Evening star. [volume], August 01, 1951, Page A-5, Image 5

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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Crime in America
An Attitude of Apathy Hangs
Over Police in Philadelphia
By Estes Kefauver
Former Chairman of
Senate Crime Committee.
In Philadelphia, one of the Na
tion’s largest, most efficiently or
ganized numbers rackets flour
ishes—operating through "a po
litico-gambler-police tie-up that
makes it impossible for any in
truder to edge his way in from the
outside.”
A paralyzing attitude of apathy
seems to hang like an ether mist
This is the 15th of a series of 20 ortides
condensed from the book, "Crime in
Amesica," by Senator Kefauver.
over the police department. One
judge who agitated—finally with
some success—for stiffer action
against the numbers racketeers,
told the Senate Crime Committee
frankly that the “big fry’ ’just
didn’t seem to get caught.
Evidence indicated that Phil
adelphia is organized by the num
bers operators into various geo
graphical territories, each with its
own “numbers bank.” Public
Safety Director Samuel H. Rosen
berg told us he understood that
was the way the racketeers op
erated. We questioned Rosenberg:
Q. Are you aware that it is
common knowledge, in connection
with that gambling operation,
that payments are made to police
officers?
Rosenberg: I have never been
able to prove that. We have asked
for proof, and have never been
able to obtain it!
One of the worst handicaps in
administering the police depart
ment, the safety director stated,
was the Philadelphia system of
civil service regulations, “original
—AP Photo.
HARRY STROMBERG.
Repeats questions before
answering.
ly intended to be on the merit
basis, but which have put us in an
absolute straitjacket."
I was pleased, some months
after our Philadelphia hearings,
to hear that a long-desired city
charter reform had been voted by
the citizens. The victory was
achieved despite the opposition of
Mayor Bernard Samuels’ admini
stration, and, among other things,
will set up machinery to take civil
service out of politics.
The principal racket character
w’e questioned was Harry Strom
berg, alias Nig Rosen, a stocky,
swarthy, balding man with in
tensely dark eyes and an annoy
ing habit of repeating almost
every question before giving an
answer.
Was Juvenile Delinquent.
At the age of 9. the Russian
born Stromberg was sent to a pro
tectory as a Juvenile delinquent.
He has been arrested numerous
times since, served time for at
tempted burglary, and admitted to
us he had been a bootlegger and,
more recently, a numbers operator
and boo aker.
It was ident from his grudging
testimony that he had been the
rackets king-pin in the city of
Brotherly Love. Now, Stromberg
argued, he was engaged in the
dress manufacturing business in
New York City. He insisted he had
AAV vVUAAvL LAVAA TV A LA A LAAC lQLIiCI/O.
The nemesis of Stromberg in
Philadelphia was the assistant su
perintendent of police in charge of
detectives, white-haired George
Richardson, who heaped vilifica
tion upon him.
Richardson asserted that Strom
berg had run his part of the
Philadelphia numbers racket by
remote control from New York,
after leaving Philadelphia around
1914 and still had a hand in Phila
delphia rackets. Eight months
earlier, Richardson had written
the director of the Greater Miami
Crime Commission: “Rosen has
connections with the underworld
throughout the entire Nation. So
far as the local mob is con
cerned, he is their undisputed
leader and is commonly known
as ‘The Mahoff.’ Among his fol
lowers his word is law.”
Since testifying before us, Chief
Richardson has been suspended
from duty on a charge that he
had forced the “confession” of a
man who had been sent to the
penitentiary for homicide. After
12 years in prison, the victim was
found to be innocent and released.
Small Fines Imposed.
Judge Joseph Sloane of the
Common Pleas Court told us that
many of his colleagues on the
bench were content merely to im
pose small fines and no jail sen
tences on persons pleading guilty
of gambling offenses. In five
years prior to 1950, we learned,
out of thousands of gambling ar
rests, only two defendants actu
ally had gone to jail.
However, as our report summed
up: “There has been a change in
this attitude on the part of judges
since the committee held its hear
ings in Philadelphia. More and
more jail sentences are beginning
to be imposed and it is a fact re
ported by municipal authorities,
that the numbers game is no
longer as easy to carry on in
Philadelphia. . .
The committee took note of a
local “cause celebre,” which we
regarded as "indicative of the tie
up of gamblers, politicians and
police.” Michael McDonald, a
Philadelphia policeman, had ar
rested a numbers writer named
Jack Rogers. While Rogers was
being booked, McDonald said, one
—Star Staff Photo.
GEORGE RICHARDSON.
Racketeer’s nemesis.
Mike Caserta, “who had been
named by Rogers as his backer.”
came into the station house.
McDonald said that Caserta of
fered him $200 if he only would
modify the charge against Rogers
to disorderly conduct. McDonald
testified: “I refused the offer.
As he turned away he said, 'I
will frame you good.’ When he
said that, I grabbed hold of him
and placed him under arrest.”
At that point, McDonald con
tinued, Police Capt. Vincent El well
appeared and "wanted to know
who locked up ‘Mike.’ He ad
dressed him as ‘Mike’.”
That night, McDonald said, he
was called in to Capt. Elwell’s
office and was ordered to alter
his report on Caserta. McDonald
claimed he refused and that Capt.
Elwell then told him, “Stick
aroUnd. I want to talk to you.” In
. . . • i k _i. _11
auuut iu mmubco, voyi-. j_ix "vi»
walked to the door and asked,
"Who is hollering out there?” A
sergeant promptly stepped in and
dutifully announced: “A man is
complaining about being short
some money out here.”
Suspended By Captain.
Thereupon, on Capt. Elwell’s
orders, the numbers writer, Rogers,
was brought in and complained he
was short about $123. McDonald
was accused of turning in less
money than he had taken from
Raters at the station house when
he brought him in, and Capt. El
well immediately suspended him.
“McDonald gave a picture of
the operations of the politico
gambler-police triumvirate,” the
report continued. He named a po
liceman who, he said, was known
as the “collector” for Capt. Elwell
—he would come into the station
house with his pockets “bulging,”
McDonald testified — and a ward
boss who frequently conferred
with Captain Elwell at the station
house. McDonald estimated that
protection money paid to police
alone, exclusive of “payment to the
higher-ups,” totaled at least $152,
000 a month.
The Committee inquired, too.
into the underworld penetration
of a Philadelphia steel fabricating
concern, which we concluded had
been accomplished through “po
litical influence.” \ numbers
racketeer named Louis Crusco had
bought his way into the Strunk
Steel Co. by virtue, *he commit
tee inferred, “of his close associ
ation with the son of Philadel
phia’s mayor.” Crusco was an old
friend and neighbor of Richard
Russell Samuel, sr„ son of Mayor
Samuel. The numbers man
bought his interest in the com
pany under extraordinary circum
stances: he carried the purchase
price, $34,000 in cash in a satchel
t ft o ctr\/ilrV\nlrlnvt'' nAfinn DinK
ard Samuel. jr.t 19-year-old
grandson of the Mayor, accom
panied Crusco and, according to
the testimony of one stockholder
who was selling out, “apparently
was the mouthpiece for Mr.
Crusco.”
“Until Crusco came along,” our
report to the Senate summed up,
“the company had never been able
to get any business from the city
of Philadelphia but, while Crusco
was negotiating his stock pur
chase in the company, it received
a contract from the Philadelphia
Transit Co., a local public utility,
on which there were no competi
tive bids. The president* of the
company testified that this deal
had been suggested to him by the
Mayor’s grandson, who, coinci
dentally, was placed on the com
pany’s payroll as part of the Crus
co stock deal.”
(Tomorrow—Nevada: A Case
Against Legalized Gambling.)
Condensed from book, “Crime in
America,” bj Estes Kefauver, Cpr. 1#R1.
Published by Doubleday, Inc. Distributed
by General' Features jEorp. _
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Priest Who Intends
To Marry American
Expelled by Church
By th« Associated Press
MILAN, Italy, Aug. 1.—Lucianc
Negrlni said today he had beer
expelled from priesthood in the
Roman Catholic Church and that
he was racing with time to get le
gal permission to marry American
born Claire Young.
Miss Young, 21, is held ir
jail here awaiting deportatior
August 6.
From her cell she asked the
United States Consulate for clear
ance. to marry the former mis
sionary she followed here fron
Chicago after they fell in love.
A police official said Mrs. Eileer
Young, the girl’s mother, ha*
asked American authorities to re
fuse clearance for the marriage—
i —_J_] 1-_Ti.1I_V
"***v»i ao ai/Vjutiv.u Kfj Atauau low —
on the grounds she is not rational
Hopes to Go to U. S.
A terse official notice from his
church superiors said he was “ex
pelled,” Mr. Negrini said.
He said “This means now I car
freely do what I want” and addec
his first act would be to marrj
the young girl who loved him sc
much she tried to throw hersell
from a police station window or
July 28 when she was refused per
mission to remain in Italy anj
longer.
“If possible we will go back tc
the United States, but that is noi
important new,” Mr. Negrini tolc
a reporter.
“This is a race against time,’
the 43-year-old Negrini told re
porters after he had visited the
daughter of a Loyola Universitj
professor in Chicago at her prison
Mr. Negrini, former missionerj
to China who met Miss Young
during a fund-raising visit to the
United States, said he will appl}
today for the official papers re
quired for marriage in Italy. One
of the papers required of for
eigners is clearance from theii
consulate saying there is no ob
jection to the marriage.
Sailing Set For August.
Italian authorities have an
nounced they will ship Miss Young
home aboard the United States
liner Independence August 6. Sht
was jailed Saturday after she
tangled with police authorities
who refused to renew her expired
permit to stay in Italy.
But the new marriage plans
may put off the deportation order
Mr. Negrini was allowed to see
Miss Young yesterday after an
nouncing his willingness to marr>
her. She came to Italy last month
despite the strong opposition ol
her family, with the avowed inten
tion not to leave until she had
married the priest.
Miss Young sent a request tc
the Consulate for clearance for
the marriage and said if it was
refused she no longer wants to be
considered an American citizen.
Mr. Negrini said that, at the
suggestion of Deputy Police Chiel
Gabriele Mundo—who has taken
qn the peculiar role of cupid
jailer—he will see Miss Young in
the prison again this afternoon
and ask her to write a letter to
Italian authorities begging for
giveness for the hysterical action
which got her imprisoned.
“If Claire agrees to write the
letter,” Mr. Negrini said, “I hope
that she will be able to regain her
fnmArrnnr 99
Cleric, 39, Named Head
Of U. of Santa Clara
fty tha Associated Press
SANTA CLARA. Calif.. Aug. 1
—The Rev. Herman Hauck, S. J„
professor of English at the Uni
versity of San Francisco, last
night was named president of the
University of Santa Clara. He is
39, one of the youngest men evei
to head the century-old Catholic
institution.
Father Hauck succeeds the Rev
William C. Gianera, S. J„ presi
dent of Santa Clara since 1945
The latter’s new assignment was
not announced.
The university normally changes
the presidency every six years.
The new president studied al
Yale, and served as an English
professor at Santa Clara in
1936-37-38.
Women are barred from jury
service in 14 States.
Truman Nominates
4 Marines for Grade
Of Major General
President Truman today nomi
nated four Marine officers for
promotion to major general.
Those named for two-star rank
are: Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Cuch
Iman, William O. Brice, Vernon E.
Mcgee and John T. Selven.
The President yesterday ap
proved the selection of 14 Marine
Corps colonels for promotion to
brigadier general.
Subject to Senate approval, the
promotions will take effect as soon
as vacancies occur.
2 Are Natives of D. C.
Two of those selected are na
tives of the District. They are
Col. Joseph C. Berger, a star
athlete at Tech and Maryland
University in the 1920s and now
Pacific Fleet Marine Force Chief
of Staff, and Col. William W.
Davies who entered the Leather
necks as an enlisted man in World
War I and is now on duty in San
I Diego.
Others on the list are: Col,
Homer Litzenberg, jr„ of 2138 Cali
fornia street N.W., who is on duty
at Marine Headquarters: Col.
Thomas A. Wornham of 4201
Massachusetts avenue N.W., com
mander of one of the 1st Marine
Division’s regiments in Korea; Col.
Edward W. Snedeker, chief of staff
of the 1st Provisional Marine Bri
gade when it' ended the Korean
fighting; Col. Reginald H. Ridgley,
on duty in San Diego; Col. Wil
liam G. Manley, commander of an
air group in California.
Others Are Listed.
Also, Col. Raymond A. Anderson,
now at Camp Pendelton, Calif.:
Col. Leonard B. Cresswell, chief of
staff of the 2d Marine Division.
Camp Lejeune, N. C.; Col. Samuel
K. Bird, on duty at Marine Head
quarters.
Col. Robert E. Hogaboom of 8
Aspen street. Chevy Chase, Md„
who is Marine liaison officer in the
vsmue ui i>avai operations, ool.
Verne J. McCaul, commander of
the El Toro (California) Marine
Air Station; Col. Matthew C.
Horner, commander of the Marine
Barracks at Bremerton, and Col.
Arthur H. Butler of the Quantico
(Va.) Marine Corps Board.
Israel Premier Hints
At New Elections .
By th« Associated Press
TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 1.—
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion
indicated today that new parlia
mentary elections may be called
if he fails to form a stable new
government for Israel.
The leader of the Mapai (Labor)
Party, which won 46 of the 120
seats in the Knesset (Parlia
ment) in Monday's election,
reiterated his belief that an ab
solute Labor Party majority is
necessary for Israel.
Writing in the party newspaper
"Davar,” Mr. Ben-Gurion said the
Mapai nas been, and will remain,
the pillar of the Israeli govern
ment "until elections for the third
Israel Parliament.”
The Mapai will have to form
a coalition with some other party
to get the parliamentary majority
needed for support of a new
cabinet.
Mr. Ben-Gurion's dilemma is
where to find the needed support
without compromising his party's
program of strong government
direction or the country ® econ
omy. Failure to obtain It could
make new elections necessary.
The conservative General Zion
ists won 20 seats, making it
Israel’s second strongest party. It
is doubtful if the General Zionists
and the Mapai could co-operate
amicably for long.
The Mapai’s announced aim of
a left-to-center coalition could
only be accomplished by inclusion
of four Arabs elected to Parlia
ment on three separate Arab
tickets.
Latest official percentage returns
from the election:
Mapai, 37.1; General Zionists,
16.4; Mapam (left-wing labor),
12.3; Religious Workers, 6.8; Free
dom Party, 6.6; Communists, 3.9;
Liberal Progressives, 3.3; Arabs
allied with Mapai, 3.7; Agudath
Israel (ultra orthodox), 2; Se
phardic Jews, 1.7; Workers Group
of Agudath Israel. 1.6; Misrachi
(religious), 1.5; Yemenite Jews,
1.2; Arab-Druze, 1.2.
h> VISIT ANY OF THESE 7 IIG STORES FOR.
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VANISHING POINT demonstrates illusion of living
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Columbia Federal Savings and Loan Association (730
Eleventh St. N.W.) make for pleasant journeys into
the future.
* 8
NAVY SECRETARYSHIP CHANGES HANDS—Retiring Secre
tary of the Navy Francis P. Matthews (right) receives a farewell
handshake from his successor, Dan A. Kimball, on the steps of
the Pentagon yesterday as he left the buiiding carrying over
his arm the flag that hung in his office during the 26 months
he served. He will become Ambassador to Ireland. Admiral
Lynde McCormick, acting Chief of Naval Operations, is In
center background. —AP Photo.
%
Drug Makers to Replace
Products in Flood Area
Sy tht Associated Press
KANSAS CITY. Aug. 1.—Vir
tually all leading manufacturers
of drugs and medicine have of
fered to replace without charge
all their products destroyed or
damaged by floods in retail stores
in Missouri, Kansas and Okla
homa.
McKesson & Robbins, Inc.,
wholesale distributors here, an
nounced earlier they would re
place all their own 300 products,
manufactured at Bridgeport,
Conn.
Faxon House, assistant sales,
manager, said yesterday nearly'
all manufacturers of the 10.000
drug items distributed by the Arm
have made similar offers. The
makers include Eli Lilly, Parke
Davis & Co., E. R. Squibb Sc Sons,
Abbott Laboratories, Lederle Lab
oratories and Upjohn Sc Co.
Break for Taxpayers
During the recent election cam
paign, French tax collectors were
advised by the Ministry of Fi
nance to use “the utmost cour
tesy" in dealing with taxpayers.
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_'
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RAYON
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100 % all-wool worsted tropicals, tine
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WHITE SHIRTS — Our Gros Modern
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3 for $8.50
GROS-MESH WHITE SHIRTS — Light
weight, iceberg combed yarn. Were $3.95,
now . $2.65
3 for $7.50
HOSE—Cottons, rayons, anklets and full
length, sizes 10 Vi to 13. Were 75c, now
49c
3 for $1.25
UNDERWEAR — Boxer shorts; Swiss
ribbed undershirts. Were $1.00 and $1.25,
now_ _ . .79c
3 for $2.25
SLACKS — Rayon tropicals in hairline
stripes and solid colors. Were $10.95, now
$7.95
SLACKS—All-wool tropical worsted and
rayon tropicals. Were $12.95 to $16.50,
now _ _ _ _ 99 95
SPORT SHIRTS — Short sleeve, solid
color, lightweight rayons and cottons.
Were $3.95 and $4.50, now.. $2.95
3 for $8.50
Nylon Boxer Shorts
and Undershirts
were $2.95 NOW $1.95
Men’s $895 Nylon Shirts
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leather, vents, white and black ^ —m
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$59 & $67.50 . . . Now
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and double breasted, drape and semi-conservative models, solid colors, sharkskin weaves
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Start Payments September—Pay 1/3 Sept., 1/3 Oct., 1/3 Nov.
ANNUAL PRE-SEASON EVENT OF
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COVERT—ZIP-LINED — All wool — natural shade — fly # i A ^ F>
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IMPORTED HARRIS TWEED—Gray, tan and brown. Will | F A J
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• Start Payments in October—Pay Vi Oct., Vi Nov., Vi pec.
I
of 1325 F Street
saaBBHBSBHSB»USE OUR % IN I CHARGE PLAN—PAY ft SEPT.—y3 OCT.—% NOV.
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Final Drastic
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Men's
Summer
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Tropicals
reduced to
29.95
2-trouser
Rayon
Sharkskins
reduced to
I 37.95
Broken lots... not every
color in every size.
Open Thursday Evenings
Until 8:30
Closed Saturdays during August
1335 F St. N.W.
«
/