Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-21
BURKE WILL WARN
PROPERTYOWNERS
IN GAMING DRIVE
UItimatum viii Tell Them to
Rid Buildings of Gamblers
or Face Arrest.
ESTIMATES 1.-TWO DOZEN"
DENS ARE IN OPERATION
Nearly 100 Men Taken in Raids
Conducted by U. S. Marshals
and Police.

Warnings TO rid their properties of
gambling establishments or face arrest
as principals with the operators will be
served on the owners and agents of
buildings housing some two dozen al
legged gambling establishments in the
business district, Capt. Frank Burke of
the flrst precinct announced today.
Capt Burkes drastic ultimatum came
on the heels of the arrest of nearly a
hundred men yesterday In the second
OF series of raids on gambling houses
by the United States marshalS and
police under the authority of Federal
search warrants. Plans were made 10
take the operators direct to the grand
jury instead of to Police Court.
Two Dozen" Capt. Burke declared,
would be . conservative estimate of
the number OF big gambling dens now
running In my precinct The owners
and agents of the buildings rented ex-
clusively for gambling purposes win be
notif1ed what Is going on In the struc-
lures.
IF they continue to accept rent while
knowing of the conditions, they will be
held responsible as well as the operators.
They will be charged with setting up
gaming tables, q felony. We will ask
the District attorney to prosecute them.
This policy already has been followed
In the cases of the owners of buildings
used IS speakeaSieS and houses of ILL
fame. Gambling certainly Is an analo-
gous offense."
Owners Should Pay Penalty.
The precinct commander added some
penalty should be paid by owners who
permitted barricaded doors a. thick A,
those Of ice boxes to be installed on
their premises to delay police raiding
squads. He explained he had reference
to the owners Of buildings occupied by
the gamblers operating on large scale,
not the "pikers.~
Capt. Burke declared every resources
at his command would De brought into
play TO drive from business q syndicate
controlled by two men. He charged this
syndtcaSe was operating practically ali
Of the gambling establishments rIira IN
q dagrant manner.
I'VE intend 20 close ND these PLACES
Capt. Burke said, regardless Of thu e.
Iorts they have made TO keep 10 out nv
putting IN heavy braces with from rods
on the inside and bars over the wir-
doWs. We know where they are and We
intend TO continue raiding them, we
would be materially aided. however. II
we obtained the cooperation of the
owners OF the buildings They viii
either Cooperate or go to jail"
Crosby Paves Way.
Police Commissioner Herbert n.
Crosby said today he was taking no
personal part in the raids, but that he
personally helped pave the way to en-
able the police to secure warrants for
suspected gambling establishments
wnere they had experienced difaculty
Numerous complaints have come to
my desk about gambling in the city as
well as about other subjects" he said
today, so took Maj. Henry q. Pratt,
Inspector Thaddeus r. Bean and Can't.
+. s. w. Burke of the first precinct to
see District Attorney Leo. A. Rover to
md out how We could get these war
rants and execute successful raids and
still be within the law. At that con-
ference, was really more or less OF q
spectator and sat still and listened while
the others talked, and we finally worked
out scheme for securing the warrants
and for having greater secrecy as to
the name OF the person for whom the
warrant was issued or the address.
subsequently, I have not taken any
part in the matter and have never
Atto"h "ASh nAy Aniu Was gong 10 Do
made or who was going to be raided.
There Is one exception to that. I went
down to the first precinct yesterday to
see Capt. Burke on matter having to
do with locking of a citizen in q cell
at the first precinct and while was
there I learned that a gambling raid
was then in progress.
Insists Law Be Enforced.
"I must not be undprstnod ne CON-
Quoting any drive except in the sense
that I do insist that the police enforce
the gambling laws as well as all other
laws. But I would never think of di-
recttng a specific raid or a SPECIFIC set
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