Evening star., 1935-02-20
POLICE CONSULTED
DURING RECESS Of
CRIME PR0BERS
Counsel Fitzpatrick CIoseted
With Detectives 0gle
and Broderick.
GAMBLING AND BOOTLEG
RAIDS MADE BY OFFICERS
House Committee Action Put Over
/ for Several Days-Deal With
General News Co. Barred.


House suspended for several days,
John R. Fitzpatrick, counsel for the
committee, took advantage of the re-
spite today for the first of series OF
conferences with police officers, who,
he believes, can shed further light on
Washington's vice situation.
The first to be interviewed were De-
tective Sergt. Howard E. Ogle and Pvt.
jeremiah c. Broderick of the sixth
precinct. These officers spent more
than an hour closeted with Fitzpat-
rick, but the nature of the informa-
ton they gave him was not disclosed.
Operated Major Raids.
Ogle and Broderick formerly were
attached to special squads engaged in
rounding up bootleggers and gamblers.
Ogle operated chiefly in Southwest
Washington and is credited with a
number of major raids in that section.
. Chairman Randolph of the Investi-
eating Committee said 1t had not been
decided when the hearings will be re-
sumed or who will be called as the
next witness. 1t Is likely. however
that the hearings will be delayed until
+ Monday, due to the George Washing
ton birthday anniversary holiday and
the customary week end adjournment
z Of the House.
' Agreed Not to Prosecute.
The sensation of the crime investi-
cation thus far was an explanation
late yesterday by United States At
torney Leslie c. Garnett of the fail
ure of the Government to prosecute
the General News Co., which formerly
had a branch Office in Washington
furnishing race-track information to
gamblers.
Expressing a doubt as to the ad-
visibility Of discussing the case, Gar
nett, nevertheless, revealed how the
company made him a proposition to
withdraw and cut off all information
in the District if prosecution was
dropped, following a raid on its Wash
ington headquarters. The arrange
ment was accepted, he said, after the
Department of Justice had agreed
with him It would be an effective means
Of curbing gambling
Garnett pointed out, however, that
when the compromise was agreed to-,
there was grave question as to
whether the company had violated the
law.
"It was thought" he said, 1--WE could
accomplish more for the District by
accepting the proposition than by in
dictment."
Information Bootlegged.
After the company withdrew from
Washington, Garnett declared gam
blers tapped its wires outside the Dis
trict and bootlegged information.
That practice, however, he explained,
has been broken up.
Garnett subsequently told of his de-
cision to seek cooperation of the
Chesapeake g. Potomac Telephone Co.
rather than prosecute for violation
Of the gambling laws for service sup
piled gamblers.
My Office has received 100 per cent
cooperation from the legal depart
ment of the company" he said. 81
am not sure We received 100 per cent
cooperation from the commercial de-
partment. Since the Sam Beard case,
when we found go phones in one room
whenever have notified them had
evidence that their phones were being
used for illegal purposes they have
relied on my word and Immediately
destroyed the connection.
II started this crusade and at the
beginning there was the question
whether we should indict the tele-
phone company or try to get them
kN ban
partment now says they have the
commercial department eating out of
their hands"
b Sigma Chi Case Cited.
Garnett also was questioned about
his action in nolle pressing the So
called Sigma Chi arson case after the
two men involved had been found
guilty and appealed and the Court
OF Appeals had remanded the case for
xetrial. While the appeal was pending
Attorney General Cummings filed a
4 confession of error.
= Personally, Garnett said, he believed
the two men had a fair trial, but his
superior didn't"
THE ca.se," he declared, twas nolle
pressed on my own authority, but after
o conference with the Attorney Gen
eral"
The names Of number of WASH
mgton lawyers who practice in crimi-
nal cases exclusively were given the
committee by Garnett upon request.
These included two attorneys whom
he described as big Shots"
Representative Reed, Republican, of
Illinois ventured the suggestion that
some Of the criminal lawyers are men
TO whom criticism is attached" Gar
nett admitted there were some in that
class.