Evening star., 1952-02-08
Jury Delviing
Into Charges Of
Police Payoffs
Gambling Figures
Testimony at Crime
Inquiry Is Studied
By Jack Jonas

ther into charges Of police pay
offs today.
Statements by gambling figures
questioned by investigators for the
Senate District Crime Investigat-
ing Committee were sent to United
States Attorney Charles M. Irelan
for use by the grand jury.
Included were statements from
Nathaniel Y. Taylor. colored, OF
the 1400 block Of Corcoran street
NV, and Jacqueline Terry
colored, 1011 Euclid street NV.
Although both refused to an
swer questions in public hearings
they talked freely when they
spoke earlier with committee In
vestigators. The statements were
made part of the public record
Tells of Ice Sheets
They spoke fully Of "ice sheets
-tabulations for police pay-offs.
Both were working for Orian T.
Whiting, they said, who was turn
ing in his numbers take, according
to Taylor, to Roger w. (Whitetop)
Simkins. colored. Taylor said $50
"a month was collected from him
for police protection.
Mr. 1relan previously had called
for the transcript of public testi-
mony, which included that Of
Charles H. Nelson. former man
ager of the Brass Rail restaurant
operated by SimkinS' wife, Yvonne.
Nelson told of seeing pay-offS to
ABC inspectors and mysterious
envelopes handed to police.
Committee sources said about q
dozen statements were sent to the
grand jury. but the full list of
names was not revealed. Some Of
the statements taken by the COM
mittee investigators have not yet
been inserted ino the public record.
Simrkins' Operation Studied.
The grand jury yesterday began
looking into the Sin1kins' opera
ton. Mrs. Sarah (Dimples) Hall,
henna-haired former girl friend Of
Simkins. was quizzed for about an
hour.
She declined to comment on her
testimony. During the crime hear
ings. Mrs. Hall told the committee
that Simkins had operated from
her home until about five years
ago.
Mr.. Irelan yesterday invited the
public to join the war against
crime by communicating to him
tips or leads on criminal activities
Letters containing such infor-
nation need not be signed, he said
They should be addressed to As
sistant United States Attorney
Thomas c. Walden. jr. Tele-
phoned information will be re-
ceived at National 2131, extern
sion 108.
ANY promising tips will be
placed before the special District
crime grand jury now in session.
Meanwhile. it was learned that
eight additional subpoenas have
been issued for grand jury wit
nesses, in addition to the two who
testified yesterday.
The second witness was identi-
fed as a Miss Christine Curtis,
also colored, Of 2705 Twelfth street
NE. Miss Curtis was closeted
with the jury only briefly and will
return today.
Mr.. Irelan expressed himself as
being very well satisfied with the
progress Of the investigation 50
far.
Meanwhile. It was indicated
that the Senate Crime Investigat-
ing Committee may try in secret
session to pry from Murray OF
information that the former race
wire operator refused to give in
public hearing.
The committee, encouraged by
success in it's last closed hearing
during which another race wire
operator talked freely, plans to
hold further secret meetings next
week.
It was reported they would
question those whose names were
broughtsup during testimony given
Wednesday by Leonard j. Matus-
ky. whoaexposed racing news con-
nectionS between Washington
bookmakers and national wire syn
dicates.
Numbers Racket Covered.
The committee, which covered
the numbers racket principally in
it's hearings, moved into race bet
ting late in the hearings when 1t
called OF, who at that time re-
fused to answer most Of the ques-
tions put by Committee Counsel
Arnold Bauman.
Mr.. Bauman would not disclose
what Is planned for further secret
meetings. However. Matusky. for
mer operator Of Worldwide News
a. Music Service. discussed Offs
connection with race wire serv-
ices, It was indicated that new
information obtained might be
used as q lever for getting OF to
talk.
The name Of Sam Beard, an
other Washington gambling fg-
ure, also was mentioned In Ma
tusky's testimony. but it remained
doubtful that Beard would come
before the committee.
Beard, who has since been M
dicted in Baltimore for income tax
evasion. was originally scheduled
to appear before the committee.
but was III In q hospital at the
time. Mr.. Bauman said he would
not endanger anyone's health, mo
- nfkay. v,Ian R1A iR % hW forcing an