Evening star., 1934-10-26
Responsibility for Barriers
Violating Code to Be Put
on Landlords.
CIVIC LEADERS AND
BAR PRESS CAMPAIGN
Mass Meeting Monday to Hear
Plea to Curb Crime-Experts
Study Fatal Bullet.

Building code restrictions we're in
voked by the Commissioners today in
a new and drastic move against gam
bling houses as an emergency COM
mittee of the District Bar Associa-
ton went forward with plans for a
mass meeting of aroused citizenry"
Monday night to map a far-reaching
campaign against the city's petty
racketeers and criminals.
The Commissioners issued an official
order requiring agents of the building
inspectors to make immediate inspec-
tons of buildings raided by police to
determine if any building, zoning or
fire escape regulations had been bro
ken by suspected gamblers. Thus ac-
ton will be directed against landlords
as well as tenant gamblers.
AS suggested yesterday by Attorney
General Cummings and Endorsed by
Scott M Loftin. president of the Amer
lean Bar Association. leaders of the
bar crusade are determined to set up
a permanent agency for persistent,
coherent and continuous operation"
against lawlessness.
COmmltLee OF bU Named.
A committee of go well-known at
torneys was named after the local bar
association. holding a luncheon at the
Mayflower Hotel in honor of Loftin
and the Attorney General, was urged
by its president, F. Regis Noel, to get
into the situation" typihed by the gang
ambush of sn innocent victim at Ia
koma Park. Md. early Tuesday.
Meanvh le, the gaming places, which
closed ten porarily when police began
to comb them for information Of the
Staying. were reported reopening today.
At least six or eight" of them have
resumed operation, police we're in
formed.
In their order the Commissioners
specifically instructed police to notify
the building inspectors at once of
places they have raided in their drive
on crime. and particularly gambling.
The effect of the move is to bring
the owners of real estate definitely
into the picture and to place upon
them a measure Of responsibility for
what their tenants do with their
property.
The move is designed to break down
one of the most serious handicaps to
effective police action against known
gambling places-the use of a series
of barred doors at the entrances, the
barring of windows and the blockading
of fire escapes to prevent quick en-
trance by police. The Commissioners
are determined to prosecute owners of
buildings IN any cases of violations.
Would Uncover Frauds.
The zoning law will be used in cases
where it is found an occupancy permit
has been obtained for some legitimate
business only used as blind for the
operations of gamblers. While build
ing permits must not necessarily be
obtained for installation of heavy
doors or the barring Of windows, per-
mits are required where there is any
structural change in the building.
AT the same time the Police De-
partment was under orders from Com
missioner Hazen to wage a campaign
of constant harrassment" against
gambling places. Hazen said the po-
lice should follow gaming resorts from
location to location and raid them re-
peatedly, despite the difficulty of OBJ
tanning convictions in court.
The innocent victim of the latest
gang outbreak was Allen B. Wilson,
80. a newspaper route carrier, who
was slain from ambush by gunner
lying In wait for Mickey" Mcdonald,
said to be Washington numbers"
Continued on Page 8, Column g.