Evening star., 1954-10-05
Booknlakers,
Gamblers Tell
OF Beard Deals
Are Vague on Names
But identity Checks
In Income Tex Cuse
By jack Jonas
Star Sfcff Correscondeni

o1AA4 A0O&SGs, IAO.s OGt. O.-fA
parade of bookmakers and bet
ting commissioners took the wit
ness stand in Federal Court to-
day to tell about their business
dealings with Washington gam
bier Sam Beard.
The Government is trying to
show that Beard had a big busi-
ness in horse bets from 1914
through 1947 to support its con-
tention that he evaded $1.6 mil
lion in income tax.
The gamblers an dformer
gamblers who appeared today
were vague about names and
dates. but were more definite in
identifying checks made out to
Beard or to Sam Blake" which
the Government said is an alias
for Beard.
Says Checks Bounced.
Lucian c. Layne of 6007
North Nineteenth street, Arling-
ton, Va, who said he once wrote
book for Beard, recalled that he
had a hard time collecting from
one customer, and pointed out
that three checks United States
Attorney George Cochran Doub
showed him in court had
bounced. The man who wrote
them was not identified.
Mr.. Layne's testimony about
the checks touched Off bitter
words between Mr.. Doub and
Thomas j. Kenney, the defense
lawyer, when Mr.. Kenney OBJ
jected strenuously to Mr.. Doub's
request that he be allowed to
cross-examine his own witness.
Mr.. Doub said he was "sur-
prised" by the testimony that the
check had bounced.
Mr.. Layne stood firm in his
story, however, and said he had
received no money from the
checks.
Made Bids by Phone.
He testified he was introduced
to Beard at BOT Ninth street
NV. Washington, by a man
he named as Jake Bonderoff.
He said he made his bids by
telephone and made collections
and payoffs through several per-
sons, including Louis A. (Hippy)
Levy, Mr.. Bonderof and William
Maroney. His business. he said,
totaled about $3.50 a week.
William j. Hellar, of 1920
Monroe street NV, said his
bodkmaking business with Beard
was somewhat less. about $3.50
a month. He said he, too, paid
off and collected at the lower
Ninth street address, but did
not know the name of the man
with whom he dealt. He said
it was not Beard.
Mr.. Hellar told a jury he was
assigned the number "23" .oy
Beard, and that when he called
to place his bets he would iden-
tify himself by that number.
Ran on Credit Basis.
Benjamin (Porky) Lassoff of
near Cincinnati said he did busi-
ness with Beard while running
the st. Bernard News Agency in
Ohio. He said he never met
Beard, but that the Washington
gambler had been recommended
to him. Mr.. Lassof said he
did business on credit basis,
making settlements from time to
time.
Arthur Arnold, of New York,
who said he was a betting COM
missioner and broker, said he
did business with Beard for a
while In 1914 and 1945. He iden-
titled two checks, one of them
for 1882, made out to Sam
Blake. He said he could not
now recall why he wrote the
checks that way unless it was
because he had been instructed
to do so.
Also called as q Government
witness was Leslie L. Altman of
Washington and Miami Beach,
who rented Offices to Beard at
the w. M. & A. Bus Terminal
in Washington. He testified
that he knew Beard as Sam
Blake, but did not know Blake's
business. He said he understood
it was some sort of news serv-
ice."