The Washington times., 1931-04-28
EX-|NFORMER
RETRACTS
CLAIMS
Rover to Go Through With His
Inquiry, However; Precinct
Officials Deny Allegations
CONTINUED From Page -

(ContInued from rage
for $50, the two officers today
explained that Douthitt had
started an alleged racket in the
First precinct and when stopped
attempted to vent his spleen on
not only themselves but Captain
Burke.
It was Lieutenant Varney who
sponsored q resolution before the
Policemen's Association in which
the Bluecoat was repudiated and
Douthitt charged with having
misrepresented the status Of the
magazine in soliciting advertising.
When the magazine first made
its appearance, Varney stated, q
number of complaints reached
the First precinct station regard
ing the activities of the editor
and his assistants.
One large firm was approached, |,
according to police, by DOuthltt'
who is alleged to have told them
that if they would take an ex'
pensive advertisement in the Blue
coat they would not need to worry
any more about such matters as
parking tickets or minor 1nfrac'
tions Of the police regulations.
Promised Fireworks
A representative Of the firm I'M
mediately went to the First pre-
cinct, it is said, and asked Captain
Burke if Douthitt's purported
statement could be accepted at
face value. An investigation was
Immediately started which resulted
in the Bluecoat being repudiated
and the editor instructed to cease
his alleged Misrepresentation.
It was following this episode, &C,
cording to Lieutenant Varney and
Sergeant Lineberg, that DOuthitt
made the remark that Varney
would not last much longer and
that Captain Burke would never
be made chief Of detectives. He ID
also charged with having told a
number of local gamblers that as
soon as the captain left town he
would start the fireworks"
United States Attorney Leo A.
Rover yesterday sent his assistant,
William H. Collins, to the hos
!, pital to obtain a statement from
the injured man who still in
sisted that he did not know who
his assailants we're.
$4,000 "Ice Bill"
At that time Douthitt dealt in
generalities, and Collins stated
that he had nothing tangible on
which to go. Later, however
Rover decided that the Grand
Jury should hear the whole story
The editor of the Bluecoat later
told Inspector William S. Shelby
that the gamblers had informed
him that the monthly "ice bill" at
the first precinct amounted to
$4,000 and was for the purpose Of
keeping things cool.
He then denied, when ques
toned, that he had any direct
knowledge of any specific cases OF
collusion, stating that everything
he knew was on hearsay and
hearsay alone.
His assertion that so gambling
houses are flourishing in the
First precinct was met by Lieu.
tenant Varney. who exhibited a
list of % suspected gambling
establishments. about the same
number of places where liquor
is believed to be sold, and about
IL places where other forms OF
, vice are believed to be engaged in
All Places Listed
This list, incidentally, is one
prepared on the first Of each
month and turned over to the
special vice and liquor squad
headed by Inspector T. r. Bean
Under. the order creating the
central squad the precinct com
manders supply the addresses OF
suspected "joints" and it is then
up to the special squad to work
up the cases against them.
LIVERY known gaming, liquor
and vice "spot" in the First has
been listed and the information
Runded to Rean. VarneV said,