Evening star., 1936-08-03
MORE RIGID LAWS
ARE URGED TO KILL
NUMBERS RACKET.
Officials Confer on Seeking
Congress Aid to Stamp
Out Gambling.
PLAY HERE ESTIMATED
AT 100000 DAILY
Charles Warning Pleads Not Gull
ty to Assault Charge in
Bootleg War"

STRENGTHENING of the Districts laws
against gambling will be asked at the
next session of Congress, particularly
to make possible more effective at
tack on the numbers racket, law en-
forcement officers and the Commis-
sioners decided at a conference today.
Determination to urge Congress to
put more teeth into the District code
was reached after Lieut.. George Little,
head of the vice squad, estimated that
as much as 100000 daily is wagered
on the numbers game.
The Commissioners designated a
committee to review bills offered at
the last session and to submit any
amendments deemed necessary to help
the attack on the numbers game. Ed
ward w. Thomas, assistant corpora
tion counsel. was named chairman.
Other members are Roger Robb, as
sistant United States attorney, and
Lieut.. Little
Officials in Attendance.
Attending the two-hour discussion
were United States Attorney Leslie c.
N1olAlSOts AAAo oSSAStolAUs AsObb' fANkA1A6
Corporation Counsel Vernon E. West,
Assistant Corporation Counsel Rice
Hooe, Leo Fee, Thomas, Police Supt.
Brown and Commissioners Melvin c.
Hazen and Dan I. Sultan
Commissioner HaZen said the opin-
ions of the officials also were sought
on other proposed legislation.
70 u ~, ,,e., ~,
corporate in their legislative program
a bill to raise the maximum value OF
property upon which person may be
charged with petty larceny from S35
TO SIS, the purpose of which would be
to lessen the number Of cases in
volving small sums Of money on which
jury trials now must be granted in
District Supreme Court.
HaZen also said he was determined
to seek enactment of a bill for the
creation of a farm for habitual drunk
ards in connection with the District
workhouse at Occoquan.
Another bill he said likely would be
pushed again next January is that
which would require semi-annual me-
chanical inspection of automobiles.
The proposed establishment of a
limited system Of magistrates courts,
designed to handle minor cases and
to relieve congestion in Police Court,
was discussed, but no decision was
reached, it vas said.
Warning Pleads Not Guilty.
Meantime, Charles r. Rags) War
ring pleaded not guilty in Police Court
today to charge of assault with i'll
tent to kill and was ordered held for
action of the grand jury. Warning was
permitted to remain at liberty after
renewing the $4,000 bond he posted
following his arrest Saturday.
His attorney, Charles E. Ford, asked
that the bond be reduced to S2,500,
contending the victim of the alleged
assault, Joseph E. O'Brien, who was
shot July 81. had failed to make a pos
tive Identification of Warning as one
OF his assailaEtS.
Police officials claim the identifica-
tion of Warning by Brien was posi-
tive.
Three other men, charged with
Warning as participants in the alleged
assault in bootleg war" are at lib
erty under $4,000 bond each. Judge
John P. Mcmahon, who heard War
rings plea, said he would have de-
manded $4,000 surety from each of
the other three had he heard their
cases.
They are Samuel S. (Monte) Mont
gomery, Joseph Bond and George F.
Tear, all of whom were principals in
a recent District Court liquor con-
spiracy trial. They were convicted in
that case. which is now pending in the
United States Court of Appeals.