Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-03-10
Numbers
Continued From First Page.)

on their toes" Representative Schultz,
Democrat. of Indiana. put in, I'VE
wouldn't need this bill"
Bill Opposed by One.
The second day of the hearings on
the numbers bill also brought witness
opposing the legislation. He was
Richard R. Atkinson, colored at
torney. who said he represented the
Columbia Lodge of Elks and the
Journeymen BARRIERS International
Union, No. 3O5. He said the numbers
bill would not reach the higher-ups,
the bankers" and would merely
harass "a lot of poor people, especially
the colored people"
Tuesday, with a number of witnesses
still to be heard.
The question of church games was
raised by Representative Randolph,
Democrat. of West Virginia.
Mr. Randolph asked:
What would you say the attitude
Of the churches should be in this
matter?"
That they should support the de-
partment," said Maj. Brown, do all
they can to help stop the numbers and
enforce all other laws"
SIS it not fact the West Vir-
GINA Representative went on, that
our churches are themselves carrying
on gambling through bingo and other
games of chance?"
Regarded Game of Skill Also.
Maj Brown replied: Il have had
some conferences with the District
attorney over bingo games and he
advised churches how they could con-
duct the game legally. They were told
it would have to be a game of skill
not chance. I understand bingo can
be played solely as a game of skill.
But hingo is not giving us the con-
Germ the numbers game is, Mr.. Ran
dolph"
I'VE are not going far afeld," Mr..
Schultz suggested, Ito drag in the
churches. This money they raise goes
for charities, suppose"
Mr.. Nichols said: Il don't suppose
the churches are running a racket"
I'm not so sure" said Chairman
Palmisano, unfortunately there does
seem to be racket. I know of one
case where prizes as high as S10O are
given away. I'm opposed to that"
With that the discussion of churches
ended, and the committee turned back
to the numbers racket.
Supt. Brown said the pending num-
bers bill would give the department a
more effective weapon against the
racket.
Refers to Wilson Murder. .
while We have made some progress
against gambling" he added, I'VE have
had great difficulty in reaching the
numbers game" He said the racket
had been a source of considerable
EVIL" adding that it had caused MUIR
ders, citing the mistaken identity"
killing Of Allen Wilson, several years
ago. The gang concerned in that MUIR
der, he said, was primarily in the num-
bers business
Asked by Chairman Palmisano if
HOUSEKEEPING was not equally as bad,
Maj. Brown said: "No, it is not as bad
as the numbers. The housebreaker has
an established location, while the num-
Der man operates on any street corner,
IN an automobile or building. sup
pose there are number writer's in every
building in the District"
Citing an old newspaper story, the
chairman said, You people seem to
know all the big shots"
Il believe" Maj. Brown replied, "the
then charged with enforcement like to
know the big shots as we'll as the
little shots. might add that several
Of the handbook big shots are in the
penitentiary"
Race Information Questioned.
Mr.. Palmisano then asked what the
police chief thought of the publica-
ton by newspapers of results and
handicappers' chances of races not
run within 100 miles of the District.
Maj. Brown said there was no doubt
this encouraged gambling. Asked how
number players found out the pay-off
OF races which determined the lucky
number each day the witness said
from certain newspapers.
But you realize" Representative
Nichols interposed, that nothing
could be done by way of legislation to
stop this publication"
DO you mean we are not able to
stop it?" the chairman demanded.
Certainly we can't" MIR. Nichols
replied. Congress could not pass a
law to stop papers from publishing
racing information. It's no violation