Evening star., 1949-04-23
Gambling Probe Witness
Goqqed, Gas lets Opened
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Gagged, Gas Je
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Vile exchange, saw the signal flash
on her board that the receiver
was of the hook.
After a minute or So, 1t still
wasn't replaced, so Mrs. Brook
was about to call police and tell
them to check when some one
called her and said there was a
policeman bound and gagged at
4100 Utah avenue. The address
was the same as where the tele-
phone was off the hook. Mrs.
Brook put the caller through to
Prince Georges County police"
Landlords Son Calls Police.
Mrs. Roane, the landlords wife,
said her son, Richard B. Gardner,
SO, who also lives in the house.
called police after the Roanes
awoke to hear "a sort Of crying
out" That is when they found
Sergt. Smith on the porch.
Pvt. Burgess said when he and
Pvt. Wiseman reached the Utah
avenue address, Sergt. Smith was
standing on the porch in his un-
derclothes. Thin strips OF ad-
hesiye 4tape still clung to, his legs
and his gag WIS still in place, Pvt.
Burgess said. The policeman de-
scribed the gag as "a wad Of cot
ton, Big as a fist.S stuck down with
Adhesive tape.S II ,f61 go 1Isss7 @,
The policeman found Sefgt.
Smiths keys and unlocked his
handouts. Then. he said. they
went to the kitchen. which Is
about IL feet from Sergt. Smiths
bedroom. and turned OF four gas
burners,
Sergt. Smith said he was not
sick, only groggy, and refused to
go to the hospital.
He was unable to give a deserip-
ton of his assailants. according
to Pvt. Burgess, and did not even
know whether they were white
or colored.
Phone Call at Midnight.
Sergt.' Smith said he was SUBJ
poenaed to appear before the
Prince Georges County grand
jury Tuesday and Wednesday OF
this week.
"It all centers around one
thing" he explained. "the fact
that false information has gotten
out that I am Connected with
Fay. that I know something about
the gambling situation"
On Thursday night, he said. he
was awakened at midnight by a
telephone call.
There was q long silence and
then came this voice, saying Kill.
kill, rats I'm not scared or any
thing, but Friday I called Bowie
Estates Attorney A. Gwynn Bowie
Of Prince Georges County, and
told him had received this
threat. I also told him I was going
to get in touch with Fay. I was
getting tired of the accusation
that I was working for Fay"
He said he saw Mr.. Fay yester-
day morning. told him Of the
threat and said he didn't need
protection.
Detective Agency Also Called.
The voice on the telephone. he
said, sounded like one that called
him about three months ago. He
couldn't remember what the voice
said at that time but did recall
he was cursed. He said the assist
ant manager of the William Burns
Detective Agency. where he works
part time. also was called at that
time.
C. v. M. Williamson, Of the
Burns Agency, said he received q
call at home about three months
ago during which the anonymous
caller said nasty things about
Smith" He said the profane criti-
cism was not pointed at any par
ticular act.
Sergt. Smith has been presently
employed at the Burns Agency
for about year but he has worked
for the agency OF and on "over q
period of years." Mr.. Williamson
said. He stressed that the Burns
Agency has absolutely nothing TO
do with any phase Of the gambling
investigation"
Mr.. Fay said he had never heard
of Sergt. Smith until he called
yesterday for .an appointment.
saying he had some information
which Mr.. Fay should know.
Wasn't Working for Fay.
HE said that in the last few
weeks it had been rumored that
he was working for my ofhce.
Mr.. Fay recalled. He. said he
had been called before the Prince
Georges County grand jury and
questioned as to whether or not he
was working for my Office. He
told them he was not.
The night after his appearance
before the grand jury. he said. hei