Evening star., 1929-09-04
NUMBERS GAME"
CURB IS SOUGHT BY
DISTRICT OFFICIALS
Growth of Gambling Upon
Clearing House Figures
0verShadoWS Races.
PROSECUTION PRESENTS
NEW LEGAL PROBLEMS
Maj. Pratt Cites Lack of Specific
Statutes as Reason for Cau-
tious Proceedings.

The game of numbers" gambling on
the figures of the daily report Of the
New York Clearing House, which was
introduced here less than a year ago by
two colored men as more or less OF a
penny betting proposition, has grown to
such proportions as to overshadow
horse race bookmaking as the major
gambling activity in the Capital, and
even has forced the bookmakers to be-
come runners for the numbers" oper-
ators to keep their trade, according to
Mai. Henry D. Pratt, superintendent OF
police.
Holding forth the glowing prospect OF
6OO-to-1 odds for single play, the
game has caught the fancy OF all classes
of gamblers, from the small boy, who
plays his penny to the hardened gam
bier who plunges a hundred or a thou
sand dollars on a hunch, the ponce
chief says.
The 10 per cent the runners" coll
Iect from the operators in case the
ulayer loses, and from the winner, In
case he catches the lucky number, mas
proved a gold mine to these men, who
feed thousands of dollars each day into
the Golfers of the operators OF the game.
Seek way W ENUOTCuSCs
Meanwhile the Office of Leo A. Rover,
U. S. district attorney, is casting ABOUT
for an effective method of prosecuting
the numbers" operators, In preparation
for an intensive drive against this form
of gambling. This drive is to be started
in the near future, according to Assist
ant District Attorney James A. kirk
land to whom the district attorney mas
entrusted this phase of the work OF MS
prosecution of numbers" game op-
orators. because of the recent introduc-
tion of the game to the Capital, pre-
sents a new problem to the DISTRICT Az
torney's office, and the prosecutors are
proceeding warily in their plans 10 pe
sure that those arrested do not sllp
through loopholes in the law II is ex-
planned.
Two Are Under Arrest.
The police. according to Maj. Pratt.
have arrested many alleged operators
of the game, including two men, ne
saws. are the ones who. INTRODUCED Ine
game to the Capital few months ago;
Their indictments have been secured
under the old policy" game law, out
none of them have come to trial.
Mai Pratt says he is not sure tnaI
this is the proper law for the proSecu-
ton of numbers" operators. He Is
willing. he saws. to go to any extent TO
wipe out the new form OF gambling
which he considers far more 1nsldlous
and the old policy game. But l
want to know whether we can prosecute
the operators under the poncy law OF
whether we'll have to take announcer
tack" he explained. :,
Unlike the bookmakers, whose m
eliminating paraphernalia ncluoe
scratch sheets, betting slips, unhstea
teIenhones, telephones and telegraph
connections with the tracks at winch
horses are running, and large amount
of other Office necessities, the num-
bers" operator simply has newspaper,
a column of the numbers played py ms
clients and full wallet to pay on tne
winners.
Take Any Amount.
The numbers" operator will take
any amount in a play. He'll gamer
In the small boys peny with just as
much ayidity as he will take the gamo-
ler's hundred dollars, according to the
police and the district attorneys on
ice, for the odds against the player
il MANY thousands to one.
Neither Maj. Pratt nor Mr.. kirklanc
would make any estimate today as 10
the amount that daily goes lnto Ihe
coffers of the numbers players. The
more than 1000 numbers which the
combinations make up practically all
are covered during the days play, ac-
cording to the police, and some players
collect handsomely every day to spread
the news about the city and bring IN
more players. -
The numbers are taken from the
opening closing balances of the New
York Clearing House report, composing
the last two numbers of the millions
division of the opening balance ana tne
last number of the millions division OF
the closing balance. Then various
combinations also are worked out.
Odds About 800 to 1.
The odds are 600 to on the straight
play. A dollar on the winning num-
Der brings the player 5000, OF which the
runner collects $50, or 10 per cent as
his commission for running the pet
through to the main Office. The nam
office, where many players lay theu
bets, charges no commission, OUT 4orkS
over the full 600-to-1 odds.
Maj. Pratt expressed the opinion tnat
II there should happen to be a par
ticularly heavy play on winning M num-
her the operators would quietly slip out
of town and the player never would
receive his winnings.
It is conservatively estimated by the
police that there are at least zoo run
ners collecting daily the bets OF mum
bers" players in the District, each with
a good-sized clientele.
Fortune tellers, soothsayers, rake
and others claiming occult
powers have distributed about the city,
since numbers" playing has become
the rage, handbills offering .potlons,
powders, spirit readings and otner
means of divining the lucky numbers.
Stories Of Games Start.
Many stories are told of how the
game started in the Capital. Mr.. Kirk
land offered the story that colored
man from Atlantic City came to the
Capital and opened up the game In q
modest way, dealing largely with the
penny. nickel and dime players, but
nevertheless reaping handsome har-
vest. Another story, which Maj. Pratt
tells. is that two other colored men
started, the game. They are agreed
that the game got its impetus from the
play Of colored people. but has now
spread 80 as to number among lts
clients all creeds and colors.