Evening star., 1952-01-13


pended Washington police officers
and l3 others are to go on trial in
District Court tomorrow on
charges of gambling and conspir-
ing to operate a big numbers syn
dicate in the District and nearby
Maryland.
Facing the jury along with Mel
son and his wife, Mrs. Virginia
Madge Nelson. will be Inspector
Albert I. Bullock and Detective
ISergt. Robert G. Kirby of the hon.
licide squad. who were suspended
from the force October % when
the grand jury returned the mass
indictments.
A retired member of the force
former Detective James E. Lowry;
who once shared an apartment
with Inspector Bullock = also Is
among defendants to be tried be-
fore Judge James r. Kirkland. !.
Numbers Racket Charged.
The first count Of the indict-
ment accuses the eight men and
eight women with jointly operat-
ing a numbers racket in the Dis
Itrict during the three years pre-
lceding October %.
Maximum penalty under the
count is a fine of $1,000 and a
year in prison.
The second count OF conspiracy
to violate the District lottery laws
provides as much as five years ir
prison and fine of $4,000.
The indictments grew out of an
inquiry touched off by the Senate
Crime Investigating Committee
last summer.
At that time Nelson, who hao
been known as a gentleman
farmer" with string of race
horses and property said to be
worth over ST million, admitted
he thought" his income was from
gambling.
$25,O0O From Gambling.
From records turned over by
Nelson, committee experts esti-
mated he had made at least $780,.
900 from gambling in the last
four years.
In its bill of particulars to the
indictment, the Government
charged the syndicate or it.
agents operated in at least nine
places in the District. and severa
others in nearby Prince George!
and Calvert counties.
These included a home in Sea
Pleasant, Md, the garage of Mel.
sons country estate at Ritchie
Md, and establishments ownee
by Nelson at North Beach, in Cal
vert County.
i Bullock was said to have len
his protection to the syndicat,
and to have associated with oper
ativeS in one of the places il
Seat Pleasant. while Kirby ant
Lowry allegedly took part in col
lecting bets and helped to protec
the Maryland places as arme,
guards.
!; Others Awaiting Trial.
Others to go on trial are Rober
L. Nowland of Alexandria, and hi
wife, Mrs. Mary c. NoWland.
J; Nelson has admitted giving fl
nancial backing to the Rober
, Nowland Associates, described b
the Senate committee as a multi
, million-d dollar numbers syndicate
The indictment, however, &C
cuses the Nowlands specifically O
other operations. Nowland wa
. said to have taken numbers slip
and records from the District t
st. Pleasant and North Beach
and Mrs. Nowland allegedly super
, vised the compilation of number
J records at North Beach.
. Included among defendants ar
Nelson's daughter and son-in-lav
Mrs. Bertha N. McWillialns, an
william K. McWilliams.
Mrs. McWilliams was said +
have operated an adding machin
at North Beach. while her hus
band operated an adding machin
e at Seat Pleasant and collecte,
q bets in the District.
= Blight Lee Accused.
Other defendants are:
Blight H. Lee. former Arling
= ton. Va, gambler, now living il
= Oxon Hill, Md.
1 James I. Pumphrey. said to b
associated with Nelson in a col
= machine firm known as the P &
= Amusement Co. .s .-
= Mrs. Elizabeth Brady, describe
:. los o bookkeeper at North Beacl
and wife ,of Pat Brady. who traine