The Washington times., 1938-01-10

and haraSSed by underworld in
trigue, Nuchols ended his life with
bullet through the brain in his
lavishly furnished Connecticut
Avenue apartment Saturday night.
He was buried Today in Hollywood
Cemetery at Richmond, Va.
"GRAPEVINE" CARRIES NEWS
News of Nuchols' death spread
through the underworld within a
few minutes after police were sum-
moned to the apartment by his
red-hared young wife, and the
world gave renewed impetus to
the battle already under way for
centrol of WaShington's thirty
million dollar a year gambling
racket.
Detectives today we're keeping
close watch over the haunts of
the race horse and numbers game
operators, but as the first flow of
the daily cash tribute poured into
the hands of the gamblers they
reported the racket was working
with machlne-like precision despite
NucholS' death.
Nuchols, police said, came to
Washington in 1922 on the crest
of a wave of prohibition banditry.
Six feet tail, weight 180 pounds,
and with ham-like hands so
powerful they brought him the
ironic nickname of "Nubby," i"
Nuchols had been a member of a
band of hijackers who had been
raiding Pennsylvania bonded
liquor houses, police said.
Daring and ruthless, NucholS,
nevertheless, was wary of the law,
and police were never able to ira
plicate him in rum-running esca-
pades which became almost legen-
Diary in the underworld.
Several years ago Nuchols was
at the wheel of an automobile
when it crashed into the supports
of the H Street viaduct. A young
woman riding with Nuchols was
killed instantly and he was criti-
Cally injured.
KILLEEN'S LIEUTENANT
Following his release from the
hospital, Nuchols moved into the
less dangerous and more lucrative
gambling racket and soon became
a trusted lieutenant of Eddie Kill
leen, then king of the local gam
blers.
Soon Nuchols was operating his
own establishments and reached
the zenith of his prosperity three
years ago when death and impriS-
onment removed erStWhile gam
bling overlords. Killeen was shot
and killed by woman in a Mary
land hideout. Edward Sutton was
convicted of the mistake murder
of Allan Wilson, newspaper route
agent. Sam Beard, last of the
''big Shots" according to police,
was sent to Atlanta penitentiary.
But Nuchols never acquired the
power Of Killeen or Beard. Fol
lowing Boards conviction and i'm
prisonment, Abe Plisco, alias
'Jewboy" Dietz, struck swiftly to
consolidate opposing facti ions
under his control.
TAPPING" BARES ROLE
When Federal agents tapped the
wires of Dietz' headquarters last
year they found that Nuchols was
an important but subordinate
member of the syndicate.
Caught with Dietz and two
score other gamblers in the
roundup that followed the wire
tapping, Nuchols was convicted
on a gambling charge last Novem-
Der and was released on bond
pending appeal.
Police watched him carefully,
and as his savings began to
dwindle, Nuchols became des-
perate. Always an open-handed
Spender, his desperation drove
him back to the gambling racket.
Police caught him in one of his
places in the 1400 block of I st.
N. w. last Thursday. Again he
was released on bond.
DUE IN COURI IODAx
But Assistant District Attorney
Sam Beach went before Justice
Jesse Adkins and asked that
Nuchols' bonds be revoked. JUS
tice Adkins ordered him to ap-
pear in District Court today and
show cause why he should not
be imprisoned.
Nuchols, his friends said, began
drinking heavily. He seemed to
sense that his luck had played
out and he was at the end of his
rope. Saturday evening he paced
his apartment in the 1900 block
of Connecticut Avenue, in rose
colored pajamaS. Then he sat
down and penned a farewell note
TO his wife.
Darling" it said, "this is the
best way"
The note went on to express
sorrow for the publicity he had
brought his wife and said:
THANK you for your kind
ness"
Standing in front of a mirror,
Nuchols pressed .32-caiber pistol
against his temple and pulled the
trigger. The gun failed to explode.
He pulled the trigger again and
this time the bullet tore through
bis brain.
Homicide squad detectives,
sensing the possibility IN a t
Nuchols might have been put on
the spot" conducted an exhaus
tive investigation, before accept
L. ....-.a..ls- Lrn..Aink Of clIi