Evening star., 1952-02-07
Crime Vines aIes 4
District Bookie ielp
With Resi- Of Nation

- - - = - ss2ssSE
/ A former race wire operator told
the Senate District Crime IIyesti-
eating Committee yesterday how
Washington bookmakers got their
information about races through
out the Nation.
The testimony. described by q
Senate prober as the best TO date
lin the far-fiung investigation, was
given by Leonard J. Matusly Of
Baltimore. Until a few months
ago. committee sources said. he
was president Of the World Wide
News and Music Service. Inc.
Authoritative sources said that
|Matusky,s testimony included dis
|cussion Of links between the ma
|tional race-Wire Setup and District
|bookmakers. and how information
was passed to and from bookies
here.
The names Of Sam Beard and
Murray OF were mentioned dur
ling .,Matusky's testimony, it was
learned. Connections Of the two
with race-wire services had been
brought out previously. by the
| (O'Conor committee when it In
tvestigated crime on o national
scale.
Under Tax Indictment.
Beard, under indictment In
Baltimore for evading income
taxes, had been excused as a wit
ness before the current committee
because of illness.
OF was called to testify, but
refused to answer questions about
his alleged connection with race
wire services, and whether he
knows national racket figures Joe
IAdonis, Frank Erickson or Frank
Costello, all previously linked with
Operations furnishing race news to
bookieS.
OF also brough with him, in
answer to a subpoena, two large
packages Of his records. but re-
fused to hand them over to the
investigators on the ground they
might incriminate him. Commit
tee sources said the Senate probers
are considering a request for 9
contempt citation against OF.
Details Not Revealed.
Details Of Matusky's testimony
given in closed hearing. were not
revealed. -<
Committee Chairman Neely and
Arnold Bauman, committee coun-
sci. said Matusky would be re-
called when the public hearings
are resumed, probably next month
The Baltimorean's identity was
cloaked In secrecy before he ar
rived at the Capitol for the CLOSED
session. Mr.. Bauman had sale
the publication Of his name ir
advance might prove injurious tt
the inquiry.
When he appeared before the
O'Conor committee last year
Matusky told something Of the
operation of his service for the
benefit of Baltimore taverns and
a group of individuals. Over
leased telephone wires, he said
World Wide furnished race results
internationally during programs Of
recorded music.
Central Phone Exchange.
He testified then that the pro-
grams originating at headquarters
were carried to q central tele-
phone exchange and there piped
to individual subscribers ovel
separate lines. Occasionally, hi
admitted. some of his employe.
may have given racing odds tt
customers who called in, but HI
declared the. employees were undel
instructions not to do that.
Senator Welker. Republican, ot
Idaho, was authority for tn,
statement about the Matusky tes.
ltimony being among the best
.Iheard to date. At public session.
the committee. has examined 8
number of police officers, former
): Police Supt. Robert J. Barrett
several big time gamblers, some o1
their former employees and a few
well-known business and profes-
sional men.
According to Mr.. Baunaan, Ma
tusky appeared yesterday in re.
sponse to q subpoena. But the
counsel would not say whether the
witness asked to be heard ir
closed session. Nor would he ex-
plain the early secrecy about the
mans identity.
In addition to Chairman Nicely
and Senator Welker, the testi-
mony was heard by Senator Pas
tore, Democrat, of Rhode Islanc
and Senator Butler, Republican
of Maryland. The fifth member
Senator Hunt. Democrat. o.
Wyoming, was the only one un.
able to attend.