Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-08
GAYETY BENEFIT
PROBE IS STARTED
Gibson Group to Follow Hear
ing With Sweeping Po-
lice Inquiry.
Continued From First page.)

| (ConClnued from FIrsL Fage.)
sentative Bowman of West Virgins
asked Freeman, when he had finished
The witness then repeated the stor!
substantially, celebrating occasionally
on certain details and saying that it wa!
Pat O'Connor, professional bondsmar
and sports referee, who first called hi
attention to the needy condition Of thu
one family he originally intended Il
help.
Bowman then proceeded to question
Freeman about the expenses Of the per.
! Torrance and the number Of ticket.
| that were printed for the affair. AL.
though he estimated the seating ca
pacity of the Gayety between 1900 and
| 1900, Freeman said he had 5000 tick.
| cts printed, but on the back of 1,50C
was stamp indicating that 1t was tc
| be an admission ticket The remaining
| 4,500 tickets, he said, were used for ad.
vertising purposes.
Freeman said the expenses of the
show probably would amount to 81 400
The receipts he declared totaled about
| $500, Sill of which was turned in by
! the theater box office.
SI0O for Coffee and Sandwiches.
Bowman then asked Freeman to out
line the expenses and he proceeded from
memory. When he reached an item OF
500 for sandwiches and coffee for the
performers, Bowman interrupted.
Gee whiZ," he exclaimed. 'They
| must have had an abnormal appetite,
added Chairman Gibson.
Il gave them chicken sandwiches
txtyfNf pI1 r. lAr
Joe. I'm sorry wasn't there" inter-
the witness stand, Chairman Gibson said
he did not call the promoter for the
purpose of criticiZing. II don't want to
take the bread out Of the mouths Of
hungry women and children" said
Gibson.
Gibson proceeded to examine Freeman
by asking him if the show was adver-
tised. Eyes, SIR" replied the witness
II had sign in front Of The theater.
also advertised by going around and
mixing in with the sporting public and
advertising by word Of mouth. ! went
to restaurants and barber shops and
called on professional bondsmen."
DO you know any gambling places?"
he was asked.
mo, I don't go in those places" Free
man replied.
did Frank Mccormick buy any tick
cts for the show" asked Chairman Glib
son. mo-" said Freeman.
What is McCormick's business?"
Gibson inquired.
Freeman hesitated and finally said,
''He is at 2l2 Ninth street." II know
business?"
: HE runs lunchroom, I think" said
Freeman. us that all he runs?" asked
Gibson.
Freeman admitted in the cross.exam-
nation then that he had heard McCor-
mick was interested in gambling.
did Eddie Kileen buy any tickets2"
Gibson then asked. mot directly, but
heard he bought some," said Free.
man. He bought 20 tickets"
Makes Other Denials.
what is. Kileen's business?" asked
Gibson. HAS he any? How does he
live?"
ST don't know" replied Freeman.
did Sam Beard buy any tickets9"
Il don't know, I never heard Of SAM"
answered Freeman.
do you know Tom Moore" asked
Gibson. did he buy any tickets?"
ST have seen him once" said Free
man. 81 don't know whether he bought
any tickets"
II got the impression from your tes-
timony that you knew the sporting
fraternity" said Gibson.
81 do" said Freeman. "But ! never
ask them their business"
do you know a man called Dutch
IRWIN" Gibson then asked.
81 know him by name and sight,
answered Freeman. '"The last heard
Of him he was in Cuba or Miami with
string Of horses"
asked Gibson.
cor. do you know Ryan, who is con-
nected with him In some way? Did
any Of these men buy tickets to your
show"
ST don't know" said Freeman.
"Then there Is Nubby Knuckles. You
know him, don't you?" asked Gibson.
81 met him in Richmond when I took
some wrestlers there" Freeman an
swered.
Now, be perfectly frank, joe" said
Gibson. isn't It fact that these men
are credited with being interested In
the running of gambling houses here?''
II don't know anything except what
have heard" was Freeman's reply. "1t
wouldn't be fair for me to say, when
don't know"
Chairman Gibson then resumed his
Interrogation as to how Freeman be-
came interested in the families Of the
four gamblers who were sentenced tc
jail and what financial assistance he
had given them. He said he had given
$500 to a Mrs. Stevens, 500 to Mrs
Lowry. 500 to Mrs. Mahoney, and
had given $40 and paid the rent for two
months for Mrs. Holland.
Lieut.. Edward j. Kelly and John
Fowler, headquarters detectives, who
| attended the benefit performance at the
Gayety, followed Freeman on the wit.
ness stand. They said they were as.
signed to the theater for the purpose Of
looking over those who attended anC
had seen about 80 they recognized az
having served time In prison and about
200 others who had police records.
| The committee will resume its inves.
tigation tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock
Sergt. o. j. Letterman, in charge Of the
| special liquor enforcement squad of the
Police Department, will be the first
witness.