Evening star., 1950-10-07
Prober Hints Evidence
CT New Arlington
Gambling Activity

An indication that a special
Arlington police investigating
committee may have uncovered
ev dence of heretofore undisclosed
ga-1bling operations in the county
W given the County Board today
Z. j. Steger, chairman of the
sr2cial group which submitted
wat was assumed to be a final
re7ort of its Investigations Sep
TENDER 8. gave the indication.
Called before the County Board
To- questioning as to whether the
c. ,2.nittee had ceased it's activities,
M, Steger was asked by Chairman
Daniel A. Dugan:
DO you have any information
concerning gambling which has
not been turned over to the
board?"
Won't Commit Himself.
Il prefer not to commit myself
on that" Mr.. Steger replied,
"since other members of the COM
mittee aren't here"
Mr.. Steger refused any further
comment, but his committee will
confer with the board Friday
night.
The 17-page report, which was
highly critical of County Manager
A. T. Lundberg, made many ref
erences to a 1947 special grand
jury investigation concerning a
possible tieup between county po-
lice and gamblers.
The grand jury. however, found
no evidence of any such connec-
tions. It did make a number of
recommendations for improvement
of the police department, though.
Probe Not Concluded.
Mr.. Lundberg was scheduled to
answer the reports criticisms of
him. but he startled board men,
bers and spectators by announc-
ing he was not ready to do so be-
cause he had learned the Police
Committees investigation appar-
emily had not been concluded
1t had been assumed by County
Board members that the inquiry
was over.
After Mr.. Lundberg's statement
the board issued a call for Mr..
Steger and recessed to await his
arrival at the courthouse.
Before the recess, however,
Board Member F. Freeland Chew
read a three-page statement of
his views on the Police Commit
tees report.
Mr.. Chew, who had been silent
on the matter previously, said the
report falls far short of what +
had expected"
Wants More Evidence.
There must be far more evi-
dence than that shown in the
analytical report given the board,
Mr.. Chew asserted. "and I strongly
recommend that all information
secured by the committee, minus
names of the persons giving the
information, be made Immediately
available to the County Board.
THE report has numerous good
suggestions. though it has failed
to touch on many important mat
ters. In many cases it has gone
beyond it's power into matters that
should not concern it,.
Under questioning by Chairman
Dugan, who has been accused of
hand-picking the investigating
group, Mr.. Steger disclosed that
he had called Mr.. Dugan and
asked for place on the commit
tee.
The committee chairman also
denied that he, or the committee,
was out to get" anybody and
agreed with Mr.. Dugan that he
is long time friend of the county
manager. Mr. Lundberg inter-
rupted to say, that is So"
Mr.. Steger reiterated assertions
OF the committee report that the
Police Department is undermined
and that its members are under
paid. He said he felt Police Chief
Harry w. woodward has not been
given "a square deal" as far as
money and men are concerned.
The committee had accused Mr..
Lundberg of being tardy in for
warding Chief Woodyard's recon-
mendations to the County Board.
Mr.. Chew defended the county
manager, saying the recommends
tions had been given to the board
and that the board is "to blame"
for the size of the force and the
rate of pay.
Mr.. Steger told the board that
since his committee had not been
discharged the investigation
mad been and was continuing.
1T will be flnihsed next Friday
night, definitely" Mr. Steger said.
Other members of the commit
tee are Joseph Lieb, a free-lance
investigator, and Vic Gauzza, jr.
All committee members live in
Arlington.