Evening star., 1949-09-16
Grand JurySees
Little Gaming in
Prince Georges
Men and Women
Fined S., 900 in
| Gambling Case

Gambling Case
Branding reports of gambling al
"exaggerated," a Prince Georges
County grand jury reported yes
terday at Upper Marlboro that
such activity now is almost at
an almost irreducible minimum"
simultaneously, in Hyattsville.
nine men and women we're plead
ing guilty to gambling charges
before a trial magistrate. They
drew fines totaling $4,000. plus
costs.
The, grand jury, which has had
turbulent session and received
extensive publicity since it con-
vened in April, told Circuit Judge
Charles C. Marbury that reports
of gambling activities have been
exaggerated and the citizens have
no reason for undue concern"
about what goes on.
Furthermore, the % jurors said.
they found no evidence to SUBJ
stantiate reflections on the con-
duct of the Prince Georges County
police.
The jury recommended, how
ever, that immediate study bs
given to the establishment Of .
tate-sponsored lottery, in order
to remove the element of private
profit and to provide govern
mental revenues. 1t also proposed
study Of the advisability of COM
bining county and town police
departments within Prince
Georges.
Linden Briscoe. clerk of the
Board Of License Commissioners.
said that body would be glad to
comply with a third grand jury
recommendation that more care.
full check be made Of all Inter
ested parties" before issuing O.
transferring alcoholic beverage
licenses.
"At least one specific charge Of
certain police officials setting tho
stage for a fictitious raid Of an
alleged gambling establishment has
been definitely established to bs
untrue" the jury asserted.
CThe jury apparently referred to
statement made by Washington
Attorney James ]. Laughlin in
connection with a raid January
II on an apartment in the 5000
block of Rhode Island avenue,
Mount Rainier, but Mr.. Laughlin's
name was not used. At that time,
Mr.. Laughlin charged that police
men went to the apartment and
"sprinkled dust" over it before
making the raid0
Some Gambling Conceded.
The jury conceded there Is some
gambling in the county. 1t said:
THE grand jury Is not SO naive
as to believe that violations Of the
gambling laws are not occurring.
Such violations, however, are con-
fined to isolated instances Of minor
nature and involve no organized
or widespread operations, and In
view of the present population Of
the county and its proximity to
the District of Columbia, these
violations are now at an almost
irreducible minimum.
In its final conclusion. the jury
declared that total elimination Of
illegal gambling is a condition
which will in all probability never
be achieved.
The report was signed by r.
Bowie Addison, jury foreman, and
Mary O'Neill, secretary. Judge
Marbury asked that a copy be
turned over to the incoming Oc-
tober grand jury 80 there may be
continuity of 1nvestigative work
and so that successive grand juries
can refer to it,"
In Hyattsville, Magistrate Alan
Bowie sentenced the nine men to
six months in the Maryland House
of Correction but suspended the
terms on condition of good be-
havior for six months. He also
suspended one $500 fine.
One defendant was acquitted.
He is Wilton A. Hartman. 20. Of
the 1900 block of Huron avenue,
Suitland, only resident of Prince
Georges County caught in q May
raid. Pleading not guilty, he
s raid on a dwelling in the 5400
block of o street, Hillside. He
said he was there to sell adding
machines and other office equip
ment.
Raid Nets Four Others.
Four other persons arrested In
the raid and a couple, who owned
the property but were not present
at the time, pleaded guilty to
various lottery and bookmaking
charges.
Fines of $500 each were i'm
posed on Lyman Sussman, 40, Of
the 5000 block of Chesapeake
street NV; Harry Shapiro, so,
of the 2400 block of Sixteenth
street NV, and Charles Arthur
Bergee. owner of the property.
Fines of $500 each were i'm
posed upon Adolph Olewack. 43,
of the 800 block of Jefferson
street NV; George Raynor. SO,
of the 200 block of Evans lane,
Alexandria, and Mrs. Bergee. The
woman's fine was suspended.
$500 Fines Assessed.
In another case, $500 fines were
assessed against Philip Cont. "a,
of the 1900 block Of Kennedy
street NV, and Abe Morris Ma
son, 28, of the 1900 block Of Mint
wood place NV. Both were ar
rested May 5 In a private dwelling
in the 1000 block Of Patterson