Evening star., 1954-09-19
How the Secret Seven
Laid Trap for Police in
Gamblers Poyoff Case
By Mirium Ottenberq

By Miriam Gutenberg
In the fall of 1953 Washington gambling bosses had the
The oldest and largest gambling ring in Washington had
just been broken up by police.
United States Attorney A. had
out to get the bosses.
Deputy Chief H Lutz, boss the Police
Morals Division had his undercover making
town. Raiders with up syndicate
with estimated 81 million annual take and another with
estimated 81 million take in period couple weeks
Numbers writer's and pickup repeatedly highly
Capt. John Layton, redhead with reputation get
ting things DONE just police gam
bling squad.
The with its legal weapons against
gambing-the right to conscate equipment money
had been the books since and police using
Numbers Bosses Feared Being Trapped
The money of the numbers game afraid to go
to their counting houses for fear of being trapped
raid And their absence plain invitation to their lieu
tenants to tinker with the take
They're stealing blind" groaned numbers boss
The kngpins of the numbers game wanted only one
hingfreedom to visit their headquarters keep eye
the operation All they wanted advance
notice of raid And they willing to pay for it.
That the situation &c. 1885, police
captain and police lieutenant sitting in jury box
the courtroom of Chief Judge Botha District
Court for the District of Columbia
The conversation day police captain
the lieutenant reported the latter. led 10-monh
investigation the revelation OF police scandal and gam
bling roundup.
Story Behind the Headlines.
Uhe story behind headlines has been reviewed for
The Star by police and prosecuting ocias The Star has
agreed to cloak the Identities of the gamblers in this account
up to final planning for their arrest to against revealing
secret evidence in the Governments This the
police together form the basis their charges
The pocemens conversation in the courtroom began with
Capt John B. Monroe yearold commander of the 18th
precinct former chief the gambling squad doing
talking.
trough you not getting promotion" he remarked
Beside him 1t Todd o. Thoman of the gambling squad
1t Thoman agreed it was pretty tough.
The voice of the of the court calling the
scheduled for the day. Lawyers and down.
Judge Laws was assigning
Capt Monroe suddenly asked It. Thoman if he get
ting anything from the gamblers.
1t Thoman shook his head.
Then, Capt Monroe murmured that he knew of gambler
who might be to the gambler by nick
1t Thoman was veteran of the gambling squad. Capt
Monroe had his didn't know whether he
kidding not He decided not to commit himself way
another-juSt play along.
He didn't know then but in that moment he
mitting himself to dirty job policeman is
called upon to do.
Capt Monroe wasn't through yet. He told 1t. Thoman
that he could make for him through
ary Detective George Praher of the 18th precinct He said
Detective Prather would get in touch with 1t Thoman.
1t Thoman didn't know what to make of it. He said moth
ing to anybody about it.
Lieutenant $4OO Bills.
The next day Friday october 80. That morning
It. Thoman left his the police parking lot there
Detective Prather Detectives in the precincts customary
report roll call police headquarters each morning and
Detective Prather among them Whether the meeting
accidental planned is anybodys guess.
capt Monroe called me-" Detective Prather told It.
Thoman.
The detective told the lieutenant he would call him.
STILL 1t Thoman said nothing to anybody kindly man.
veteran Of "a the police force he didn't want to
believe that his former chief serious.
On Saturday, october 3D. 1t Thoman got call at his
home in the afternoon. ,
"Ths is Praher he told. "Can meet me today?"
The lieutenant and the detective date to meet
the in nearby Maryland The lieutenant
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