Evening star., 1934-12-21
Campaign of Harassment
Takes New Turn as Quin.
tet Is jailed.
GROUP IS HELD UNABLE
TO EXPLAIN PRESENCE
Hazen Refuses to Quarrel Over
Use of Old Material to
Build New Screen.
pictures on Page BID

The Districts campaign Of harass-
ment against "Jimmy's Place." notori-
Gus gambling establishment on the
Bladensburg road, took new turn this
afternoon when members of the vice
squad arrested five men lettering about
a filling station across the street from
the resort and took the group to police
headquarters for questioning.
Police said the men could not give
. satisfactory explanation Of their
clined to state whether they believed
the men to be employees of the gam
bling place, said the five would be held
for investigation.
It was not known whether this ac-
ton presaged a new move by the
large force of police stationed at the
District line by Police Supt. Ernest w.
Brown to halt and question all per-
sons seeking to enter the gambling es-
tablishment from the District side.
New Fence to Stand.
Meanwhile, 1t was learned at the
District Building that there will be
no controversy over the new fence
which was hastily thrown up by en-
ployes of the resort after workmen EN-
ployed by the District government had
taken it down yesterday afternoon.
Only q few hours after the old
fence had been dismantled in prepara-
ton for building new viaduct over
the Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad tracks
nearby and q new stretch Of road on
Eastern avenue, employees Of the gam
bling place recovered the material and
began building the new fence to screen
the places activities.
This material is mere Junk and we
would have given it away to anybody
who would haul 1t away" Commis-
sioner Hazen said. Anyway, If these
people hadn't taken this material they
would have gotten other material to
build q new screen, so there you are.
It would have cost the District money
to have hauled the fence away. As
far as I can see, 1t isn't worth quar-
reiing about"
Earlier, Charles e. Ford, attorney
representing the establishment, had
contended the fence belonged to his
client, although the property on which
it stood was purchased by the District
government in condemnation proceed
ings in 1925. Thus, Ford claimed,
employees Of the establishment had o
legal right to take the fence material,
which had been placed on the District
right-of-way on Eastern avenue after
being taken down.
Study Made by District,
At the District Building this morn
ing it was indicated q study was be-
ing made to ascertain whether pur-
chase Of the property did not also en-
tail purchase of that part of the
fence which was in the District, about
90 feet in all. Before Hazen's state
ment, it had been indicated that steps
might be taken to force the return Of
the material, thereby necessitating
building Of still another fence If the
places proprietors want their activi-
ties kept secret.
The double burden of building the
new fence and constructing a new
entrance and exit on the Maryland
side-together with the District DO
Ices activities in halting and ques-
tioning their patrons-proved too
much Of burden for the places pro-
prietors last night and they halted
activities several hours earlier than
usual.
This morning, however, although
there were no signs of life around the
gaming establishment itself; several
motorists who apparently had not heard
Of Maj. Browns campaign, were halted
and questioned as they sought to 60
to the place through the old District
entrance-now blocked.
Maryland Fails to Aid.
Meanwhile, Maryland authorities
have shown no disposition to Coop
crate in any way in the drive to close
the place, Maj. Brown said. The po-
lice superintendent added that If
Maryland police want the names Of
persons who frequent the establish
ment-for use in possible grand jury
investigation-he would be glad to
turn over to them the identihcations
obtained thus far.
Questioned about the matter, States
Attorney Alan Bowie of Prince Georges
County, stated he had received no Of
flcial word from District authorities
concerning their activities.
Asked what, If any, action he would
take if given the automobile license
numbers and names Of patrons leav-
ing the place, the prosecutor replied
he would rather not answer that
question"
In connection with the efforts
against the Bladensburg road place,
perhaps the largest gambling place
between New York and Miami, Maj.
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