Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-10
|DR|VE ON GAMBLING
| INTENSIFIED WITH
WARNING LETTERS
U. S. Prosecutor Notifies
Owners of Property Be.
1ieved illegally Used.
THEY ARE HELD LIABLE
FOR TENANTS ACTIVITIES
Collateral Is Raised in Numbers"
Cases to Suppress This
Form of Gaming.

United States Attorney Leo A. Rover
has sent out letters addressed 20 owners
OF premises reported by the police 10 De
used for gambling purposes in which he
threatens to hold, them responsible II
gaming is permitted on these premises.
The prosecutor points out that under
the law all persons aiding and abettlng
in violation of the gambling law may be
prosecuted as principals.
| At the same time, however Mr.. Rover
asks the cooperation of the owners OF
the premises in question and the aid OF
all "law-abiding citizens" here In his ef-
forts.
Careful Survey Made.
Commenting today on the proposed
drastic steps to blot out the gambling
evils, Mr. Rover said:
| . las a result of very careful and
exhaustive survey made by the MEM
bers of the Metropolitan Police Depart
ment, under the direction of the major
and superintendent. Henry G. Pratt. OF
| the places in this city where arrests for
violations of the gambling laws have
occurred in the past year, and where
| it is thought violations are continuing,
my Office is addressing a letter to the
| owners of the various premises where
violations have occurred, calling their
attention to those sections of the code
| being violated and requesting their CO.
! operation in Kidding their premises OF
violators of the gambling laws. The
! attention of the property owners has
H., likewise been called to the provisions
! of section 908 of the code of laws OF the
] District of Columbia providing that
persons conniving at an offense or aid
ing or abetting the violator may be
prosecuted, together with the actual
| Violator.
From June /, 1923, to June IS, 1929,
nine convictions have been had in the
! Supreme Court Of the District Of Co
lumbia and sentences totaling 26 years
and six months. In addition thereto
| fine of $500 was imposed on one
| defendant.
Cooperation Is Sought.
'"This Office confidently expects the
! earnest cooperation of the owners to
whom letters have been sent, as well as
the cooperation of all of the law-abid-
| ing citizens of the District of Columbia
| in stamping out the gambling evil
LAS an evidence of the extent to
which this Office and the Police De-
| partment have gone in the effort to
cope with this Situation, the report
shows that during the period from jan
uary /, 1928. to May l, 1929. the num-
Der Of places raided is 289. the number
of raids conducted 464 and the num-
| Der of persons arrested in connection
! with the violations 624.
Assistant United States Attorney
| Renah F. Camalier, who was recently
| transferred from the Police Court, where
he had been conducting the prosecu-
/ ton of liquor cases, has been placed
in charge of this campaign"
| A sample letter sent to the owners.
said to be involved, in list of alleged
gambling houses furnished by the police
| to the prosecutor, quotes sections 1868
and 9O8 of the District code against
| gambling and making an alder or a
bettor liable as principal. 1t points
out that sentence may be imposed on
such a bettor as on the persons con-
yicted of the gambling charge. The
owner is told that the police have re-
ported that gaming is being permitted
on the premises and his attention is
called officially by the prosecutor to a
matter "of which you might not be
| aware"
Illegal Use Explained.
The letter also points out that under
| the terms of your lease, such illegal use
| undoubtedly works a breach of the
! covenant, and as it is the intention of
! this Office to prosecute vigorously all
persons responsible for or in any man.
| ner connected with these violations, this
| opportunity is being given you at this
| time to correct condition, the exist
ance Of which you, perhaps, have been
| hitherto unaware"
The owner is advised that the matter
| is in the hands of Assistant United
States Attorney Camalier, who will give
| such assistance to owners, as desired, in
Kidding their premises of the alleged
gamblers.
| A new plan of procedure for hand
! ling cases involving the operators of
the increasingly popular game of
numbers" was adopted by the Police
Department today with view to max
| ing more effective its campaign to
break up this form of gambling in
Washington.
Acting on directions from the Office
of United States Attorney Leo A.
Rover, Maj. Henry G. Pratt, superin-
tendent of police, issued a special order
raising the minimum cash collateral
! for persons arrested for having any
connection with the game to $780,
| There has been no fixed minimum in
| the past, the amount of the collateral
| having been left to the discretion Of
| the precinct commanders.
| AS result, the police superintendent
pointed out, collateral as low as $25 has
been accepted, and offenders have for
feited rather than face trial in court.
Cases Under Code Law.
The order also directs that prosecu-
| lions against operators of the game be
brought Under section 866 of the Dis
trict Code in lieu of section 1853, which
pertains to lotteries. Section 866 deals
! with the setting up and operation of
gaming tables, and prosecutions under
| 1t will permit the cases to be tried in
Police Court, where speedier trial is
more likely than in the District SUI
preme Court.
Arrests in the past have been made
under the lottery law, but several Of
! the violators who were indicted by the
grand Jury are still at liberty under
bond. Mai. Pratt said the United States
attorneys Office had advised him that
| the gambling law would cover the
numbers game, and he feels that
prosecutions under it will, at least. get
| the offenders before court sooner
than if convictions are sought under
the lottery law.
with a fixed collateral minimum,
Mai. Pratt explained, it will be possible
| for the precinct commanders to increase
| the collateral above this amount In ag.-
0ravated cases or for second and third
| offenses which will have the effect OF
| forcing the cases into court or orlvlng
| the runners" for the operators OUT OF
business.