Evening star., 1931-06-10
Schafer's Complaints Called
to Attention of Heads
of Departments.
TEST IN POLICE COURT
TO DECIDE CAMPAIGN
Arrests in Gaming and Liquor
Places Made Under Broad In
depreciation of Law.

Arrangement of 13 men arrested on
vagrancy charges yesterday as a part
! OF the Police Departments war on
bootleggers and gamblers was postponed
| today for a week
The delay was granted after attor-
neys for the men, who were scheduled
for arraignment in Police Court this
morning, informed Judge Robert z.
Mattingly they had not had sufficient
time in which to prepare their cases.
At the same time Representative
John c. Schafer announced receipt of
a letter from Lawrence Richey, one
of the Presidents secretaries, saying
remedial suggestions of Representative
Schsfer with respect to gambling among
Government employees have been brought
to the attention of the heads of the
various Government departments.
The Richey letter was in reply to one
written by Schafer to Walter Newton
another of the Presidents secretaries,
asking for such action.
At the same time. the police appar-
emily were preparing to continue their
/
effort to rid the city of bootleggers and
gamblers.
Meanwhile, it was learned at police
headquarters that several big shot
gamblers. who the police planned to
arrest on vagrancy charges, have left
town.
Duck Vagrancy Arrests.
Some of these men. it was said. are
n1I H.
decided to absent themselves rather
than risk the embarrassment of being
arrested as 'Vagrants." The explana-
ton offered the policemen who have
been seeking them, it was added, was
that they were ''on their vacations"
Although more than 20 men were
arrested On vagrancy charges only 13
are known to have been taken into Gus
tody as result of the drive on boot
Logging and gambling. The others. it is
understood, are men who probably
would have been arrested as yagrants,
anyway.
Continuation of the attack on boot
Logging and gambling via the vagrancy
law. it is believed, will depend upon
what disposition is made. of the Police
Court cases scheduled for next We'd
nesday.
Because of his criticism of gambling
activities among Government employees,
Representative Schafer received
threatening letter, he said today.
Letter Was Unsigned.
The gist of the epistle. he explained,
was that unless he discontinued his
efforts to prevent gambling on the
Governments time he would be
taken for a ride and the Police De-
partment would be powerless to do
or Nifla
Representative Schafer did not turn
the letter over to the police, he added,
because it was unsigned.
Most of the men arrested on vagrancy
charges had no difficulty in raising the
$500 bond necessary to obtain their re-
lease. In fact, police said, many CT
them flashed bankrolls of impressive
sizes.
The connection between the vagrancy
drive and the war on bootlegging and
gambling. Capt. Frank S. W. Burke.
first precinct commander, explained, Is
that most of the men arrested have
been watched and are known to be
connected with boctleggers or gamblers
in one way or ano her.
Secret List Prepared.
As a result of the watch kept on
habltues of the various drinking and
gambling establishments raided here re-
Gently. confidential list" of men ell
gible for arrest has been compiled, it
was said. This list. it was added. con-
tains names of number CT men yet
to be taken into custody, presumably
as "vagrants''
The vagrancy arrests it was explain
ed, are being made under a broad in
depreciation of the District Code. which
defines persons without visible means Of
support as vagrants. Under the code,
those convicted are liable to not more
than years Imprisonment in the work.
house.
The "vagrantS" arrested yesterday
were taken into custody by Detective
Sergts. D. j. Murphy, H. K. Wilson and
j. G. Dalglish of the headquarters
squad. H. C. Bauer of the vice squad,
and Detectives j. A. Mostyn and A. D.
Mansfield of the first precinct.