Evening star., 1935-08-11

Two men arrested yesterday when
police and deputy marshals raided the
Washington headquarters of 'the
Grand National Treasure Hunt"-de-
scribed by its sponsors as a legal
lottery" and linked with the name Of
Mrs. Oliver Grace Hartman, New
York socialite crusader for national
lottery-will be given a preliminary
hearing early this week before United
States Commissioner Needham C..
Turnage.
The two involved in what may be
second test case concerning the same
alleged lottery are Albert Refs and
Philip Schoenberg. now at liberty un-
der $4,000 bond after being arrested
in their Offices at 1927 I street. Both
were charged with operating lottery.
but a young woman who had Just
taken job there as secretary was not
held.
The raiders, however. confscated
bales of literature advertising the
treasure hunt" scheme and describ-
ing Mrs. Harriman's National Con-
ference for Legalizng Lotteries. Inc
Stacks Of ticket books, which Refs
and Schoenberg we're selling, also
were seized. 8
Lottery, Say Police.
Authorities insisted the treasure
hunt" Is lottery. -
Refs and Schoenberg protested that
it was not. They were supported iii
this opinion by Maj. Thomas G..
Lamphier, well-known flyer and off,
Ger of the Quiet Birdmen. an avia-
ton organization. Lamphier. speak
ing by telephone from New York.
where he . is associated with Mrs.
Hartman in her movement to legal
ize lotteries and on a committee to
supervise charity distribution of part
of the treasure hunt" proceeds. pre-
dicted the men would be cleared.
He cited the case of a man and a
woman arrested in New York last June
on the same charges which were pre-
ferred here against Refs and Schoen-
berg. Magistrate Anna NJ. Kross, in
Yorkville. dismissed the charges and
commented that it was time the flight
Of United States dollars to foreign
sweepstakes and lotteries ceased. Press
clippings of this case were posted prom
inently in the raided Offices here.
In further support of his contention
that the treasure hunt" was legal,
Lamphier told of a letter from the New
York postmaster to officials backing
the scheme. with Offices at 800 Madison
avenue, New York The letter, he said,
was authorized by Post Office Depart
ment officials and held the treasure
hunt" was not within the scope of
postal regulations against lotteries.
Ruled on Before.
James j. Gregory Of the depart
ment's legal division here. said the
case had been ruled on once before and
that If this was the same project, it
was not construed to be lottery but
an ordinary puzzle contest.
Mrs. Harriman's name was painted
on the entrance doors of the raided
offices and her picture displayed about
the premises. She had come here on
July rs to press before Congress her
fight for national lottery, but she
told The Star by telephone from New
York yesterday that she had no con-
nection with any Washington branch
of the National Conference for Legal
izing Lotteries, Inc, of which she is
president. She also said the confer
ence maintains headquarters only in
New York and that she knew neither
Refs nor Schoenberg.
Mrs. Hartman added, however, that
she is supporting the treasure hunt
as chairman of a committee which
will distribute receipts donated to
charity.
Raiders Serve Warrant.
Lieut.. George M. Little of the vice
squad and four detectives, accom-
panied by Deputy Marshals Thomas
E. OFT and Thomas r. East, made the
raid shortly after noon, armed with a
warrant from Commissioner Turnage