Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-30
Seize 1870 Gallons of Alleged
Whisky and 75-GaIIon
Still on K Street.
CAPT. BURKE MARKS TIME
IN FIRST PRECINCT WAR
Cites Reprimand Given Lieut.. Var
ney as Reason for Delay in
Drive Against Violators.

Police continued their warfare on
speakeasies and gaming resorts today
following three forays by the vice squad
in the downtown section Of the city
yesterday afternoon.
Early this morning members Of In
spector Beams squad raided a house IN
the first block OF K street northeast,
made two arrests and seized 100 gallons
Of alleged whisky and 75-gallon-ca-
pacity still.
Nevertheless. Capt. Frank s. w.
Burke, commander OF the first pre-
cinct, where most of the recent war
rantless raids have been staged, still
was marking time in so far as his threat
ened war to a finish" on bootleggers
and gamblers in his territory was con-
cerned.
I'm not going to make any raids I'M
til I'm sure those made recently by
headquarters detectives will take, ne
explained.
Admitting that the bootlegging and
gambling situation in his precinct Is
pretty bad" the commander said he
and his assistant, Lieut.. Frank Varney,
are unable to do very much about 1t. y
Cites Reprimand for Delay.
The official reprimand given Varney
for leading a warrantless raid on New
York avenue gambling resort some time
Ego is responsible for this, Capt. Burke
cor inued.
Despite the fact that Varney OBJ
tanned six witnesses. all reputable men.
who were willing to testify that the
law was being violated in the place,
the case was not prosecuted. If 1t had
been. the captain added, the proprie-
tor would have pleaded guilty TO a
charge OF permitting gaming. be-.
cause, through his attorney, he agreed
to do so.
Varney not only was reprimanded,
but was warned that If he made any
more such raids, he would be taken
before the Police Trial Board.
AS a result Of the reprimand. 1t was
said the lieutanant's official rating for
the last quarter dropped from excel
lent to satisfactory" which means,
it was pointed out, that he Is Just get
ting by
Makes Precinct Look Bad.
Yesterdays raids, coupled with five
others made earlier in the week have
made it appear that the first precinct Is
not capable of looking after its own
affairs" Capt Burke said. The head
quarters d.tectives-Sergts. Howard
Ogle. Larry O'Dea and Arthur Finely
are doing the very thing for which Var
ney was reprimanded, the captain as
serted.
tn, places raided yesterday are locat-
ed at 8ll Ninth street, $40 Tenth street
and 1919 New York avenue. AZ the
Ninth street address the raiders found
about the same equipment as had been
discovered in a similar establishment
two doors above, which was ralded
Tuesday. They arrested Edward e.
Ford, coIored, &c years cid, Of 12l Four
and-a-Half street southwest, who also
had Eaen taken into custody In the
earlier raid and was at liberty on oond
on n possession charge.
More than $500 bottles OF home
brew, a quantity Of liquor and other
evidence Of drinking were conhScated.
Door Man Refuses Admittance.
rs has become their custom. the
raiders were merely looking fer
couple OF fellows" At the Tenth street
place. however, only O'Dea was able
to gain admittance, the other detectives
being recognized by the door man, who
rcfu-ed to let them in.
Habitues of the resort. apparently
recognizing Ogle and FINELY, escaped
by leaping from windows to the roof
of a shed and fleeing over adjoining
housetops A first precinct patrol
wagon had to make two trips to carry
away confiscated liquor.
The raids were made soon after Maj
Henry G. Pratt. superintendent Of po-
lice. announced that the campaign
against bootleggers and gamblers. be-
gun Tuesday, would continue without
let-up.
According to Capt. Burke. the series
of raids has caused slowing up OF
gambling and bootlegging activities in
the downtown section. Most Of the
resorts, he said. are laying low" wait
ing for the storm to blow over.
Meanwhile, tenth precinct police have
been informed Of series Of mysterious
telephone calls received by the Lithua-
MAN legation.
Because the recent liquor robbery at
the legation of Ell Salvador was pre-
coded by several such calls, fear was
expressed that another diplomatic
hi-jacking was being planned.