Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-07
Newman Gets
Years Term for
Bookmaking
Mount Rainier Judge
Gives Stiff Worning
To Numbers Writers

Judge John B. Gray. jr.. of the
Prince Georges County Circuit
Court. issued a stiff warning II
gamblers yesterday before SEN
fencing a confessed numbers mar
to q year in Jail for making
book In Mount Rainier.
The defendant. Harry New
man. IS, Of the 340o block Of
Newton street, pleaded guilty tt
charges Of bookmaking and pos
session Of lottery slips.
He was sentenced to one year
IN the House Of Correction and
fined $1,000 for bookmaking and
was sentenced to six months and
fined $500 on the possession
charge. Judge Gray ordered that
the two terms run consecutively.
Newman staggered and coll
lapsed at the defense table when
Judge Gray issued his sentence.
A third charge Of setting up
and maintaining a gambling
table was dropped by States At
torney Blair II. Smith.
Result Of Raid ON Home
The charges grew out Of a
Joint county and town police
raid on Newman's home last
October 26. County Detective
Sergt. John Siddall testified the
raidine party confiscated a
variety Of gambling parapher-
MALTA and $113 at the home.
Judge Gray pointed out that
gambling Is a great temptation"
to people because fortunes can
be made at 1t.
Those tempted must know"
he said. that they face serious
punishment If they are con-
victed Of violating the law"
Judge Gray also said the
crime of commercial gambling is
not. perhaps. wicked, per Sc. in
the eyes Of many people. But
capitalizing on the weakness of
human nature Is a matter that
the Legislature has seen At TO
forbid in no uncertain terms
>. the gambling racket is such
. lucrative one that persons who
know their way around in 1t can
literally make a fortune at It."
Judge Gray added he does not
feel q fine on a conviction of
gambling constitutes serious
punishment. but is only a form
Of license that lets the gambler
continue operations.
He issued q strong warning to
gamblers that Newman's JAIN
sentence is what others face I'll
they are convicted Of gambling. |
Newman is the FIRST Of nine
defendants to be tried on gam
bling charges at the Circuit
Court level, stemming from in
dictments returned last month
by a special session Of the Prince
Georges County grand Jury.
AL Of the cases were with
drawn from the Upper Marlboro
Trial Magistrates Court by Mr.
Smith and presented to the jury.
Mr.. Smith said then that heI
felt the people should have AMI
opportunity to decide what they
wanted TO do about gambling in|
the county.
Four Others Fined
Removal Of the cases last No
vember followed on the heels
Of another gambling case han
died by Upper Marlboro Magis-
trate Mia s. Human Crane.
In that case, four persons were
fined 500 each on a charge of
possessing lottery slips. the least
serious gambling law violation. |
Judge Crane found the four
defendants. who were arrested
during a police raid In Bladens-
burg. not guilty Of 10 other gam
bling charges, including setting
up and maintaining a gambling
table, bookmaking, permitting
betting and and permitting al
lottery.
Judge Crane said the not
guilty verdicts were entered I'M
court records after a conference
during which it was agreed toI
accept a guilty plea on the lesser
charge in return for not guilty
verdicts on the others.
4
IT'S time to register as vot-
5ers. The place is the District
Building.