Evening star., 1935-01-16
BR0WND|SCL0SES
.4D0ROUTED|ND.C.
DRIVE ON GAMING
Cites Success of Police in
Budget Hearing-Asks
New Laws.
Department MORALE
is LAUDED BY CANNON
Hard Boiled Traffic Strategy to
Reduce Deaths Being Weighed.
Jury Reform Urged.


more than 400 gamblers and their
runners out of business in the last
year, Maj. Ernest w. Brown, super
intendent, told the House Subcommit-
tee on Appropriations during recent
hearings on the 1886 budget estimates.
In fact, Maj. Brown assured the
subcommittee the department. under
his administration, had done more to
break up gambling in the District than
at any time in its history.
Mai. Browns statement followed re-
marks by Representative Cannon,
Democrat, Of Missouri, chairman of
the subcommittee, that two serious
indictments had been brought against
the District government-that the
police department had been unable to
control gambling and that an "ap-
palling" number of persons were be-
ing killed in traffic accidents.
Despite the exodus of the 400 gam
blers and their assistants, Maj. Brown
admitted there had been a spread in
the so-called numbers" racket, which
he said, the department found diff
cult to curb because of inadequacy OF
existing gambling laws.
Stricter Laws Needed.
1--WE are not going to have very
much success on the numbers, in sup
pressing them as much as we woulc
like to do" said Maj. Brown, until
we get more stringent laws. We are
handicapped, of course, in raiding g
so-called gambling establishment.
The fact is. you have to get evidence
before you can get warrant or arrest
and you have to have search warrant
because if you walk in without q
search warrant, the case is thrown
out of court because it is illegally
seized
$50 speak with pride, as far as
the District of Columbia is concerned
of what the police department is do
ing in suppressing gambling in the
District"
Maj. Brown discussed the gambling
situation in nearby Maryland. anc
told the story of a stranger in Wash.
ington who lost 81 ,920 at one estab.
lishment near the District line before
he discovered the dice were crooked
and the card decks had from 48 to Sc
cards. This man, however. recovered
his losses after threatening actor
against the place.
Members of the subcommittee ques-
R4s oh Sc ~
graft within the department, and con-
ditions in the courts, as well as tht
traffic situation and the Parole Board
He said throughout the year only
six officers were discovered who hae
accepted money as bribeS, and they
were promptly dismissed.
Credit Given Police.
That statement prompted Chairman
Cannon to remark
That reflects credit on your ad.
ministration. You know. in a groul
of men the size of your force, it il
inevitable that you will find now anc
then some weak sister. 1t is to b.
regretted, but it is the law of averages
I consider the police force of Wash
ington, as a whole. one of the fines
in the country. And the very fac
that you weed out such instances a!
these you have mentioned, as soon a.
called to your attention, warrants {
continuation of confidence on the par
of the public"
Maj. Brown expressed belief tina
the increase in traffic fatalities wa
due to a number of causes, chief.
speeding, and carelessness on the par
of drivers and pedestrians. Driving
while drunk, he said, also had been ,
factor, since the arrests for this of
fense had increased from 224 in 1913;
to 268 last year.
Steps taken by the police department
to make the streets safer we're citet
by Maj. Brown. He said none appar
emily had been effective. and that HI
had about decided "hard-boiled tao
tics of strict and rigid enforcement
are the best thing"
Maj. Brown also told the committee
he has been "disgusted" with juries
and referred to two cases in which
persons obviously guilty had been &C
quilted.
Criminals on Juries.
"As long as you have jury whee
you are going to have juries turning
criminals loose" interposed Represent
ative Blanton, Democrat, of Texas
There have been jury panels wher
you have recognized bootleggers ant
criminals on the jury, have you not?
YES" replied Maj. Brown, "and VI
do all we can to get them Off"
But sometimes there are so man.
of them," interrupted Blanton, "tha
the peremptory challenges will no
take them off. Is not that SOP"
YES" agreed Maj. Brown. "Ther
probably are. We have to watcl
gambling cases the same way"
There is a way of enforcing the lay
if you want to enforce it," adde'
Blanton. "I would suggest to the jur
commissioners that they take step
to change this infamous jury whee
business here"
ct want heartily to second the sug
gestion of Judge Blanton," remarke
Chairman Cannon. something
seriously wrong in the method OF sc
lecting juries here in Washington
Steps should be taken, such as Judg
Blanton suggests, to see that jurie
are impaneled which will enforce tn
law when the evidence justif1es con
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