Evening star., 1939-03-02
D. {. Numbers
Gangs Operate
In Suburbs
Big Scale Activity
Revealed; Drastic
Laws Sought
By JACK ALLEN.


Forced out of the National Capt.
tai by an enactment Of Congress last
session, "at least four" of Washing
tons leading numbers gangs have
set up headquarters in suburban
Maryland and are carrying on oper-
ations on a wide scale.
The disclosure came today follow
Ing the introduction of remedial
legislation in the State Assembly at
Annapolis.
It was learned from a source close
to the administration in the county
that police some time ago learned
of the existence of powerful District
gangs in Montgomery County, but
were unable to proceed against them
because of the weakness OF existing
laws.
Two Bills Introduced.
Striving to curb the gangs actlvl-
ties and close them up, the Mont :
gomery delegation introduced in the
House two bills which would give
the county gambling laws Identical
In every respect with those which
compelled the gangs to transfer
their operating bases from WASH
ington.
The four gangs of which police
have knowledge are said to be oper-
ating from elaborately equipped
headquarters in the suburban Sec
ton of Montgomery close to the
District of Columbia line.
One group, it is reported, is oc-
cupying six apartments in one build.
ing and has a pretentious telephone
setup served by cable capable OF
handling $50 phones
Under one of the measures pre-
sented to the Maryland Assembly it
would be crime for any one to be
connected in any way, directly or in
directly, with lottery and would
make the possession of any ticket.
token or other gambling device
prima facia evidence of guilt.
An owner, agent, clerk or manager
of a numbers game or other lotterJ
would come under the operation Of
the proposed law and would be sub
iect to fines ranging upward to
$1,000 or imprisonment for not more
than three years or both, in the
courts discretion.
Also Strikes at Players.
The bill also contains a section
which likewise would make it Il
crime for any one to play the num-
bers or participate in any other
form of lottery. 1t stipulates tina,
any one knowingly possessing and
'ticket, certificate, bill or token
connected with gambling would }.
punishable by fines of not more than
$500 or imprisonment for not more
than six months or both, in the dis
cretion of the court.
The second bill is related meas
ure which would give Montgomery
County an ironclad search warrant
law permitting justice of the peace
or Police Court jurist to issue war
rants for the search of any place
where there is suspicion of the exist
ence of gambling or any other law
violation.
Need for the passage of the two
measures, it was learned, was dis
covered after Montgomery police
learned of the gangs presence ir
the county and then discovered
that present laws were not drawn
tightly enough for them to pro-
ceed against the gamblers.
Would Affect All Lotteries.
The two related measures, it is
said, would deal death blow
not only to numbers rackets, but
also to sweepstakes and other lot.
teries. The county at present. il
is declared, has no law to prohibit
the sale of sweepstakes tickets.
Both bills bear emergency clauses
making them effective Immediately
upon enactment, rather than wait
ing for them to become law or
June l, when measures not equipped
with such clauses become operative
and it is expected they will be
rushed through to enactment as
speedily as possible.
1t is said police will swing into
action against the racketeers with
out delay if the gangs are still
operating in Montgomery when the
bills pass and receive Governor
Herbert r. OConnor's signature.