Evening star., 1937-03-30
No Leniency Will Be Shown
Prisoners Caught in
Drive Here.
ID ARE ARRAIGNED
AND BONDS FIXED
Wife Of Jew Boy Dietz Accused
of Violating Customs Law
in Coat Case.

Assistant District Attorney Samuel
Beach declared today as IA men and
women, seized in a series of raids yes
terday, were arraigned before United
States Commissioner Needham c.
Turnage.
Among the defendants was Mrs.
Selma Plisco, blond wife of William
Plisco, alias Jew Boy Dietz, whom po-
lice say succeeded Sam Beard as head
OF the city's gambling rackets.
Mrs. Deitz, attired in a mink coat,
pleaded not guilty to charge of vio-
lating custom laws by smuggling fur
coat into the country. She was re-
leased in $4,000 bond. When arrested
in her home at 1882 Hobart street,
police said she had $4,000 in the
bosom of her dress and 5-carat dia-
mond ring in her shoe. Police are
holding the gem and the cash as "evi-
dence."
Harry Whelan, attorney for those
caught in the raids, argued the bonds
demanded by the district attorneys
Office were excessive and urged Com
missioner Turnage to reduce them.
Seen Defying Drive.
I'VE have started drive to stamp
out gambling, and these men know
it," protested Beach I'm the face Of
our drives they have continued
operating and therefore they must
be prepared to take double risks. They
should not be shown any considera-
ton"
Those arraigned before Turnage and
the amount of their bonds follow:
Bernard Corrigan. $4,000; Donald
King, $4,000; Philip Samakow, $4,000;
Percy May. $4,000; Tony Di Genaro.
$4,000; Edward Kelly, $4,000; Ella
Kelly. $4,000; Cecil Hayes. $4,000;
Neal H. Blake, $4,000; Eugene Garges,
$4,000; George E. Dahoney, $4,000;
Charles Bird, $4,000; Raymond Reeve,
$4,000
The men and women, who were ar
rested by Federal agents and police in
a series Of ''nopping-up" raids against
the city's strongest gambling syndi.
cate, will be given preliminary hear
ing April l3.
Smuggling Charged.
The Federal agents were armed
with q warrant charging Mrs. Plisco
with possession OF q $4,000 silver fox
coat which allegedly had been SNUG
pled into this country,
While his home was being sur
rounded, another squad Of Metropoli-
tan police and internal revenue agents
decended on Dietz's headquarters
Offices of the National Telecast, Inc.
in the Albee Building-and arrested
three men.
simultaneously picked police squads
struck at six other establishments
allegedly linked with the syndicate
controlled by Dietz. twenty-five
prisoners were taken to police head
quarters and questioned until mid
night, but only IA were held. Those
charged were released later in $4,000
bond.
Dietz who is at liberty under $2,5O0
bond on charge Of conspiracy to
violate gaming laws, was not found
either at his home or his office.
After months of intensive investi-
CATION Federal agents and police
struck their first blow at Dietz on
March 6, when they raided his Albee
Building headquarters and score Of
other establishments in which he Is
said to have been interested.
His wife was arrested with Dietz at
that time after raiders forced their
way into their elaborately furnished
Connecticut avenue apartment.
Reported Operating Again.
Several days after the first series Of
raids police said they learned that
Dietzs racing information service
which went into some 100 Washington
gambling places and extended its
leased wire connections into Baltimore,
New York and Montreal was again
operating and it was decided to strike
another decisive blow at the syndicate.
Presence of Federal agents on both
series Of raids substantiated reports
that local underworld characters who
have been fighting for the gambling
empire of Sam Beard may soon face
prosecution for income tax violations.
The raiding squad smashed glass
panel in the door of Dietz's Hobart
street home to unlock the front door.
Mrs. Dietz and colored maid were
alone in the two-story residence. After
they had been sent to headquarters
the officers searched the house room
by room.
In the basement was a complete
telecasting outfit, more than IS tele-
phone sets, Is slot machines, dice
cage" and several numbers books.
The slot machines were arranged on
shelves in s garage. These and other
equipment were hauled to headquar-
ters in moving van.
Materials Confiscated.
File cases were pried open and
their contents confiscated by the raid
ers in the Albee Building Office. A
truckload of telecasting equipment
also was confscated. Raymond T.
Reeve, IS, of the Portland Hotel, and
Percy M. May, SO, of Takoma Park,
Nd, who were found in the office,
and Philip Samakow, newsstand oper-
ator in the lobby, were arrested on
gaming charges.
A raiding squad led by Inspector ].
F. Beckett, rounded ur five youths,
who were setting up type for racing
charts in Offices in the Printcraft
Building, $50 H street. The offices
contained small electrical press, a
hand press, linotype machine and
other printing equipment.
Chopping through q heavily barred
door on the third floor Of an Office
building at 1405 I street, raiding
squad led by Capt. H. G. Callahan
and United States Marshall Harry
Allen uncovered IN elaborate radio and
telephone racing information center.