Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-03-08
PICKUP SQUAD
OPENS CRIME WAR
WITH 43ARRESTS
CoIored Suspects Are Taken
in Custody in Raid
ON Beer Par|or.
ENTIRE NIGHT FREE
OF ROBBERY REPORTS
shimon Placed in Charge of Drive
Designed to Rid City
of Undesirables.

The newly enlarged special "pick-
up" squad of crack detectives began its
war to drive criminals off Washington
streets by failing 43 colored suspects
early today, after night free Of rob-
berry reports.
A police check-up showed no thefts
were reported last night or through
am today. Only eight larcenies,
involving $2O3.75 loot, and most of
them occurring over the week end.
were reported yesterday.
Omcials attributed the unusual lack
Of criminal activity to the psychologist
cal effect of yesterdays announcement
by Maj. Ernest w. Brown, superintend-
ent of police. of enlargement of the
pickup" squad and plans for it to
put the heat" on undesirable char
Acters here.
Beer Parlor Raided.
The squad went into action shortly
after midnight, raiding a beer parlor
In the vicinity of Fourth and K streets
NV, which Acting 1t. Joseph w.
Shimon said was known as notorious
hangout for 'bunls" and suspicious
loiterers.
Forty-three colored men found in
the place were arrested and locked
up at three precinct stations. They
were to be started through the mill
OF investigation today. After they
are photographed and fingerprinted,
officials will check their records to
see If they are wanted for any crimes
here or elsewhere, or If they fit the
description of unidentified bandits
being hunted. Then they will face a
lineup at police headquarters.
Those prisoners who go through
this inquisition with clear records
and who are able to show legitimate
means Of support will be released.
But those who cannot prove means
OF support will be prosecuted on
vagrancy charges. officials said.
The special squad is under orders
to continue surprise raids on criminal
hangouts, as well as efforts to arrest
any suspicious characters on the
streets, until the city is free of what
Nal. Brown described as "undesir-
ables."
Shimon Heads, Squad. -----
The police superintendent hopes
relentless prosecution will make it so
tough for men and women Of the
underworld to live here that they will
drift out of town and spread the word
to keep criminals from coming to the
Capital from other cities.
Mr.. Shimon was promoted from de-
tective sergeant to acting lieutenant
to head the special squad. Others on
the squad, picked for their ability to
remember faces and recognize hunted
criminals, are Detective Sergts. Harry
H. Britton, Frank o. Brass and ]. K.
Baker, and Detectives E. E. Fredette,
H. H. Carper, D. L. Guest and w. G.
Fawsett.
Coincident with Maj. Browns an
nouncement yesterday, Representative
William T. Schultz of Indiana, victim
Of . hold-up early Saturday, intro
duced . bill providing life imprison-
ment for the first conviction for armed
robbery and the death penalty for
the second offense. He described this
measure as one step in q program to
make Washington 1.-The hottest spot
In the country for the underworld"
Mr.. Schultz made preparations to-
day to call round-table conference of
police officials and justices handling
criminal cases in the United States
Court for the District in an effort to
map out . more effective crime-con-
troll program.
Invitations are to be sent to Justices
Daniel w. ODonoghue, Joseph w.
Cox and Jesse c. Adkins, Police Supt.
Ernest w. Brown and Inspector Bern
ard A. Thompson, chief Of detectives.