Evening star., 1953-03-01
Bonds Imposed
In Dope Raids
Total S235,OOO
Seizure of % Men
And Women Is Blow
To Turner Ring


sweeping raids on the haunts of
dope peddlers here Friday night
and early yesterday.
Individual bonds ranging from
$4,000 to $3.500 were set by
United States Commissioner
Cyril S. Lawrence despite fire.
Quent and sometimes heated pro-
tests of defense attorneys.
Those arraigned had been ar
rested on Commissioners war;
rants issued on the basis of an
undercover investigation which
began six months ago. All but one
of the % were charged with sale
and possession of narcotics. The
lone exception was a man accused
of possession.
Federal agents and police Of
f1cials believe the blow struck
hard at the successors to Ran
dolph (Catf1sh) Turner, whose
rich syndicate fell apart with
Turner's arrest, trial and impris-
onment on conspiracy charges
New Sources Found.
The undercover work began
as soon as the peddlers were re-
ported to be finding new sources
of supply. It was led by Federal
Agent Leroy w. Morrison, who
jailed New York's notorious
Waxey Gordon.
Despite the fall of Catfish
Turner's dope ring, Washington
still was rated high on the list
of cities in which the traffic was
known to thrive, according to
Harry j. Anslinger, Federal Com
missioner of Narcotics.
About so Federal agents, Met
ropolitan police and United
States marshals pulled the raids
after the groundwork had been
laid into a dozen pads" or dis
tribution points.
Capt. John B. Layton, head of
the police narcotics squad, said
the city's biggest dope raid was
part of a continuing enforce
ment drive" The roundup netted
50 men and women in all.
One man was charged, but
not arraigned yesterday. Most
of the others, picked up in dope
joints, are being held for investi-
CATION.
"Big Wheels" Seized.
Among the % arrested on war;
rants was Joseph N. King, 81,
colored, of the 900 block of Mt.
Olivet road NE. reputed to have
stepped into Catfish Turner's
shoes.
Other alleged big wheels" in
cluoed Aletha Smith. 27, colored.
of the 5000 block of Just street
NV. girl friend of Leon James,
Catfish Turner's first assistant.
James is now serving to "a
years for conspiracy
Seized also were Nathaniel and
Gladys CPunkie) Simmons, COL
ored, OF the $500 block of Jay
street NE along with quantity
of suspected heron, $5 900 in cash
and Cadillac.
Assistant United States Attor-
ney Robert L. Ackerly and Capt. |
Layton said the % persons ar
rested under the warrants were
doing q business we'll over the !
miliion-a-year take attributed
to Turner
Band Leader Arrested.
Raiders said Christopher E.
Powell, 81 colored, band leader
of the Blue Flames" attempted
to swallow five capsules when
they broke into a suspected dive
in the 1900 block of West Vir-
ginia avenue NE. Powell was
charged with possession, and will
be arraigned tomorrow, police
said.
Joseph King and Aletha
Smith were held under $4,000
bonds each, for hearings early in
March. The third $4,000 bond
was imposed on Edward F. Jack
son, jr., %, of the $500 block of
Ninth street NE. The Simmons
couple was held under $4,000
bonds each.
A third bond for $4,000 was
assessed against Thomas Jor-
dan. 81, colored, of the 1900
block of Seventh street NV.
Other Defendants.
Bonds for other defendants,
all colored. follow:
Bonds of $4,000 each for
Harry Dawson, "a, of the 5000
block of Park road NV; June
N. Gordon. Is, of the 1900 block
of Fairmont street NV; Flea
nor Fennell, 81, of the $500
block of Ninth street NE; Doris
D. Suter, %, of the 1900 block of
West Virginia avenue NE:
Frederick Lee Scott. 40, of the
400 block of H street NV. and
Alfonso Willis, 10. of the 600
block of @ street NV.
Bonds of $500 were imposed
on Jack o. Pettis, %. of the 1900
block of Ninth street NV;
James S. Williams, 81, of the
1900 block of Sherman avenue
NV; James c. Sheppard, Al, of
the 1900 block of T street NV:
Virginia Smith, "a, of the first
block of I street NE; Harold G.
Parks, 80, of the 600 block of o
street NV, and Edna J. Chisoln,
30. of the 700 block of Girard
street NV.
Clifton Neal, 20, of the 900
block of Massachusetts, avenue
NE, was held under a $500
bond, while $4,000 bonds were
imposed on Bernice Pleasure, %,
of the 1900 block of o street
NV, and Geralding E. Gra-
vette, 20. of the 1900 block of
Seventh street NV.
Kaleen Ahmed, %, of the 1900
A1nnIy ~ ~ ctroof NJ VIZ uyoc bolI