Evening star., 1937-11-30
OFFER OF NUCK0LS
TO SHIELD IS FAILS
Denied Chance to "Take
Rap" for Alleged Aides.
FIoratos Convicted.


lice as one of Washington's foremost
professional gamblers, offered several
weeks ago to take the rap" to pro-
tect the 16 others accused with him
in three gambling indictments.
This was disclosed late yesterday in
District Court, as Nuckols and six
OF his associates were sentenced to
prison by Justice Jesse c. Adkins,
following their conviction by a jury
two weeks ago of operating a book
making establishment at 1880 Four
teenth street NV.
The futile attempt by Nuckols to
shoulder all responsibility for the
three gambling places Of which he
is alleged to have been the proprietor,
came few minutes after a jury had
returned verdict of guilty in the
week-long trial of Nicholas mick the
Creek Floratos and four others, who
were pictured as taking racing bets
at 924 Ninth street NV.
Four Convicted with F1oratos.
Convicted with Floratos were Ber-
nard Newyahr, Vincent A. Marino,
John A. Clements and Bennie M.
Traub. They probably will be sem
fenced next week. The jury delib-
Grated only 20 minutes, and Justice
Adkins permitted it to report after
Nuckols and his companions had been
called before the bar for sentence.
Besides Nuckols, those involved In
the Fourteenth street case were Moe
Morganstein, Robert A. Murray,
Lawrence F. Pisani, Anthony T. Co.'S
tello, Harry c. Adams and George
w. Godfrey. All but Pisani were
given sentences Of nine months to
three years. Pisani, who is but %,
was sentenced to s to 18 months.
While Justice Adkins was consid-
ering whether to accord any of the
seven preferred treatment in the
imposition of sentence, Harry T.
Whelan, attorney for the defendants,
volunteered that Nuckols had offered
to plead guilty In all three indict-
ments If the United States Attorney
would nolle PROSE- the true bills as
to the others accused. He added
that the offer was refused.
Beach Confirms Report.
eyes, that Is true" said Assistant
United States Attorney Samuel F.
Beach in confirmation. Mr.. Beach
later disclosed that Nuckols offered
to confess he was the proprietor of
all three resorts, If to do 50 would
clear his fellow defendants. The al
legged gambling establishments were
at 1890 Fourteenth street NV. and
1907 and 1909 Ninth street NV.
The case involving the 1909 Ninth
street place has been set for trial De-
cember 8.
Pleading for clemency for Nuckols
and the others. Mr.. Whelan told Jus
tice Adkins the citizens Of Washington
were equally guilty with the defend
ants for the existence OF gambling
here.
1T is no more evil to accept q bet
than to make It," he declared. "If
the people OF Washington did not
want to gamble, there would be no
such places.
THE radio and the newspapers.
which are businesses with IN eye to
making money, recognize this and
give great deal Of racing informa-
tion to the public. The newspapers
devote a whole page to it-nothing
else in the whole paper takes up 20
much space"
Secs Public Support.
This indicates, he continued, that
gambling Is not wrong In itself like
robbery or other crimes Of violence
and exists because the people of the
city want it to exist.
Following the jury verdict in the
Floratos case. Justice Adkins ad-
mitted each defendant to $1,000 bail
pending an appeal which Mr.. Whelan
promised to press as expeditiously a
possible. Nuckols and his fellows also
are at liberty under bail, pending the
outcome of their appeal.
Before the conclusion Of testimony
In the Floratos trial yesterday, JOS
eph Sands, commercial supervisor
Of the Chesapeake & Potomac Tele-
phone Co.. testified the company in
stalled approximately IS private lines
for National Telecast, Inc, between
July, 1885, and March, 1897, one Of
them to Floratos' cigar store.
National Telecast, oficials contend,
Is headed by Abe Plisco. alias Jewboy
Dietx, who was indicted last summer,
along with 81 others on 4 charge of
participating In citv-wi gambling
conspiracy.