Evening star., 1932-02-09
Law May Curb Gamblers
Police Difficulty in Coping With 'Nnmbers" Racket
Bookmaking and Other Forms of Evil to be
Overcome by Congress, Official Hope.

According to Inspector Beckett and
Capt. Bo Bo, assigned by Gen. Glass
ford to supervise the new gampilng
SQUAD, the numbers" racketeers nave
a regular system of espionage by Wnlch
they eliminate the ''undeslrables from
their expanding list of patrons. Cnly
persons known to be ok" may place
a bet
Suspicious persons ~are carefully In
vestigated by the spies, the police de-
clare. These spies have been known
to follow police informers for many
blocks in an effort to confirm Suspl-
cions that the undesirable one Is IN
league with the authorities.
District Attorney Rover explained the
need for new gambling legislation In
an interview.
THE United States attorneys offlce
cannot conduct successful prosecutions
in these gambling cases unless the evl.
dence is adequate, under present laws,
he said. The police say they cannot
obtain proper evidence in many cases
because their hands are tied by the
statutes and court decisions That IS
why 1 have urged the Senate commit
tee to enact the legislation introduced
at the last session by Senator Robson
of Kentucky.
"One bill would increase certain pen
alties for gambling law violations and
would have the important provision that
habitual frequenters of gambling
houses may be arrested on a misde-
meanor charge. Moreover, the bill
would make mere possession OF gam
bling paraphernalia, which would IN
clude numbers slips, misdemeanor
punishable by law.
"A second bill would make it pos
sible for my Office to paddock gambling
establishments Just as we now are able
to paddock liquor establishments.
Would Harass Frequenters.
In letter to Senator Capper, Mr.:
Rover pointed out that the first bill
would make it possible for the police
to at least harrass frequenters OF gam
bling houses by charging them with a
miSdemeanor These houses, the letter
said, cannot exist without patrons, anc
the type of person who frequents these
places will not relish being arreSted;
AT the present time" Senator Cap
per was informed the only weapon
the police can use against persons
found in gambling houses is to require
them to post collateral as Government
witnesses AS a matter of fact, this
act of the police is of doubtful legal
validity.
The purpose Of making 1t misde-
meanOr for one to have gambllng para
pherralia in his possession with intent
to use same in violation OF our gambling
statutes is to take care OF the situation
wherein the police are able to secure
admittance to a gambling house but
find no one actually operating the
gambling paraphernalia, because they
have probably escaped through the
rear door while the police were forcing
their entrance through the front door.
The commercial gambling situation
in Washington is in bad shape. 1t IS
most difficult for the Police Depart
ment to secure a lawful entry into
such a building, and while the heads
of the department and myself are
formulating certain plans, which. of
course cannot be given any publicity,
the passage of these two bills will be
OF immeasurable benefit to the author
tiles. who are now coping with this
crying evil"
Commissioner Crosby and Gen Glass
ford confirmed Mr. Rovers statement
regarding plans for an offensive
against gamblers in Washington, but
agreed that the effectiveness of these
plans depends on secrecy.
Il am determined to clean up this
gambling mess" Gen. Glassford de-
clared Il think the situation needs
the attention of special squad. Just
at present we are handicapped in our
fight, but I believe we can overcome
many of the obstacles if Congress will
aid lis with the new legislation"