Evening star., 1952-01-15
Probers Quiz Barrett
On Contacts With
District Gamblers

learned one of his detectives had
become involved in the case. He
was asked:
@. Who brought him to your
home?
A. It was Sergt. Scott.
q. Was Sergt. Scott there when
you talked to Simkins?
A. I'm pretty sure he was.
Q. Were you ever alone with
Smpkins?
A. No. sir.
@. Is Sergt. Scott still in tho
Police Department?
A. Yes, sir.
@. And available if we need
him? ~
A. Yes. sir.
The sergeant referred to is now
the chief of detectives, Inspector
Edgar E. Scott.
Later in his testimony, Mr.. Bar
rett said Simkins had the reputa-
ton. of being one of the biggest
numbers operators in the District,
but he added he had no idea how
many worked for Simkins. = q
Hearing in Second Day.,
Maj. Barrett was on the stand
for the second day today. He was
to appear at the afternoon session
again but the committee expected
to be through with him during
the day. He" was quizzed about
his frequent trips to distant cities
for the purpose of establishing
how he could afford them on his
reported income.
In connection with the La Fon-
taine~ party, the former superin-
tendent said he went to Boston
IN 1948 to attend the World Series
and he was accompanied by Rob-
ert Pearce, then police captain,
Gilmour (Gilly) Young, a liquor
dealer. and Wash B. Williams, a
prominent businessman.
Invited to Hotel Suite.
He testified the group was in
vited to the Boston hotel suite of
Attorney Charles e. Ford, one of
the two lawyers representing him
In the current hearing.
II was with Mr.. Williams about
1880 at night when Mr.. Young
called Mr.. Ford, or MIR. Ford
called Mr.. Young, and we were
invited over to Mr.. Ford's apart
ment," the ex-chief stated.
'Mr. Williams, Mr.. Young and
! went over there and went into
the living room of this apart
ment, and there was another cou-
pie present. and we had a drink.
While we were there-we were
there about Is OR 20 minutes-Mr.
La Fontaine came out of q bed
room. and walked across in a
nightgown. Oater. amid laugh
ter, he described it as "cut-
away" nightgown.J sAl4
mfr. Williams asked who he
was. told him. and shortly after
we left
..> Respected Businessman.
Both the Senate committee
members and their chief counsel.
Arnold Bauman, who is directing
the investigation, hastened toI
state for the record that Mr.. VIII
liams is a highly respected busi-
nessman and no bad inference
should be drawn from his pres
ence at the party.
It was brought out that as soon
as Mr.. Williams learned the iden-
tity of La Fontaine, he left i'm
mediately and Mr.. Barrett went !
with him.
The counsel also emphasized
that there was q perfectly normal
client-attorney relationship be-
tween Mr.. Ford and La Fontaine,
whom the lawyer had represented
over a long period. ---...
Mr.. Ford also is administrator |
Of the wealthy gamblers estate
This questioning enSued:
@. Will you tell us who JIMMY
La Fontaine was? f.s...~,
A. He was a man about IS
years old who ran gambling
place in Maryland. I
@. Would you say I was cor
rect if I characterized him as
notorious, large-scale gambler /
Doesn't Wish to Answer.
A. wouldn't want to answer
that. He had his business in
Maryland. I used to be in No.. 4
precinct and he lived there, and
I hardly saw him twice getting in !
and out of his car.
@. Did he have a reputation
as a big-time gambler?
A. Yes. sir.
@. You say Mr.. La Fontaine
came out of one of the rooms in
his. nightgown. Did he have a
drink? /
A. No. He came, out and said, |
"Who's making all the damn noise !
out here?"
@. Did you know him?
A. Yes. j
@. You knew him personally,
didn't you? "
A. just knew him to see him.
I never had a conversation with
him in my life. was in his gam
bling place once in connection
with an investigation.
@. Did Mr.. La Fontaine join
the party?
A. No, he never stopped.
@. Did he come back again?
A. I didn't see him again.
@. Why did you leave?
A. When / told Mr.. Williams
who he was, Mr.. Williams said,
Lets get the hell out Of here"
@. That was Mr.. Williams sug-
gestion?
A. I went with him.
@. But it was Mr.. Williams
suggestion? You had no objec-
ton to staying around? Il
A.. I got out Of there. II
O. You don't think that wa
any place for you to be, do you?
A. No, sir.