premises, its owner,
rental agent, name of tenant on the
occasion of previous raids and names OF
officers making arrests and the DISPOSE
ton of the case or cases in courts.
No reports are TO be- submitted under
the order which cannot be Sttbstan-
tiated by existing records or by sworn
testimony.
Maryland Houses Pleased.
Munied cheers are coming from the
direction Of gambling establishments IN
nearby Maryland as the result OF Supr.
Pratt's order yesterday TO the Metro
politAn Police Department forecasting a
concerted Effort to clean up the gam
bling situation locally.
The MARYLAND operatives according
to advice reaching police headquarters
here. expect their own trade 70 pc
doomed Il the clamp is applied here.
Il has also been indicated that the
new turn Of affairs also, is getting its
share of attention from the Washington
gambling fraternity.
Information asked in Mai. Pratts
order includes locations Of places raided
as gambling joints since January J.,
1928, and locations of premises now uri-
der surveillance as those in which vio-
lationS of the gambling laws are believed
Is exist. Names of tenants and owners
Of such property also are to, be fur
nished by precinct commanders.
Important=lor Action.
The information herein directed to
be compiled and forwarded is of great
importance for certain contemplated ac-
ton of the department with relation to
violations Of the gambling statutes. The
order reads, land precinct commanders
are therefore directed to exercise great
care in compiling this information ana
10 see that no reports are Supmltteos
which cannot be substantiated by ex-
listing records or by sworn testimony"
Just what the important action men
toned means. Ii is stated, is not fully
understood By the captains OF the pre-
cincts. 1t Is generally believed that
Mai. Pratt expects to take drastic ac-
ton in the matter of gambling affairs
in this city.
Mai. Pratt this morning said one OBJ
ject he has in view was to check up
numerous statements that had come 10
his attention relative to the number OF
gambling places reported to exist here.