Evening star., 1951-09-30
Prince Georges
Gambling Probe
Set Tomorrow
War Against Crime
Widens as Inquiry
Parallels Action Here

FQTQIIeIS NCIiOn HSTS
Investigation of Interstate
gambling and corruption in this
area will be broadened tomorrow
when the Prince Georges County
grand jury enters the picture.
AS in the District grand jury
probe-now beginning its eighth
week-the Prince Georges grand
jury may seek testimony from
Washington policemen.
A third pending investigation
the one planned by a Senate
District crime subcommittee-is
still stalled for lack Of a counsel
to direct it. There were indica-
tions, however, that the subcom-
mittee may consider several cam
|didateS this week.
List Is Exhausted.
Chairman Neely Of the Senate
District Committee and its crime
subcommittee told newsmen yes
terday that the list of men sug-
gested by FBI Director j. Edgar
Hoover has been exhausted with
out finding any candidates and
"as Of now. no one is under con-
sideration whom I feel could do
a top-fiight job"
Committee Counsel Gerhard van
Arkel. however, said he hoped to
Ipresent the names Of several ap-
plicants to the subcommittee early
this week.
Past Cases Studied.
| In the District grand jury probe.
the investigating prosecutors are
now studying past Washington
gambling cases involving alleged
henchmen of Charles E. Nelson,
the key figure in both the District
and Prince Georges County in
vestigations.
Nelson, whose farm home Is
near Ritchie in Prince Georges
County. has admitted backing
what the Senate Crime Investi-
eating Committee described as a
$6 million numbers racket. AS
result of committee disclosures,
the grand jury Investigations were
ordered in both the city and the
county.
/ In Prince Georges County.
Judge Charles c. Marbury is
expected to touch upon the gam
bling situation in his opening
charge to the jurors at Upper
Marlboro tomorrow but the panel
will devote its first efforts to clear
ing up routine matters and that
may take week to 10 days.
| States Attorney Carlyle ]. Lam
caster said yesterday the grand
Jury first will consider a run
of-the-mill" docket which includes
E almost 80 cases. He said it is ad-
l visable to dispose Of this work at
/ the outset so the business of the
e court can go on uninterrupted.
Matter Of Expediency.
! BY reporting indictments in
these routine cases, Mr.. Lancaster
D Explained, trials can be scheduled
A for hearing by the judges and
petit juries. Then the grand jury
S can turn to the gambling ques-
S ton. which may require prolonged
G study.
Mr.. Lancaster disclosed that he
s intends to summon some county
policemen as grand jury witnesses
! and said he may" ask soms
Washington policemen to testify.
He pointed out that he lacks
+ authority to require the Metro
politan officers to come to the
county, since he cannot subpoena
them. ......
The States attorney also said
present and former officeholders
! in the county may be summoned
S One possible problem for the
3 county prosecutor was removed
= Friday when District Judge r.
Dickinson Let's ruled in Wash.
ington that the Government could
, keep possession of records belong
ing to Nelson, for use in the
9 Washington gambling investiga-
ton.
Account Books Produced.
. During the Senate Crime In.
!. vestigating Committee inquiry,
Nelson voluntarily produced ac-
count books for the years from
. 1910 to 1850. The Senate proberS
= turned them over to United States
Attorney George Morris Fay with
the understanding that they could
be examined by grand jurors IN
the District and in Maryland.
Subsequently, Nelson filed a mo-
u ton in District Court to recover
the records and to suppress any
4 evidence obtained from them in
. event he is prosecuted.
:. When Judge Let's denied this
motion, Assistant United States
Attorney John w. Fihelly an
Inounced that Prince Georges au-
thoritieS would have full access
E to the documents for the county
investigation.
Unnamed Experts Assist.
States Attorney Lancaster has
s been assisted in the preliminary
e investigation by Police Chief F.
!. Allen Richards and Sheriff Carl
ton Beall. and by two unnamed
! experts. The latter are generally
believed to be State policemen
who also assisted the Senate crime
lprobers.
Sheriff Beall testified before the
Senate committee that Nelson
!. tried to bribe him to provide for
,lpolice protection of the Nelson
numbers racket. The sheriff said
Nelson offered $4,000 a month,
which was to be split between
Mr.. Bea1l, Mr.. Lancaster and
Chief Richards. This is one of the
principal charges to be studied
: by the grand jury.