Evening star., 1948-05-06

information to be presented to the
jurors.
Individually, therefore, and by
action of % of their number sitting
on the special grand jury, the Capt.
tails citizens have been asked to do
something about the gambling
problem
Barrett Maintains Stand.
The nature of the proceeding in-
dicates It is felt IN some quarters
the day-to-day routine OF police
work has not resulted in effective
harassment Of the large gambling
interests.
Maj. Barrett. however, is standing
pat, explaining he is willing. to let
the grand Jury decide whRt mots
can ie done. ssE~ -.
A group of 100 persons, represent
ing many callings. has been notified
to be present May II before Justice
David A. Pine in District Court to
provide the panel from which JUS
tice Pine will select % as jurors.
What can these persons-neither
police investigators nor lawyers--do
about the gambling racket?
Must Obtain Evidence.
They can listen to the information
about the current situation given
them by Mr. Fay and his assistants.
They can ask that witnesses be
brought before them, even from
across the District line, since theirs
is Federal authority.
Then, they can decide whether to
indlct any one.
Further, they can make recon-
mendations concerning the handling
Of gambling-suggest changes in the
existing system or new approaches.
But information which would
stand up as evidence in court is
what will count most in putting
the big numbers organizations out
of business.
Mr.. Fay has reported receiving
some useful data in response to his
appeal for public cooperation.
In a similar concentration on
gambling 10 years ago, Justice Pine,
then United States Attorney, de-
clared little could be done to crack
the racket, unless the average citi-
zen came forward to tell what he
knew.
Citizens Must Talk.
What help to the investigation
could come from John Doe?
Names and addresses are needed
names of numbers writer's. run
ners, hackers, bookmakers, opera
tors of gambling rooms and the
addresses used for their illegal ac-
tivitieS.
Suspicious regular meetings of
pedestrians and motorists in which
parcels or envelopes change hands
may mean numbers writer's are
making returns to runners from
their headquarters. They are of
interest to investigators-if times.
places and license plate numbers
are known.
Reports of Unfortunately heavy
business at neWsstands, cigar stores
or other small establishments may
help form the picture of the scope
of unhindered gambling here.
Scraps of information, inconse-
quential when regarded singly. often
help establish a case against an in
dividual or group of persons.
Will Protect Informants.
Citizens who have information
should write it down and send it to
the United States Attorney, District
Court Building. Washington l, D. C.
If it proves of interest, Mr. Fay may
request the sender to come in for
an interview.
He has emphasized the inform
ants will be protected.
In the anti-gambling drive of 10
years ago. there was no special grand
jury, but there was large-scale police
activity.
More than 30 raids were conducted
in one two-week period. Seven were
staged simultaneously in a single
| day.
/ The following year, backed by an
amendment to the gambling laws
permitting arrests for possession of
lottery slips, 40 raids were conducted
in one day in a carefully planned
assault in which Mr.. Pines Office
Joined with Police Supt. Ernest w.
Brown.
Detective Sergt. Howard E. Ogle