Evening star., 1936-04-18
BEARD HENCHMEN
BEGIN JAIL TERMS
Families of II Men Pack
Court Room as Justice
Cox Denies CIemenCy.
BY WILLIAM S. TARVER.

The clemency they pleaded Tor de-
MED them, the IL convicted henchmen
of Sam R. Beard, gambling chieftain,
were in the District Jail today.
Each must serve from one to three
years for participating in the huge
gambling conspiracy which sent their
leader to the Federal Penitentiary at
Atlanta last week. Boards sentence
was two to six years.
When every legal recourse to save
them from prison had failed, the IL
asked for mercy, saying their records
were clear. Beard, who had a con-
viction for income tax evasion
against him, was not eligible for the
probation that they sought.
Late yesterday Justice Joseph w.
Cox said that both the law and pub
lie policy compelled him to commit
them to prison for the sentences he
imposed last Spring following their
conviction. They have been on bail
since.
Families Crowd Room.
The court room was crowded with
wives, friends and relatives OF the
defendants when the judge announced
his decision.
Women's sobs greeted his pro-
nouncement and several fearful
wives were restrained by deputy mar
shals from rushing to the sides of
their husbands. The IL defendants
filed from the chamber to cells be-
low the court room. Breaking a
standing rule, sympathetic officials
admitted several women to the cells
to say goodbye, while awaiting the
van which was to take the men to
Jail.
A week ago. at the time Beard was
committed, Justice Cox agreed to
treat the case of each of the IL others
individually, and ordered an investi-
CATION by the probation officer. The
United States Court of Appeals al
ready had held that their conviction
was proper, and the United States
Supreme Court had refused to review
the case.
OuSl1SC SOA 1C4AoCo P3OboOAOAA O4A viz
grounds that he had no power to
modify the sentences he had imposed,
and that public policy also required
commitment of the men.
Facts Call For Changes.
The probation reports on several Of
the defendants were favorable, he re-
vealed, saying facts now before him
probably would have led to a greater
variation in the sentences If he had
known them last Spring.
But no application for probation
was made at that time" he con-
tinued. "All decided to fight the case
and appealed with the defendant
Beard.
Some of these men have records
which appeal to the sympathy of the
court Some of them. in the clutch of
unfortunate circumstances and with
wives and little children to support.
needed work and turned to this illegal
enterprise.
But the public also must be con-
sidered. 1t has a great interest in
attempting to eliminate gambling
operations from the community. OF
course, the public is responsible for
gambling by the support given it,
but that arises out of the weakness of
human nature, and the law UNDER
takes to protect men from themselves.
Public policy demands that schemes
and plans which prey on weaknesses
of the community be abolished.
"All here knew they we're engaged
in an unlawful enterprise. Their
business was conducted behind barred
doors, and had been going on for a
long time and was far-reaching in
its ramif1cations.
Race Track Data Given.
Beard and his men were convicted
of running an establishment in the
Mather Building, which supplied race
track information to and received bets
from scores of other betting houses.
Pointing out that some of the de-
PENDANTS now are succeeding in legiti-
mate businesses, Justice Cox ex-
pressed the hope that they be paroled
as soon as possible so that they might
be restored to the places he said they
had made for themselves in society.
They must serve at least one year be-
fore parole.
Assistant United States Attorney
Roger Robb prosecuted the case and