Evening star., 1938-03-20
Grand Jury to Get
Evidence Against
Three Warnings.
INQUIRY COVERS
MONTHS OF WORK
RepercussiOns in Case
Will Rock City, Is
Prediction.
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.

By CARTER BROOKE JONES.
The three Warning brothers, de-
scribed by police as operators of a
huge numbers business, are facing
charges of conspiracy to defraud the
Government of income tax, The Star
learned yesterday
While Federal officials refused to
discuss the case, it was reported from
another source of the highest author
ity that evidence against the War
rings, completed after months of in
vestigation by the Intelligence Unit
of the Internal Revenue Bureau and
sent to the Department of Justice,
has been forwarded to the United
States attorneys Office here for
presentation to the grand jury.
The Stars informant predicted the
case would stir repercussions that
would fairly rock the city"
The case was reported ready for
grand jury investigation at an early
date.
The alleged conspiracy is said to
involve:
Ehnmitt Robert Warning, 80, of 5000
Mac street NV, reputed leader
of the group.
Charles R. (Rags) Warning, 80. at
present serving out term of from
18 months to two years in the At
lanta Penitentiary for assault with
intent to kill Joseph Edward O'Brien
In gang feud.
Leo Warning, "a. of 1923 L street
NV.
Numbers Profits Involved.
The case is reported to concern
alleged failure of the brothers to make
income tax returns on all the profits
they are said to have made from the
numbers game in recent years.
The Government. it will be recalled,
invoked the income tax law to blast
Al Capone from his racket throne in
Chicago a few years ago.
The three Warnings have been
known to the police for years. Each
has been arrested from time to time
on various charges, but none except
Rags" has been convicted of serious
offense. Ernmitt and Leo we're found
guilty Of liquor charges in pre-repeal
days. Leo was arrested in the O'Brien
shooting case, but the charge against
him was nolle pressed.
The income tax conspiracy case is
said to be based on an equal partner
ship of the brothers in the numbers
business. but details of the evidence
are guarded closely pending grand
Jury investigation.
Emmitt Warning, regarded as the
brains Of the organization, reputed-
ly is directing one of the Districts
biggest numbers banks"
Pine Refuses to Talk.
United States Attorney David A.
Pine. asked if he had received the
Warning case and intended to present
1t to the grand jury, had nothing to
say. Silence also greeted inquiries at
the Department of Justice and the
Intelligence Unit
At The Stars source of information
1t was pointed out that this was the
first time the Government had worked
up an income tax case against any
one connected with the numbers busi-
ness here. Men engaged in the num-
bers racket ir other cities, however,
have fallen afoul of this law.
With Washingtons numbers game
much in the public eye in recent
weeks, the House District Committee
has just reported out drastic amend
ment to the lottery law aimed at this
racket. The favorable report followed
several days of hearings by the COM
mittee, during which police and prose-
cutting officials and civic leaders testi-
fed that the racket was yielding its
promoters millions and melting crime
in the District.
The bill, which passed the Senate
last year, probably will reach the
House at the next regular District day,
a week from tomorrow. Its passage
Is conceded. In asking this law. the
authorities contended that under the
present law they were unable to trap
the big shots" of the racket, although
they knew their identity.
Emmitt Arrested in February.
Emmitt Warning was arrested on
February lS, 1887, on a charge of op-
Grating lottery according to police
records. This was the result of raid
on an apartment in the 240O block of
Pennsylvania avenue NV, where,
police said, numbers slips and money
were seized. But the case was dropped
for lack of evidence. The new law
will make possession of such alleged
records of bets evidence of setting
up lottery.
Early in February of this year, En-
mitt was named in testimony at the
perjury trial of Joseph E. O'Brien,
alleged victim of Rags" Warnings
wrath, as donor Of $500 to O'Brien
to keep quiet about being put ION
the spot" This evidence came from
Burt j. Watson, who attributed the
story Of the purported bribe to O'Brien.
The jury found O'Brien guilty of per-
jury for suffering lapse Of memory"
when called on to testify against
rags" and five others. The six were
convicted of shooting and seriously
wounding O'Brien on July 81, 1886.
Emmitt Warnings last arrest was
IN the lottery case