Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-04
Raiders Smash
Numbers Rinq;
IS Charged
Police Swoop Down
On Five Centers of
SIS Million Setup

An intensive two-month police
investigation was climaxed with
the smashing of what police
term a SIS million gambling ring
here.
Police struck simultaneously at
five places late yesterday after
noon. Eighteen of those seized
in the raids were charged. Eight
others were released.
Deputy Chief Clarence o. Lutz,
head of the morals division. said
police have been building their
case since 1852 when the 18th
precinct made arrests but the
case blew up.
For the last two months, In
spector Lutz said, police have
been working constantly to col
lect evidence. Working closely
with them was Assistant United
States Attorney Frederick G..
Smithson. Inspector Lutz said
Mr.. Smithson went over the final
drafts of the affidavits used to
get the warrants for these raids.
Alleged Kingpin Held.
Among those arrested in the
forays by Is detectives at 4::20
pm. was Burnie King, 81, of the
1000 block of o street NV,
where the main raid took place.
King was described as the king
pin of the ring.
Also taken into custody was
Thelma L. Wright. 81, of the 1900
block of Ninth street NV, who
police said was the wife of Ran
dolph Catfish" Turner, now
serving from 8 to "a years on
narcotics charges.
All the arrested were colored.
They were charged with oper-
ating a lottery and with posses
sion of numbers slips. All but
one posted $1,000 bond each for
appearance before United States
Commissioner Cyril Lawrence,
who continued hearings in the
case until February Is. Mar
Cellus Winston. %. of the 1900
block of Twelfth street NV,
is expected to appear later.
Cars and Cash Seized.
Capt. John B. Layton, head of
the gambling squad of the morals
division, said the raids produced
between $5,000s and $4,000 in
cash, thousands of numbers slips
and seven adding machines. Six
cars said to have figured in the
operations were seized.
He said the daily take also
was between $4,000 and $4,000.
He added that the FBI prob
ably will question King in con-
n&ction with the auto-trunk
murder last June 80 of John S.
johnson. SO. Pentagon mail clerk.
His body was found stuffed in
the trunk of his car on a Penta-
gon parking lot.
The main raid on the ex-
penSively furnished office" at
the o street address, Melted
$4,000 in cash. including $4,000
in 500 bills hidden behind a fur
mace in the kitchen Of the four
room street-level apartment.
Other money was found on some
of the seven card tables in the
bedroom. The adding machines.
all new, were taken in this room
and so was the great number Of
slips. contained in seven big
paper shopping bags. Tapes, rec
ordS and a safe also were found.
Simultaneous Raids.
This raid was conducted ex-
actly at the time the others were
in progress in the 2100 block
of Tenth street NV, 1900 block
of Gallaudet street NE, the first
block of M street NV, the first
block of L street NV.
Inspector Lutz, commented
that, in addition to being the
brains of the ring, King was "a
very conservative young man"
The police said he is known
to them as a numbers operator,
but pending a further check of
records, they said he seems only
to have been held for investiga-
ton on previous occasions.
Escape Cut Of.
The o street raid was con-
Quoted so rapidly that King and
seven of his helpers in the Of
flee had no chance to escape,
but they tried anyway.
Capt. Layton posted men in
front of the two-story house and
behind it. When they knocked
repeatedly on the door and there
was no answer, they kicked the
center wooden panel in.
Those in the apartment i'm
mediately fed to the back to
try and get away through a rear
yard leading to an alley, but
they landed right in the arms
of the waiting detectives.
The house appeared recently
to have been refurbished with
an iron grillwork railing outside.
Near the top of the door was
a carriage lamp. The ornate in
terror included lace curtains and
blinds heavily drawn over the
window facing the street. The
rooms were QUILTED with lined
oak furniture, modernistic lamps,
a new 17-inch television set. a
blond bedroom set, which police
said was worth at least $500;
modern metal tables and chairs,
a telephone encased in pink
plastic and chinaware in the
shape of swans, which contained
flowers.
Capt. Layton said the head
quarters of the ring received the
daily take from middlemen who
had collected from runners. The
other places, he said, were
money dumps" They produced
additional cash, tapes and rec
ordS