Orlando Raids 35 Gambling Haunts in Slot Machine Drive

The second blow within 24 hours at the slot-machine "racket" in Camden was to be made this afternoon in the grand jury rooms in Camden County Court House. [illegible] with evidence secured in [illegible]ay's surprise raid, Assistant Prosecutor Samuel P. Orlando was to ask the jury to inquire into the illegal operation of the machines in Camden saloons, cigar stores and cafes. The grand jury convened at 1:30 p. m. [illegible]teen of the "money" devices were seized, and as many proprietors of the places where they were found were summoned to appear before the jurors when county detectives and constables swooped down on 35 alleged gambling haunts. A conference of Republican organization leaders was held this morning, at which the slot machine raids and the impending grand jury investigation were discussed. According to authentic reports, it was the opinion of the leaders that an intensive grand jury probe would be "bad politics." It was decided to bring pressure to bear upon Prosecutor Ethan P. Wescott to "call off" Assistant Prosecutor Orlando, who engineered the raids last night. This afternoon, when the grand jury convened, both Wescott and Orlando went before the jury, in their closed session. Orlando made it clear, in a statement, that he is not after "small fry" but intends to get the "higher-ups" in the slot machine "game" in Camden city and county. "I am not going to give the proprietors of the slot machines time to exert their usual political pull, but I intend to have them before the grand jury immediately. I am going to find out, with the help and co-operation of the members of the jury, where they got their machines, how they arrive at their percentage and who is protecting them. "I have been making a survey of Camden county, including the city, since I took office ten days ago," he continued, "and I have considerable evidence. I believe that there are, conservatively, 500 slot machines in Camden county and that the income from each of them averages from $50 [illegible] a week. You can make your own multiplication. I believe nearly $[illegible],000 a week is split up, in various ways, from the slot machine racket in the city and county. That money, wherever it goes, is coming from many people who can ill afford to lose it. They need it to pay their butchers and grocers." Several Places 'Tipped Off' Although Orlando struck quickly, there were several places where the coming of his men had been "tipped off." A few places, where the noise of machines had been heard for weeks by passersby were strangely silent last night when the county raiders got busy. Orlando, co-operating with Prosecutor Wescott, will go before Judge Shay soon to ask for a court order to destroy all seized machines. The raiders were led by Lawrence T. Doran, chief of county detectives. The party included County Detectives Wren, Smith, Cleary, Lyons and Coccherailly, and Constable Max Beals. Five p. m. was set as the zero hour, and the raiders, two to an automobile, set out from the courthouse at 4:45 p. m. The raids were timed so as to be almost simultaneous. The raiders walked into the suspected places. If no slot machine was in sight, they bought a cigar or a package of cigarettes and walked quietly out. If they saw a slot machine, they seized it. Raiders Carried Subpenas For the first time, the raiders carried subpenas, and where machines were seized, the proprietors were summoned to appear before the grand jury today. They found no machines in saloons. Bartenders grinned at them when they went in, they reported. In several stores they were met with smiles, they said. The places where machines were found were: 450 South Third street, store of D. Auletto, 200 Clinton street; Third and Mickle streets, Third and Stevens streets 106 South Second street, Eighth and Spruce streets, store of Earl Sanderson; 656 South Third street, store of Antonio Auduini; 530 South Third street, store of Frank Delgarzo; 452 South Third street, store of Peter Bernardo, and store of Betty Leopold, 215 Line street. In some places two machines were found. They ranged from penny to quarter affairs.