Evening star., 1950-02-03
Fay Sounds Out
Bowie on Status
OF Lewis Case
Won't Soy Whether
Coming Defendants
Extrodition Was Topic

The United States attorneys
,ffice called Maryland authorities
vice this week discussing the
status" of the William "Snags"
lewis gambling case.
Lewis and 13 co-defendants face
'etrial here as we'll as trial in
Prince Georges County on charges
'temming from their arrest last
United States Attorney George
Morris Fay today refused to say
whether the discussions dealt with
hearings here before
retrial of the IA defedendants in
District Court.
That trial now is slated for
March 8. At present, District
Court extradition hearings are set
for February 81. At this proceed
ing, 10 of the defendants face re-
moval for trial in the county.
Judge Alexander Holtzoff here
publicly suggested that
the prosecution study the advis-
ability of letting the defendants
come to trial in the county before
their second trial here.
Aide Talks With Bowie.
Mr.. Fay's assistants in court
said they would investigate. Later.
one assistant, William Hitz, de-
clared he would refuse to specu-
late for newspapers on the ad-
vantages or disadvantages Of fol-
lowing Judge Holtzoff's lead and
whether such move was afoot.
Mr.. Fay today conceded that
one of his aides talked with States
Attorney A. Gwynne Bowie, chief
prosecutor for Prince Georges
County, last Monday land possibly
sometime yesterday"
Any further disclosure of his
actions on proposals at this time
would be premature because Of
other factors" Mr.. Fay said.
Reached at his office late yes
terday Mr.. Bowie commented:
cts up to District Court"
Were ready to try the cases
any time we have the people re-
turned to U.S." he said. IF and
when they get the men out, they'll
be tried in due course, Just like
any other cases."
April Trial Indicated.
Mr.. Bowie added, however, that
if the defendants were extradited
this month. they probably would
not reach trial until April. It was
unlikely. he said, that a jury would
be recalled to hear a few isolated
cases before then.
Lewis and his alleged cohorts
have awaited retrial In the Dis
trict since last November. At that
time, jury failed to agree on
the charges that the defendants
|conspired to violate District gam
bling laws. In that trial. the Gov
ernment accused Lewis of operat-
ing S14,000,000 gambling syndi-
cate from headquarters in a mod
est bungalow in the 1900 block Of
Forty-sixth avenue, Bladensburg.
Md.
Lewis last week was convicted
with two other defendants of
completely in gambling law viola
tions here. His lawyers have noted
an appeal of that verdict.
In his suggestion on the extra
dition matter yesterday, Judge
Holtzof specifically excluded
Lewis, since final disposition OF
his conviction is still pending in
this Jurisdiction.
The extradition proceedings are
aimed at Lewis and nine of his
co-defendants in the District case.
The nine are: Ralph Spottswood.
Ellis L. Solet. Gregory A. Segar.
Lonnie James Black, George P.
Scott. Edward L. Hinkle, ir.:
Sterling D. Welch, Frederick SUIT
ton and Fulton Boyd Mitchell. The
other District trial defendants are
John r. Mitchell, Anis Wycke,
Dean J. Kennedy and Bernard j..
Del Negro.
All "A have been indicted on
lottery operation charges in Prince
Georges, along with these six de-
PENDANTS: Sadie E. Stanton, Theda
Shepard, Helen Danhakl, Mae
Cooley. Helen Maimone and Philip
Samakow.
OF these six, only Samakow was
charged in the District. Prosecu-.
ton against him was dropped
here last Monday, however, be-
cause OF lack of evidence.
All were seized in the course of
Attorney Fay's anti-gambling raids
in the District and nearby Prince
Georges last March. Most of the
above listed people were arrested
by United States deputy marshals
in the Forty-sixth avenue address
in Bladensburg.
The county indictments wers
returned in May largely on the
basis of information supplied the
county grand jury by ATTORNEY
Fay'S special agents in the raids.
~ -