davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-06-29

Roberts still demurred. The
following week end Frye came
to his house, telephoned 1t.
Carper from there, and put
Roberts on the line. Carper
personally arranged a meeting
with Roberts.
While this meeting with
1t. Carper was impending.
Roberts inquired around and
found out that things could
be OK" He also got small
shipment of heroin from his
source in New York and gave
or sold part Of it to one Bull
Leach. Carper kept the ap-
pointment at Roberts apart
ment. In the interview which
followed. Carper stated that he
was IN complete charge of the
narcotics situation and that he
could use" Roberts. When
Roberts was undecided, Carper
resorted to the ugly persuasion
that he, Roberts, could be
framed and sent back to prison
anyway. and further revealed
that the narcotics squad had full
knowledge of Roberts transac-
ton with Bull Leach. For his
lapse Roberts had to pay Carper
$3.50. The upshot was that Rob-
erts consented and Carper in
structed him to get a shipment
of narcotics from New York and
to telephone him when it ar
rived. ...s..1.-
Roberts brought 224 ounces
of heroin and cocaine from New
York on November II. 1947.
called Carper, and the latter
scame again to his apartment
the following day. When Rob-
erts brought out the shipment.
packed in a suit box, he was
still doubtful about Carper and
half expected to be placed under
arrest. 1t. Carper, though, was
"tick1ed to death"
Protection Pay Fixed.
The protection payment was
fixed at $500 per month. Carper
returned to pick up the first in
stallment that same evening.
Soon thereafter James Roberts
became a major distributor of
narcotics. handling as much as
Evening star., 1952-06-29
Crime Enforcement

There is an unusually high
rate of aggravated assaults. and
an average number of other
crimes of violence in the Dis
trict of Columbia. These. how
ever. probably reflect a social
condition and do not arise from
organized gang warfare. Wash
ington lacks the industrial con-
centrations and commercial
water front on which the rack
cts involving terrorism -four
ish. In handling crimes of vio-
lence the Metropolitan Police
Department has an adequate
record.
But law enforcement is also
exposed to an insidious chal-
lenge at the hands of criminals
who are able to acquire and use
the power of money. This oc-
ours particularly in dealing with
gambling and narcotics. In
these areas the subcommittee
found the record of the depart
ment shockingly deficient. 1t
found the privileged law
breaker" firmly entrenched.
It must be borne in mind that
what follows is only sampling.
illustrative of conditions in gen.
Evening star., 1952-06-29
Text Of Report
On Investigation

The principal part OF the tert
OF the Senate District Crime
Committee is as tollO1Ds::
The subcommittee decided at
an early stage to concentrate, in
the limited time at its disposal,
on the police function, which is
the most significant point OF con-
tact between the community and
its criminal elements. For this
purpose a financial question
naire was developed by the STAFF
and was used successfully.
About three hundred such
missionaries were sent to
officers in key posts. At the end
of the investigation the sub COM
mittee decided to return most
of these questionnaires to their
makers. This was done during
the month of June.
After a preliminary analysis
of the missionaries the sub
committees accounting staff de-
voted itself to full Investigations
of the financial transactions OF
officers whose accounts and other
activities singled them out as
objects of further inquiry.
This was used in conjunction
with a full-scale field investiga-
ton in which several hundred
persons were interviewed and
reliable information patiently
developed.
Evening star., 1952-06-29

executive officer Of the force.
testified that Plisco, though they
had never met, came to his home
and gave him substantial Christ
mas presents both years that he
served as captain commanding
the first precinct in which Plisco
was operating.
The subcommittee has evidence
of additional instances of favor
itism, friendships, and social
relations between members of
the police force and prominent
gamblers. There was a wide
area Of intercourse and proper
enforcement of the gambling
laws of the District of Columbia
has never been so much as simu-
lated in recent years. The arrest
records of precincts in which
gambling flourished, of Barrett's
own headquarters vice squad,
and of men whom Barrett trans
ferred to important districts and
promoted, reveal the progressive
degeneration Of proper police
action against numbers and
bookmaking operations within
the District. The months ran
into years in which few If any
criminal charges of gambling
violations were placed against
notorious operators. The gam
bling-arrest records of Maj.
Barrett's administration are a
naked commentary on the
absence of effort he inspired.
Maj. Barrett attempted at one
point ip his testimony to justify
this situation on the ground that
gamblers are useful to the police
as informants in detecting other
kinds of offenses. This suggests
the phenomenon of the 'privi-
legged lawbreaker," a phenom-
enon which the subcommittee
strongly disapproves. It is q
compromise with impartial en-
forcement of the laws which
cannot be justified; it UNDER
mines morale in the police force
and induces contempt for the
law; and it is poor excuse in
deed for the depressing condi--
tions which the subcommittee
found.
Evening star., 1952-06-29
The Numbers Racket

The most extensive gambling
activity in the District of CO.
lumbia is so-called numbers
or policy. This is a racket which
exploits the poorer elements of
the community, creating for
tunes for its promoters. The
numbers play has run-eStimat-
ing conservatively - somewhere
around $100 million a year in
metropolitan Washington.
The game is organized as fol-
lows: Bettors play on daily
selections Of any combination of
three numbers and each day one
combination wins. so the basic
odds are 1000 to l. Bets are
taken by storekeepers. elevator
operators, bartenders, cab
drivers, and others whose work
brings them in contact with the
public, and by walking books"
individuals who make daily
rounds to an established clintele
or frequent certain streets, bars,
etc., where they become known.
These writers" sometimes have
organizations of subagentS
working for them. At the end
Of each day all slips and money
are turned in to a collector"
through one or more drops"
and are thence relayed to a
banker" whose headquarters
consist of a staff and a battery
of adding machines. Sometimes
the bets and money are brought
in directly by pickup men"
for the banker. and a large
banker may run several head
quarters simultaneously.
Police at Disadvantage.
Bankers headquarters have
sometimes been maintained in
nearby Maryland or Virginia.
This involves more complicated
arrangements with several en-
forcement agancies, but puts
each at a substantial disad-
vantage, particularly in making
effective cases against the bank
er himself. The Federal con-
spiracy statute is available to
the United States Attorney in
this connection, but it is note
worthy that the Federal Lottery
Act formerly was not, and has
never been relied upon to deal
with this situation.
Evening star., 1952-06-29

A leading numbers banker
whose career is worthy of de-
tailed study is Roger Simkins,
reputedly retired, since the sub
committee started its investiga-
ton, with a substantial fortune
and no present criminal involve
ments except a citation for con-
tempt based on his contumacy
before the subcommittee.
About 1910 Simkins became a
number banker, beginning with
a small book and two employees.
His front was a restaurant
called the Owl Lunchroom. BY
1945 he was a substantial figure,
crossing up to $4,000 a day, with
a score Of people in his organi-
zation.
It became common knowledge
that people who wrote numbers
for Roger Simkins would not be
molested by the police. He fol-
lowed the usual practice of pro-
viding lawyers and bondsmen
and paying the fines in. case
anything went wrong and an
employe was picked up. There
is much evidence that his rela-
tions with the Metropolitan Po-
lice Force were extensive and
intimate. Uniformed officers
regularly visited the headquart-
ers he was using. He Dragged
of his immunity and complained
of the amount which he had to
pay for protection.
Simkins' Power Rises.
On July /, 1947, Robert j.
Barrett. who had long acquaint-
anceships among the big num-
bers operators, took Office as
major and superintendent of
police. From that date, on.
Simkins' size and power in
creased. He was able. on oc-
casion, to use the members Of
the police force to harass and
punish employees and competi-
tors who incurred his displeas-
ure. Simkins expanded to q
succession Of larger headQuar-
Evening star., 1952-06-29

he was convicted Of tampering
with a jury, no prosecutions
have been instituted against
him. He was widely reputed to
be close to Maj. Barrett and
other police officers. His power
as a protector among the num-
berS writer's was a matter Of
common knowledge.
Control Over Police.
Warnings book is-supposed to
have run as high as $4,000 a
day. He apparently had enough
control over the police depart
ment not only to protect mem
bers Of his own organization.
but also to bring about police
interference, on occasion, to
impose his wrath on COMPETE
tors and subordinateS who got
out of line.
Emmitt Warning was called
but made a wholly unsatisfac-
tory appearance, refusing to
testify about his fabulous cash
transactions or his extensive
properties, which are matters
of common knowledge and pub
lie record, and refusing to dis
close any information about his
relationships with police Of
ficials. A citation for contempt,
based upon this testimony, has
been referred to the United
States attorney for prosecution.
Evening star., 1952-06-29
Narcotics and Curper

The Subcommittee'S study OF
the narcotics traffic in the Dis
trict Of Columbia brought to
light a profoundly shocking ex-
ample of the protected law
breaker. While gamblers had
been allowed to buy immunity,
narcotics peddlers-engaging in
the most vicious criminal ac-
tivity known to modern society
were working in active part
nership with police officers.
The Police Department esti-
mates that there are approxi-
mately 470 known users of
heroin and cocaine in the Dis
trict of Columbia Ga figure
which might easily be doubled
to account for unknown
addicts), and for reasons which
subsequently became shockingly
obvious, the head of the mar
coticS squad could identify all
the principal distributors and
describe the traffic with great
accuracy for the subcommittee.
Carper's Appalling Record.
Hialmar Hastings Carper, %
years on the Metropolitan Police
force, was appointed lieutenant
and placed in command of the
narcotics squad in September.
1947, by Maj. Barrett. From that
date until his suspension as a
result of the subcommittee
hearings. all narcotics cases and
arrests involving narcotics in
the District of Columbia had to
be channeled through him. His
record is, in the opinion Of the
subcommittee, one of the most
fragrant instances Of corruption
that has ever been exposed to
public scrutiny.
The man who first brought
the story to light was James
M. Roberts, alias Jim Yellow,
who is now serving a 5-to-15-
year sentence for selling mar
cotics. Roberts. a native Of
Washington, was paroled from
a Federal penitentiary on an
earlier narcotics conviction, on
october 4, 1947. Though long
involved in the traffic, Roberts
is not himself addicted to drugs.
Within few days after his
return. he was approached by a
narcotics addict and peddler
named John Frye. Frye told hin
that a green light" could be
arranged in the traffic, and that
the peddlers were doing business
directly with the head of the
narcotics squad of the Metro
politan Police Department,
identifying 1t. Carper by name.
Roberts was incredulouS. A few
days later Frye approached him
again, and this time one Bob
Williams, a notorious narcotics
seller, joined them, apparently
by prearrangement. Williams
confirmed the fact that narcotics
could be sold with immunity. by
arrangement with the police,
and urged Roberts to attend q
meeting at which the peddlers
were going to divide territories,
arrange prices, etc.
Evening star., 1952-06-29

$4,000 worth of cut heroin.
pure heroin. and cocaine per
month, and making regular
payments on the first of each
month to 1t. Carper. After
a few months the monthly
payment was increased from
$500 to $1,000. Sometimes Rob-
erts would fold the money into
a newspaper and drop 1t on the
floor of Carper's police car when
the latter drove UP to a pre-
arranged meeting place. Some
times payments were delivered
to Carper at his country club.
On some occasions the money
was handled through Carper's
subordinate. Detective Sergt.
William L. Taylor.
Roberts got more than i'm
munity. He was warned when
informers were active, and
sometimes received descriptions
or photographs of undercover
men to protect himself and his
people from the danger of max
ing sales to them. When ped
dlers who worked for him were
picked up, he could usually not
only arrange their release but
also to have the narcotics which
were taken from them returned.
Carper used the threat of arrest
and prosecution to force ped
dlers to buy their goods" from
Roberts. And on one occasion in
the summer of 1948, when the
conSpiratorS feared that their
New York source was under sur
veillance, 1t. Carper himself
went to the National Airport in
Virginia, received and paid for
a $500 shipment of narcotics
and brought it to Roberts apart
ment. For each Of these
"favors" Roberts was obliged to
make additional payments.
Had to Be Known.
This conspiracy was so long
standing that it is inconceivable
to the subcommittee that other
members of the force could have
remained ignorant of it.
Evening star., 1952-06-29
Bookmukers' Wires

In the middle '30s, Plisco,
Beard, and several other local
gamblers dominated organized
bookmaking in the District OF
Columbia. In 1886, Leonard j.
Matusky was sent in by the
Annenberg interests to con-
solidate the situation for the
national syndicate which later
emerged as Continental Press,
Inc. Police assistance in this
enterprise was apparently en-
listed since the Annenberg
organization. Telefash Loud
Speaker Corp, was not bothered
while Plisco and his local con-
temporaries were subjected to
repeated raids. The situation
attracted so much public atten-
ton that the United States at
torney's Office was induced to
seek conspiracy indictments
against Matusky, Plisco. Beard,
and others, which resulted in q
number of convictions. Since
that time there have been no
direct wire service outlets in the
District of Columbia, reputedly
as q result of a direct agreement
with District police officials.
Bookmaking activity channels
through Baltimore and centers
in nearby Maryland, long known
as Sam Boards territory.
Murray Offs Role.
The representative of Cont
mental Press in Washington,
key figure in local bookmaking
activities, is Murray OFF. OF.
Matusky, and Thomas F. Kelly
(manager of Continental, and
operating head of the entire
national bookmakers' wire net
work. testified before the sub
committee in executive session.
Matusky revealed that OF had
taken over most of Boards wire
service customers in Hyatts-
vile after the fall of 1948. and
was carried on the payroll of
World Wide News and Music
Service, a Continental front.
Matusky unfolded a compli-
Gated story of stock transfers.
mergers, and shifting fronts to
conceal the interests of Conti-
mental at the time of the inves-
legations by the Mcfarland and
Kefauver committees.
He recalled that on one
occasion in 1850 he accompanied
Kelly to Washington when the
latter said he had 100000 in
currency on his person, and that
Kelly complained of the fact
that payoffs of the nature he
was making could not be ham
died by check. Kelly also told
Matusky that he thought it
would be possible to kill the
Federal legislation aimed atstl1e
wire services but that it would
cost a lot of money. Later he
stated that this project was
costing $45, 900 more.
Both OF and Kelly relied
heavily on their privilege against
Standardization. For some
years OFF has maintained him
self at fine hotels and apart
ment houses. entertaining fire.
quently, including persons who
might be helpful with respect
to Federal legislation. He de-
clined to explain how he could
afford this activity, with no ap-
Evening star., 1952-06-29

Another operator reputed to
have had very considerable
power with the police depart
ment was 1sador 'Shep" Sha-
piro. who died in 1948 after a
career in numbers almost as
lengthy as Warnings. He oper-
ated intermittently. with a
book reputed to have run from
$1,000 to $500 per day when he
was in business. From 1943 to
1945 Shapiro ran a restaurant.
and apparently succeeded in
making it a hangout for police
officers. For these years the
restaurant was equipped with a
short-Wave radio receiving po-
lice calls, so that members of
the force could pass their time
fraternizing with this unSavory
character instead of performing
their duties elsewhere in the
city. It was well known among
numbers writer's that Shapiro's
men would not be bothered; he
also made the usual arrange
ments for providing lawyers,
bondSmen, and money to pay
fines If any of his employees were
arrested in spite Of the protec-
ton arrangement.
whiting Gains Power.
Orian Whiting, a numbers
banker, rose to power during
the regime Of Major Barrett.
He began his operation in 1916
on a very small scale, MAIN
tanning his headquarters at the
home of a lady friend, with one
) employe. BY 1948 he had seven
or eight employees and a daily
play of $2,500. At the end of
1851 he took over most of Sim
kins' business and his play ran
as high as $4,000 a day. Sim
kins' wife herself served in his
headquarters briefly to assure
customers" about the change.
This prominence was not
achieved by Whiting without
direct pay-offs to the police de-
partment.
Another gambler, Alfred T.
Jones with a book of twelve to
fifteen hundred dollars day., +,
was reputed to have partici-
pated prominently in a celebra-
ton of the appointment of
Major Barrett and to have
Dragged widely my mans in
Office now and Twill be straight,
o. K" Barrett testified of
Jones, "Well. he is known as a
gambler back as far as '35. small
gambler. not anywheres COM
pared with the people that you
have talked about, but I would
like to say-and I would like to
go on record, and it's q record
in the court-that he was one
Of the most helpful persons
that's ever been to the police
department"
Take Horse Bets.
Some of the numbers oper-
ators. notably Simkins and
Whiting, also took horse race
bets. Abe Plisco. an associate
of Emmitt Warning. has also
been active in both numbers
and bookmaking operations for
many years. He. too. was an
entirely unco-operative witness.
and a citation for contempt Of
Congress has been recon-
mended by the subcommittee.
A police official, who is now
Evening star., 1952-06-29
Racket Figures
Left UnmoIested,
Probers Report

The Senate District Crime Com.
mittee report. as released last
night, reads:
When this subcommittee I'M
dertook its assignment Ito
conduct a full and complete
study and investigation with
respect to crime and related
problems. including law en-
forcement. in the District Of
Columbia" - people were al
ready aroused by revelations
about organized crime on a ma
tional scale. Many States and
cities responded to the work of
another Senate committee by
initiating programs to study
and improve the situation for
themselves. with the result that
problems of law enforcement are
now receiving unprecedented at
tention in many quarters. Local
governments are increasing the
pressure on lawbreakers and
unworthy officials; legislators
are casting about for reforms
which will consolidate the gains
that have been made: and
behind these efforts is the sus-
tanning force of informed public
opinion.
Yet in the city Of Washington
the situation remained notably
unaffected. The District of Co.
lumbia has been a dead center
through most of this storm. It
did not figure in the lurid en-
pires of Costello and Capone's
heirs, or the other "Sydicates.
and it was not tainted by known
corruption such as was generally
believed to exist in many other
large cities. The Kefauver-
O'Conor committee, in conclud-
ing its reports on organized
crime in the Nation at large,
wisely urged Congress to look at
conditions in its own province
which was, in part, the genesis
of the instant subcommittee's
assignment.
Peoples Last Recourse.
The people of the District Of
Columbia have no vote, and
their last recourse, at present,
is to Congress. They are pro-
tected by much of the general
body of Federal criminal law,
but they have no voice in the
enactment or administration OF
local measures affecting crime
and law enforcement among
themselves.
What has developed in this
situation is. now fully apparent,
after the subcommittee's nine
months of study: Local male
factors have been unmolested.
engaging in nearly every evil
that has alarmed the Nation at
large. Washington has its core
of racket figures. 1t has hand
full of officials who have been
reprehensibly derelict. And
beyond these it has many office
holders who have become merely
indifferent, impotent, or cynical
from years of exposure to the
situation.
The Nations Capital is now
In the spotlight. If Congress
takes effective steps to develop
a body of model local law and
encourages exemplary enforce
ment, it is safe to assume that
its leadership will be widely
acknowledged, with beneficial
emulation in many city halls
and State capitolS throughout
the land.
Conclusion and recommended
tions at this point, printed on
pnnc Al
Evening star., 1952-06-29

eral and suggestive Of the pos
Sibility of similar conditions in
areas which were not probed.
The number of influential po-
lice officials who sank to the
actual criminal offense of en-
riching themselves from bribes
is doubtless very small. But
the number of police and civil
officials who must have been
aware of the situation-and who
left we'll enough alone - was
surely larger than any specific
disclosure in this inquiry indi-
Gates.
The subcommittee feels that
the conditions it exposed. and
the misfeasance of the head of
the police department, could
not have existed without dere-
LECTION in supervision on the
part of the Commissioner
charged with the administra-
ton of the police department,
and a deep-seated apathy in
the public in response to this
area of municipal government.
It is further concluded that
law enforcement in the District
of Columbia for some time past
has been dominated by the weak
and the corrupt. The number
of ffice-holders who sank to
the actual criminal offense Of
enriching themselves from bnbes
is doubtless very small. But the
number who knew-and left
well enough alone-must have
been very large.