Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-16
Agents Smash Wall ;
Seize Bet Suspects
MiIIion-u-Yeur
Ring Centered
Here, FIJI Says


Three men and a woman
we're seized here last night
in an FBI raid on a fortified
basement hideaway described
as headquarters for a million
dollar-a-year gambling ring.
The suspects we're taken into
custody after FBI agents
smashed a hole through a con-
crete wall in a basement in
the 400 block Of Ogden street
NV.
Charged with violating or
conspiring to violate a Federal
law prohibiting interstate
transportation in aid of rack
eteering were Francis (Jiggs)
Simpson, jr., SO, of the 1900
block of Ridgecrest drive, Alex
andria; James T. (Skinner)
Skeens, Al, of the 5100 block of
Flint ridge, Landover Hills;
John Charles Renner, "a, of the
1000 block of Erie street, Adel-
phi, and Fedora Ann Flanagan,
26, of the 1000 block of North
Adams street, Arlington.
Called BOOkkeeper
Government officials des-
cribed Miss Flanagan as the
bookkeeper for the ring. which,
the FBI said, crossed about 81
million a. year in numbers bet
ting and gambling on sporting
events.
& Asreinforced steel door pre-
vented agents from entering
the sealed-off. two-room cellar
compartment. So the raiders
used sledge hammers to batter
a hole in a concrete block wall.
The four suspects were inside
the compartment, the FBI said.
Betting was believed to have
been especially heavy in recent
weeks because of the World
Series and the beginning of the
football season, the FBI said.
Phones Ripped Out
BY the time FBI men had
penetrated the vault, four tele-
phones had been ripped from
its walls. The agents also found
paper burning in a small stove
and an adding machine that
had been smashed.
Mr.. Simpson was charged
specifically with violating the
Federal interstate transporta-
ton for racketeering statute.
All four suspects, including
tSimpson, were charged with
conspiring to violate the sta
tute. The law was passed in
June, 1861, as a part of the
Governments effort to curb in
terstate gambling.
ALI four also were charged
with violating District gaming
laws. Following their arrest at
about 6:15 pm, they were re-
leased under $1,000 bond each
pending hearings today before
United States Commissioner
Sam Werlich
They appeared again briefly
this morning before United
States Commissioner Sam
Werlich. who continued hear
Sings in the cases to Novem-
Der 8. r
Crossed ID. C. Lines
Warrants for the raid were
obtained by Frederick G.
Smithson, assistant United
States attorney.
The Federal law under which
the suspects were picked up,
Mr. Smithson said, has been
applied to persons who travel
from one State to another with
the intention of promoting.
m ana ging, establishing or
carrying on any unlawful &C
tivity such as gambling.
Last nights suspects were
covered by the law. he said, be-
cause they Travelled between
the District and their homes
in Maryland and Virginia in
connection with the alleged
gambling operation.
City police were not informed
of the raid until shortly after
it took place, according to
Deputy Chief Roy Blick, head
of the Morals Division of the
Washington Police Depart
ment.
Plans Kept Secret
Chief Blick said Washington
police don't give information
out" on planned raids and that
he didn't expect Government
agents to discuss theirs in adj
vance.
They make their raids and
we make ours" he said.
An FBI spokesman said last
nights seizure was not the first
of its type conducted by the
FBI here. Last March, a squad
of Federal agents. unaccom-
panied by local law enforce
ment officials, raided a South
east Washington residence and
charged four suspects with vio-
lating the Federal interstate
transportation statute.
i'd