Evening star., 1952-01-18
j ss',,ss.
10 More Named
As Nelson Aides
Due 10 Testify
Two Women Tell =.
Of Office Operations
At Numbers rial
By w. n. Shippen

Total up the score against Charles
E. Nelson at his trial with Is
others on charges Of operating q
rich numbers lottery with the help
of police officers.
A second adding machine expert
took the stand yesterday and
probably will be followed by a pa
rade Of co-workers, when testi-
mony is resumed Monday in Dis
trict Court. The trial was in adj
journment today to allow Judge
James r. Kirkland to dispose of
other cases.
Direct testimony of Mrs. Helen
Lorraine Brown of Seat Pleasant,
Md. was offered with a precision
as to names. dates and places,
which led the Government to in
quire If she kept a diary. Her
answer was, "Yes."
Mrs. Brown. however, was not
referring to the diary to refresh
her recollection when she detailed
II moves made by syndicate head
quarters during her seven years of
employment. from June, 1914, un-
til she was discharged, March 8,
1851.
Calmly Testify.
Under direct examination, she
testified as calmly as did her
predecessor on the stand, Mrs.
Dorothy Ridgely, 81, also Of Seat
Pleasant, mother Of five children,
and a syndicate employe with nine
years service, she said.
Mrs. Ridgely, however, lost her
composure and retorted angrily
when cross-examined by defense
counsel, who asked if she was fired
for getting involved with married
men. She denied this was the
case, or that she drank too much
whisky.
While admitting that her hus-
band had sued her for divorce and
that this was granted recently in
nearby Maryland, Mrs. Ridgely
pointed out she was allowed GUS
tody of her five children.
It was because of the children,
the mother said, chat she turned
states evidence.
"I did not want to 60 to jail, +"
she added Mrs. Ridgely was
pressed as to why she mentioned
only the defendants and not the
Government witnesses who had
worked with her ut the places she
named. ,s -. tsA s-
Names 20 as Employees.
Mrs. Ridgely replied the wit
nesses "were not on trial" Asked
to name other women Office en-
ployes, in addition to the five on
trial. Mrs. Ridgely furnished 20
names.
At least 10 Of those named are
expected to follow Mrs. Ridgely
and Mrs. Brown to the stand.
Three men, who said they were
former employees Of Nelson already
have described operations Of the
syndicate, dating back to 1880.
Under the law, the overt acts
charged in the conspiracy may
not anti-date the October % in
dictment by more than three
years.
The Judge allowed the older
testimony to give the Government
opportunity to establish continuity
of the operation.
Mrs. Brown, like Mrs. Ridgely
testified that Homicide Squad De-
tective Robert G. Kirby, suspend
ed, and former Precinct Detective
James E. Lowry. who retired five
years ago, participated in the
numbers operations.
Mrs. Brown told the jury she
knew Inspector Albert I. Bullock,
also suspended. by sight. and had
seen him outside a gambling place
in Seat Pleasant but was mot
acquainted with him personally.
Agree on Principals.
The two women agreed the su-
pervisors of the racket were Mel
son, his wife, Mrs. Virginia Madge
Nelson. and Robert L. Nowland
and his wife, Mrs. Mary C. Now
land.
Mrs. Brown said that the Mel
sons daughter, Mrs. Bertha N
MacWilliams. and her husband
William (Billy) K. MacWilliams
Joined the racket when headquar-
ters was moved to "the MacWil-
liams home" at North Beach, Md.
In August Of 1850.
Mrs. Brown said Mrs. Nelson
hired her in June, 1914, and she
went to work in the garage Of the
Nelson's prosperous stock farm al
Ritchie, Md, totaling numbers
slips on an adding machine at $40
O week.
I'm Paper Bags.
The witness said that Blight
Lee, another defendant. was ir
charge for one day, but the rest
of the time she took her orders
from Mrs. Nelson. who, she be-
lieved, brought the bets and money
to the garage.
In October or November, 1914
the witness said, the headquarter.
was moved to the Richardson
home" on Central avenue, Sea-
Pleasant, remaining there unit
September. 1947.
She said Lowry, Nowland ane
sometimes" Kirby brought tn,
"work'' tnumbers slips ant
money! to the home in ''browr
paper bags" marked with the mi.
tials of men on the various routes
Defendants working on the Of
fee force at the time, she said
were Mrs. Ruby Geary, Mrs. Mar,
r. Hutchinson, Mrs. Effie Lo,
Trent and Mrs. Shirley Mccoy
There were 20 or 80 adding ma.
chimes in the Office then, she said
Mrs. Brown told the jury sh,
had never seen Inspector Bullocl
In the Richardson house but no
ticed him In the yard four or hv,
times.
Tr Senteynher 1o47. Mrs Rrow,