Evening star., 1951-02-16
Lewis Awaits
Sentence After
Pleading Guilty
z Others Also Face
Terms on GumbIinq
Conspiracy Charges


William (Snags) Lewis and two
1ieutenants awaited sentencing to-
day on gambling conspiracy
charges. after suddenly pleading
guilty late yesterday at their Sec
ond trial in District Court.
The surprise move by the three
principals concluded a two-year
drive by the United States At
torney's Office to convict the oper-
ators of a big numbers syndicate.
with headquarters just over the
District line in Bladensburg. Md.
United States Attorney George
Morris Fay called the guilty pleas
the biggest victory in gambling
prosecution here in the last 18
years." and added that Lewis was
the biggest numbers man in
Washington"
Lewis, John r. Mitchell and
George P. Scott, who leased the
headquarters at 1910 Forty sixth
street. Bladensburg, face maxi
mum penalties of two years in
prison, plus $4,000 fines, when
they are brought up for SEN
fencing March 2.
Eleven Employees Cleared.
Eleven employees of the syndi-
cate. said to have taken a million
dollars a month in numbers bets
in the District. were cleared on
conspiracy counts here. after the
three principals pleaded guilty,
but they remain under sentence
in Maryland.
They are Bernard j. Del Negro,
Gregory A. Segar, Ellis L. Salet.
Edward L. Hinkle, jr.; Sterling D.
WEIGH and Dean j. (Greaser)
Kennedy, all arrested at the head
quarters in a raid by District mar
shals on March IS, 1949.
The other five, all colored, were
taken into custody as they de-
livered numbers bets to the head
quarters. They are Frederick
Sutton, Fulton B. Mitchell. Ralph
Spottswood, Lonnie j. Black and
Annis Weyke.
Convicted in Maryland.
The IL men released here were
convicted in the same case by
three Maryland judges last De-
cember and received sentences Of
from one to two years. The same
judges held that Lewis, John r.
Mitchell and Scott were not
guilty because they leased the
premises raided with a warrant
which the judges held invalid.
The Government was still intro
6ucing evidence seized in the raid
when Judge James r. Kirkland
excused the jury to hear state
ments of opposing counsel on the
unexpected guilty pleas.
Attorney William H. Collins told
the judge Lewis wished to change
his not-guilty plea on the con-
spiracy count.
Attorneys Charles E. Ford and
Myron E. Ehrlich, representing the
other 13 defendants, said Scott
and John r. Mitchell would enter
similar pleas.
Assistant District Attorney Will
liam Hitz replied thats in view
of the guilty pleas, the Govern
ment would ask dismissal of the
cases against the remaining II
men and the dismissal of an
other gambling indictment against
Lewis, in which he is jointly
charged with Frank Billeci.
Agrees to Dismissals.
Judge Kirkland agreed to the
dismissals. A third defendant un-
der the latter indictment, Attilio
Acalotti, is now serving a SEN
tence after withdrawing his ap-
peal. The three men were con-
victed, but a higher court reversed
the verdict and sent the case back
for retria1. Acalotti also was con-
victed for trying to intimidate a
Federal witness.
Judge Kirkland pointed out that
Lewis and his 13 co-defendants
were tried more than a year ago,
and the protracted hearing re-
suited in a hung jury. He said
he believed the opposing counsel
had reached a fair agreement.
The II men released yesterday
are at liberty on bond pending
appeals from their conviction in
Maryland.
The judge continued the bonds
In the case of the three men who
pleaded guilty. pending sentence.