Evening star., 1949-07-24
More Permits Issued
For Slot Machines
Off Virginia Shore
Special Dispoteh 10 The Stor

COLONIAL BEACH, Va, July
24.-ToWn officials and owners Of
wharfs jutting out into the Po-
tomac River from Westmoreland
and King George Counties today
awaited reaction of the State ad-
ministration and the public to
open operation Of Maryland-li-
censed slot machines only few
yards of the Virginia shore.
The devices are housed in build
ings on pier heads or alongside
wharfs on the Maryland side of
the Virginia low-water mark and
are separated from the Virginia
shore by openings about an inch
wide.
Licenses for the machines have
been obtained from the office OF
the Circuit Court Clerk for Charles
County, Maryland.
No Opposition So Far.
So far no opposition has de-
veloped. Gov. Tuck who hereto
fore has taken a strong stand
against gambling, was reported
today as having said he had not
been officially notified of the stu
alton. The public attitude here
was not expected to crystalize
until after church gatherings to-
morrow.
Charles County records disclose
that four more slot machines have
been licensed for "a pier extend
ing into the water at Colonial
Beach" The application did not
specify the location but it is un-
derstood that the machines were
to be placed in a slot machine
emporium set up on a pier Jut-
ting out from the New Atlanta
hotel here.
The application was signed oy
Amos jenkins, who previously had
obtained a seasonal license for 10
machines which have been In
operation on the hotel wharf.
Charles County's slot machine
law specifies that an operator
must be either a property owner
or a registered voter in the county.
Mr.. Jenkins said in his appllca-
ton that he is not a property
owner but a voter.
Licenses Issued for IL.
At Fairview Beach in King
George County licenses for II slot
machines have been issued to Mil
ton L. Hitch. Mr.. Hitch also said
he is a Charles County voter but
not a county property owner. A
Maryland beer license for Fairview
Beach also was obtained by Mr.
Hitch. The beach property Is
owned by Ida L. Sonnenberg OF
CODY, Va.
A Charles County license for
two slot machines operating at
beach near Potomac Mills owned
by c. E. Muse has been issued to
Mrs. Ruth r. Bailey of Newberg,
Md. Mrs. Bailey who also OBJ
tanned beer license for the place
certified that she is Charles
County property owner and a
voter.
Charles County authorities have
taken tongue in cheek attitude
on the matter. While refusing to
comment they point to the S2,275
poured into the county treasury
from the slot machine licenses
alone.
Want Outsiders Barred.
If Charles County becomes con-
cerned in the matter it probably
will be from the angle of owner
ship of the machines. The
county's slot machine law was de-
signed with the idea Of keeping
outsiders out of the picture.
The same is true Of the st.
Mary's County slot machine reg
ulations. The county commits
sioners are to decide Tuesday
whether to modify resident re-
quirements. A request for that
action was filed recently by at
torneys for a Baltimore corpora
tion operating two taverns at Lex
ington Park.
In connection with that request
Joseph A. Mattingly, Leonard
town attorney whose name was
listed in The Star as counsel for
the tavern operator, denied he
had taken any part in the case.
Mr.. Mattingly who is one OF
the county's two Democratic dele
gates was so listed in county
records, it was explained, because
he came into the commissioners
hearing room with a group of at
torneys representing the tavern
keepers. He said his appearance
with the attorneys was simply a
coincidence.