Evening star., 1951-10-01
Prince Georges
Jury Instructed
To Dig Deeply
County's Good Name
Issue in Crime Probe,
Judge Morbury Says
, By John ". Horner


Circuit Judge Charles C. Marbury
today instructed the new Prince
Georges County grand jury to dig
deeply into charges of rampant
gambling and corruption in the
county.
In a 40-minute talk, Judge MARI
bury said the good name of Prince
Georges has been gravely ques-
toned as the result of disclosures
before the Senate Crime Investi-
eating Committee.
"The court instructs you with
all its authority and force to go
into all of the (crime) matters
which have been given such great
publicity" Judge Marbury said.
You are responsible for and
are justly proud of the fact that
you are citizens of this county
and the State of Maryland. The
good name of our county has been
questioned. Your function is to
Straighten this matter out.
"It there have been widespread
violations of the gambling laws
or corruption. it is>your solemn
duty to investigate, and determine
what acts have been committed
and to see that the individuals
concerned are brought to trial"
Judge Marbury also told the
grand jury that the crime dis
closures bring into question the
good reputation of various public
office holders. Pointing out that
majority of the county officials
are men and women of complete
integrity" he said it is impera-
tive to remove any possible cloud
of suspicion over them so they
may stand in their true light" "
He continued:
"If you find any criminal &C
tivity or corruption or any at
tempts to corrupt. 1t is your duty
to sift the changes and to elimi-
nate those citizens from public
Office. -.
The court stresses the i'm
Iportance of digging deeply into
this matter to turn up whatever
ought to be turned up so that this
county may be restored to the en-
viable reputation it has enjoyed
for so many years. -.
mo one is so foolish as to be-
lieve we can ever reach the mil
lonium-Where there is no crime
and no violation of the criminal
laws. But we can try to reduce
crime and keep it to minimum.
Judge Marbury made no direct
reference to Charles E. Nelson ot
Ritchie, Md, who has become the
central figure in the Prince
Georges gambling investigation a.
well as one being conducted by g
District grand jury.
| Nelson admitted to the Senate
crime probers that he had invested
in what he thought" was a mum.
bers operation. Later the Sena-
tors described him as the head o1
a $6 million numbers racket oper-
atlng in parts of Maryland, the
District and Virginia.
In testimony before the Senate
committee, Prince Georges Sheriff
Carlton Beall declared that Nelson
offered him a bribe of $4,000 pei
month in return for police protec-
ton OF the racket. This is amone
the charges to be considered by
the county grand jury, according
ito States Attorney Carlyle j
Lancaster.
Part Of the crime investigation
at Upper Marlboro depends upor
documents obtained by the Senate
Committee and turned over tt
United States Attorney George
Morris Fay. These are beins
studied by the District granc
jury. Tt is not known when they
will become available to Primes
Georges County, and Judge Mar.
bury said today the grand jury
may have to recess pending re.
ceipt of the papers.
The grand jury foreman is Ed.
ward J. Smith. executive of 6
Washington ice cream COMPANY
who lives at Dover House, tht
former residence of Mrs. Eleanor
sissy Patterson. He was ap.
pointed by Judge Marbury.