Cambridge Doesn't Gamble Says Civic Association Head

Charges by former assistant attorney general George Fingold that gambling rackets gross over $20,000,000 in the Boston area annually, do not apply to Cambridge, James F. Mahan, president of the Cambridge Civic Association, said yesterday. Mahan added that unless Fingold could "come over here and show me where the rackets exist, he might want to "mind his own business."

The Civic Association is a non-partime group of citizens whose support was influential in the election of a majority of the members of the present City Council.

Mahan said that police captain Thomas Stokes, who is in charge of crime prevention is a "very capable, very honest, very fine policeman," and that he has the gambling situation well under control.

Commenting on Fingold's charges, he added that they were very general. Mahan stated that he has no knowledge of any gambling activities in Cambridge, save the few runners who are almost impossible to track down.