Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-25
Company Furnishes Unlisted
Phones for Criminals, Gibson
Committee Is Informed.
ACCUSATIONS BRING
DENIALS FROM FIRM
Ohicial Declares Charges Made BY
Hesse and Pratt Are
Absurd.

Charges that private telephone ex-
changes are operated in Washington for
gamblers. bootleggers and criminals
and that the telephone company fur
nlshes unlisted telephones to these peo-
pie who are operating outside of the
law and refuses to give information 10
the police, were made at special meet
ing of the Gibson subcommittee TODAY.
Both Maj. Edwin B. Hesse and Ia
spector Pratt Of the Police Department
testified that telephone officials have
refused to give information on unlisted
telephones on the ground that 1t is
prohibited by law. These officials. Mai
Hesse said. told him they never ques-
toned the business of persons who
sought private telephones and that the
company would be subject to suit IL 1t
gave out such information.
Says Company Refused Informa ton.
Inspector Pratt testified that he re-
Gently ralded place where there were
II or IA telephones, with unlisted num-
bers, and the telephone company re-
fused to give him information as to
whose telephones these were. He told
the subcommittee that telephone off,
Gals said they did not know of anv
such telephones. He went back and
telephoned over each one of the phones
he said. and on 10 of the IA, he received
an answer.
Clinton Howard, chairman of the
national united committee for law
enforcement, who has been conducting
Sunday law enforcement meetings here
Tor the last two months, also testified
That he had learned that private teIe-
pnone exchange was operated for
gamblers. bootleggers and other GRIM
mas He estimated that there arc
4,UoO 10 1000 speakeasieS in the city
but ON examination admitted that sIi
oI MS investigations had been carried
ON by one man.
inspector Pratt told the subcommittee
tnat there are direct telephone lines
from barber shops and cigar stores 10
gamblers headquarters.
chairman Gibson explained that he
ne mad been approached recently nv
persons who said that they were in
formers for the Police Department. and
tnat In certain blocks liquor was sold
in every house.
IF the Police Department will secure
indictments for these alleged bootleg
gers and bookmakers. We will discon-
tlnue their service at once" declared
Walter B. Clarkson, assistant to the
president of the Chesapeake Ss Potomac
Co, IN a statement to The Star. I'VE
90 not desire to give telephone service
10 any such people, but. being a public
utility, We must supply service to those
VINO apply for it. and are permitted to
do business
IL there are any private branch ex-
changes furnished to bootleggers and
CRIMINALS We have no knowledge of it.
belng public utility. We cannot refuse
10 give telephone service to those who
apply Tor 1t. We would much prefer not
10 give telephone service to any alleged
oookmaker. or bootlegger. but when peo-
pie come to us and apply for service. If
they are in such business, they never
disclose it.
Cannot Discriminate"
1T is the practice of a telephone
company. when any individual SUBJ
Scrlber so desires. not to list his name
In the directory, and we make no dis
elimination. Many people in Washing
ION; particularly those in public life.
prefer not to have their names listed
in the directory. in order that thev
might not be disturbed. There are
thousands of non-listed subscribers in
washington today and we make no
discrimination. We cannot give out
information as to these non-listed tele-
phones for the same reason that the
people desire to have them Unlisted.
but the idea that We are protecting
oootleggers and bookmakers by refusing
to divulge the information we have Is
absurd
Mr.. Howard stated that. at a recent
meeting. policeman said he wanted to
wash his hands of this whole business"
because every time he made out a case
he was "the goat
"Higher-Ups" Are Blamed.
Mr.. Gibson explained that according
10 his study of the situation the police
are not entirely at fault for existing
conditions and that the Office of the
district attorney, the corporation coun-
sci and higher-ups of the Police De-
partment are to blame.
Mr.. Howard said that the investi-
gator employed by him had discovered
342 SpeakeaSieS i'll Northwest Washing
ton anG only four on Four r-and-a-half
street. He estimated that 70 per cent
OF all the gamblers, bootleggers and
criminals are on unlisted telephone
numbers. which are guarded jealousy.