Evening Star Newspaper, March 30, 1895, Page 9

—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—SSS=_— ‘THE EVENING sTAR Sage PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY, AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, Oor. 11th Street, by The Ev Star Newspaper Company, 8. H. UFFMANN, Prest. . New York Office, 49 Potter Building, meee ee Evening werved to subscribers in the er by caerierae on thelr own ecoant ar 10 seat Ly ‘cuts each BS Tall aus worre in the United 8 postage preoaid--O cents per menth. epitaraay quintuple Sheet Star, $1.00 per sears nul ‘$2.00. Ginteredat the Host OWies ar Washington, D. C., second-class mail mattec.) All mail subscription must be paid in advarce, Rates of advertising wade known on applicatice. Che Hoe WASHINGTON, D. OC. SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1895-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. = eee A VIEW IN ee ROSSLYN. WHERE VICE RULES Reign of Lawlessness on the Virginia Shore. GAMBLERS AND BLACKLEGS IN CONTROL County Officials Unwilling or Un- able to Suppress Crime. DISGRACE TO THE STATE AWLESSNESS E X - ists in Alexandria county, Va., to such a degree as to call from a county judge recently a declara- tion from the bench that there was more defiance of law in the little tract comprised in Alexandria county than in any area of like dimension in the state. Good citizens of Alexandria county, citizens interested in the moral welfare of the people, as well as the material pros- perity of the county, haye murmured for a Jong while against an administration of laws that permits the continuance of such a state of affairs; they are now looxing earnestly for some means of ridding the Virginia shore of the curse that has fasten- ed itself upon it. ; The vice that has been ejected from the District of Columbia has found a place, safe from interference by law Officers, on this Virginia shore. The faro dealer, the pool seller, the policy sharp, the thimble- rigger and all the brood of blacklegs, have gathered there under the protection, seem- “ingly, of the county officers. At every point easy of access from Washington are lo- cated colonies of the gambling fraternity, always ready for business. Citizens are beginning to ask why this is fo? More, they are beginning to answer the question for themselves. There are reports involving county officials. It is openly stated that men who should be doing their utmost to drive this iniquitous braod from the county, stand listlessly by, because there is more profit. to them in in- action than there would be in a vigorous enforcement of the law. It is asserted also that political considerations influence offi- cials, for the gambling fraternity, by the free use of money, control elections. What- ever the reason, and many citizens who feel that the good name of Virginia is at stake seem determined to learn what the reason is, the fact is that there is a most dis- graceful state of affairs on the Virginia side of the Potomac opposite Washington. It is not at all surprising, under the cir- cumstances, that county officials are held in suspicion. On Alexander Island. Nearest the city is Alexander Island. The confession recently of a poor bookkeeper cf one of the legations here that he had been introduced to gambling in one of the dens at Jackson City and had then em- bezzled $3,000 of the legation funds in a vain effort to recover the lost ground once again called attention to the character of Alexander Island and its inhabitants. It was only one case in a long series. People who understand Alexarder Island know well the terrible menace to the morality of the éity its existence just. acrass the river provides. It is presumed that the governor and other officials of Virginia are also well aware of the character of the place and its frequenters. The law-abiding people of Alexandria county have seemingly about given up hope that any action of the state authorities will afford them relief from the thugs and cut throats who make up a con- sidcrable portion of the crowds that con- = aoe gregate at the race a track,those gambling —— hells and low drink- ing places that are |} the leading features j} ' of the island. Some {jj time ago there seem- || ed a bright prospect of a sudden exterm nation of the the-river “sport” byQ re-annexation to the District, but the hope has not been real- ized. The condition of affairs at Alexan- der Island, as well as at other points on the river shore, is regarded by versons acquainted with the county: not oniy as a crime against morality, but also as a most seri obstacle in the way of material progr The existence of Alexander Is- land, with its demoralizing influences, has done more to retard the development of the locality than a hundred months of fi- narcial depression. A Gathering Place for Criminals. The police of Washington have an ac- c.rate idea of the settlement across the river. The know it as the gathering place of criminals, as a spot where harden- ed crime can display itself and receive ap- e. In their view Alexander Island ome good purpose, for if a criminal nted he can generally be found some- where in the neighborhood of the Virginia end of the bridge. Ale: ander Island is situated just opposite , one end of the Long bridge rest- upon it. It is separated from the nd of Virgina by Gravelly creek, an ebbing and flowing arm of the Potomac. The place has become known throughout the turf and sporting cireles of the country Lecause of the establishment there of the rece track known as the Old Dominion or track. The race track the Alexander Island Alexander Island is only one of existing there. Its being a winter ck is the drawing card, h f crowd of hangers on, recruited princip the lowest of the criminal cla: ck was kept open, except in Fe y, throughout the winter, and the pieas- ant sight afforded of racing es through sleet and mud. ‘here might be, shops, gambling places, and cut throat dives on Alexander Island without the race track, but there would not be so many, and they would not be so openly de- fizent of the law. It is doubtl of the tracks crowd of tough: but such classe: from The true that the management lores the presence of the touts and other terrors, S sure to congregate a confirmed drunkard Jackson City. Long before the existence of the Old Do- minion track, Alexander Island was a place that was an offense to decent people. Jackson City has always been the pride of the isiand. Laid out many years ago with imposing ceremories-and the inteation of making it a large city, it had, after many years, included within its boundaries only a few sheds and a lone, solitary tavern, where an occasional prize fight was pulled off. ‘Then came a day when Jackson City was born anew. The pool sellers, driven from the center of Washington, had fled to the neighborhood of 7th and the Boundary. |__«i| Routed out from that ‘eat! locality they had | packed their baggage and taken possession of Jackson City. The dreams of the found- ers-were realized, and there was a city at the south end of the Long bridge—but such a city! It is the same city today. There the criminal class has established a headquarters; there young men have taken their first taste of gam bling; there crimes have been planned; there murders committed; there homes have been wreck- ed; lives made desolate; there has been es- tablished a moral cesspool that has engulf- ed hundreds who intended only to walk its borders, and the miasmic breath of which sweeps the entire District. Jackson City today is made up of sa- loons and gambling places, with perhaps two houses where legitimate business -is transacted. In years gone by there was a “club” in the large brick structure, byt Jackson City. the policy and crap followers were too un- desirable for the club men and now keno and roulette are played at Rosslyn, which is, however, in the same county, and un- der the same authorities. The pool rooms have also closed their doors at Jackson City, and now ail betting on the races is done on the track. The proprietors of the faro and roulette games and the pool rooms found Jackson City was too disreputable for them. The owrers of these establish- ments did make an effort to protect their patrons from open robbery, and _ these games attracted a class of well-dressed men from the city. Their places have been taken by a crowd of low grade gam- blers, policy players, race hangers on, and outright criminals. Many of them are for- bidden access to the race track, but man- age to pick up a precarious living at Jack- son City. : Some of the Attractions. There are many saloons in Jackson City and gamblers and thieves are the best pa- trons. In nearly all of them games of crap and sweat are conducted, and a certificate of good character is never required. Re- cently when a robbery Was committed in this city the thieves, as they are very apt to be, were located across the river, and when they ventured this side and were ar- rested they very frankly ‘admitted that they had disposed of the stolen goods in one of the Jackson City saloons at public auction. Just below Candler’s place in Jackson City is the headquarters of a policy firm, where many peor persons, dependent upon charity for support, go and play their pen- nies and nickels. This shop is behind the tall fence that is seen trom the railroad trains by passengers. About the time for daily drawings there is usually a lively scene. The players, writers and runners are all anxious to see copies of the num- bers drawn from the wheel. It is, per- haps, unnecessary to state that there are not many who are lucky enough to hold a winning “gig” or “saddle.” Then, too, on the same side of the track, almost opposite the race course, there is what is known as the “tramp” gambling place. There in the wocds a tent has been erected, and the place given the appear- ance of a camp-meeting ground. Men, wo- men and children of both cdlors are to be seen going along the narrow path jeading into the woods, almost as thick as bees go- ing into a hive. There is a small shanty there also, and the gambler with a smail amount of cash capital finds no trouble to et in a game of “eral ‘sweat” or policy, and, if-he prefers, cards. There are plenty of card sharpers ready to meet him at the table. About these places the colored’ “cook shop” on wheels does a thriving business. Some of these perambulant caterers, it is said, carry a supply of liquor, and dispense five-cent drams of unspeakably bad liquor. On the “Boulevard.” The west side of the railroad track is known to the visitor of the place as the “Boulevard,” and men and boys are to be seen at almost any time going from one place to another. This man thinks he has a “straight tip” on the races, or a friend has had a policy dream, and he is willing to impart his information. Of course, “mum's the word.” A single statement or “tip” of this kind frequently ends in a particular number or herse being played, and considerable money Under the Archway, lest, and it is said that such “tips” are frequently given out,+as the result of a conspiracy to help ‘those who reap the benefits. “Joe’s Inn,”” one of the saloons, seems to be the particular place on the “Boulevard” which the so-called sporting men of all shades visit. This place has the appearance of an or- Ginary country inn. In connection with it is a dance hall, where a piano furnishes the music. Besides the drinking room there is a dining room attachment, and in this place not long ago a man was shot and killed during a drunken row. Near this is a saloon kept by a colored man, and in the shanties along that section of the gamblers’ city one -may find a game of almost any kind in progress at any time. Only a short distance below these places are the stables, in race horses are shel-‘ tered, and just how} many men and boys sleep about them is }j not known. Most of the busi- ness, especially in the policy line is done in th al Players,” and card handlers gather in these places at night, when there is not a dance or “parlor social” on hand, and continue their gambling until daybreak, and, if the “lambs” are numerous and “well fixed,” until the last penny is taken. = At Rosslyn and Beyond. shop in Alexandria, the two race tracks and the Jackson City policy shops and other gambling dens to contend with, but there are a number of gambling places -further up the river. These places are just across the river from Georgetown. Since the South Washington police have waged war against the pedestrians on the Long bridge the great majority of policy players from this city have tdken to going over to the Rosslyn shops, where there are three .Places, it is” said, running in full blast and in open violation of the law. Two of them are in the vil- lage proper, while a third one is a room built under an: arch- way beneath the bed of the old Chesa- peake and Ohio canal. These places do a thriving busi- 2 ness. Such a thing as a genuine raid by the county officers would be a great surprise to the gamblers as well as the police on this side of the river. Most of the patrons of these places are poor people, who can ill afford to lose their money. Then, too, there are the drinking saloons, which seem to go hand in hand with these gambling places, Along the shore, less than a mile above the bridge, there are three gambling places, and in them are games of almost every description, including crap, keno, roulette, sweat, chuck-luck, and an oc- casional game of poker. Crap seems to be the principal game now, having taken the place of keno, hazard and poker, which were played so much a year ago. There is a fascination about the game which seems to have a strong hold on old poker players, as well as on cart drivers and colored boys, who hang about alleys and low dives in_ cities. These places do a thriving business all the year round, and while the exact ex- tent of it is not known, some idea of it may be formed frcm the fact that the ratronage is great enough to justify the running of a steam tug from the city every day, although Sundays and Wednesdays are known as the “big days.” At Rosslyn the patrons of the policy shops and one gambling house,where other games are conducted, are of all colors, sexes and sizes, while at the up-river places the pa- trons are chiefly white people, including professional gamblers, business men, me- chanics and store clerks, as well as de- partment clerks. The police say that a rumber of young men, clerks in stores, visit these places, and as it is a well- known fact, that the games are losing ones, the police suspect that some of the employers of these people must suffer. From time to time a policeman has been detailed at this end of the bridge, and he has arrested many of the policy people. The steam tug, however, has been permit- ted to take the more high-toned gamblers, or people with more money, to the more fashionable gambling places without mo- lestation. te Looking for Causes. If asked why such a state of affairs pre- vails, the people of Alexandria county would shrug their shoulders and remark that it does not pay to arrest people at fifty cents a head, when the same people are willing to pay liberally not to be ar- rested. A resident of Alexandria, a man well in- formed in stich matters, speaking of the subject explained that the colored voters in the county far outnumbered the whites, and that money was lavishly expended by the gambling and other unlawful elements at the eleciions for the purpose of secur- ing the support of the colored voters in the interests of those candidates for sher- iff, justices of the peace and constables, on whome the gamblers could rely. The courts, it was explained, were anxious to suppress lawlessness, but were powerless to_enforce the Jaw.,The citizens of the county had on many occasions contributed funds for the purpose of securing evidenc2 against the gambling and criminal ele- ments, but it had been practically impos- sible to secure the evidence. Time and time again, it was said, plans made for raids and arrests had been disclosed by those very persons through whom it .was ex- pected to effect the raids and arrests. This gentleman stated further that the people of the courty had at last reached the conclusion that only through a change in the county offices was there any hope of putting down the lawlessness. Property adjoining the lawless districts had gradu- ally depreciated, it was pointed out, and unless law was enforced and the thieves, gamblers and toughs routed and forever banished, there could be no real or substan- tial advancement of the material interests of the county. No intelligent person, it was said, even dreams of such a result un- der the present administration of the law. There is to be an election of county offi- cers before very long, and the better class of citizens residing there are alr2ady con- sidering plans by which men may be elect- ed who will stamp out the curse that is blighting the county. The men interested in this proposed reform are fully aware of the difficulties in their way, which grow out of the peculiar political situation that exists in Alexandria county, but they hope to overcome them by quiet but vigorous campaigning. In conversation with one of them yesterday @ Star reporter was freely introduced to the conditions existing there. The Views of a Citizen. “Jf the sheriff and the county attorney would do their duty,” he remarked, “every gambler in Alexandria county could _be driven out of it in twenty-four hours. The race-track gamblers would not be includ- ed in this, because their occupation is legal- ized, and it remains for the state legis- lature to say whether they shall continue it unmolested or not, but I repeat, with full knowledge of what I say, that the faro, craps and policy people could be rooted out horse, foot end dragoons, and kept out indefinitely, if the county authorities Ihave mentioned would only do their duty. There is not 2 resident of Alexandria county, op- posite this city, not a man engaged in the brick business over at Waterloo, for in- stance, er located anywhere in thaz neigh- borhood, who is not fully convinced that Sheriff Veitch and his deputies, and all the other county authorities, from supervisors down to justices of the peace and con- stables, are perfectly familiar with the lo- cation of every gambling hell acrcss the river, as well as with the men who own and run them. Every now and then the sheriff makes what he calls a raid, that is the subject of jeers and sport among the gamblers before and after it takes place.” “Before?” “Why, yes; every big gambler knows when such an event is going to happen. Some Features of Rosslyn. “Rosslyn’s a sweet town for you when it comes to gambling. The most prominent building in the village is occupied for sa- loon purposes down stairs, and the owner of tke saloon is one of the county super- visors. Upstairs above that saloon is a Alexandria county has not only the policy, notorious gambling room. ‘where faro, craps» and roulette are played day and night. Along the river bank just above Rosslyn there are two or three similar re- sorts, and the ity Ikw officers know them and their proprietors as well as they do their own names. They know that pol- icy is played at Rosslyn day in and day out, too, just as it is at Jackson City, and at the fork of the “Columbia road with the Alexandria turnpike. The Jackson City faro games have been mioved down to Alex- andria, I’m told, but @raps and policy are Kept up there, and attract the lowest ele- ment cf whites and blacks, It is almost a weekly occurrence for Bomebody to be held up and robbed on the reads Jeading to Jack- son City and Rosslyn or the bridges com- ing to this city from them, and in every case the assailants ate from the class I speak of, who lose their money gambling and will do anything, no matter how des- Perate, to get more ta lose. Political Assessments. “In his last charge to the grand jury Judge Chichester fully showed the neces- sity of action in this matter,” continued the gentleman, “but his words had no more effeot upon the sheriff and the other law officers than water falling on a duck’s back. What is the reason? Well, it is not far to seek. It is a notorious fact and it has been a notorious fact for a number of years that the men who are permitted to carry on gambling in Alexandria county pay nearly all the expenses of the victorious party during a political campaign. They are as- sessed heavily and pay readily, fully under- gtanding that they will not be seriously molested in prosecuting their nefarious traffic. The decent element in Alex- andria county must get together and rid itself of the infernal ring that rules it. I hope The Evening Star will keep this thing hot. It would add new luster to its already brilliant fame {if it would only show what the. conditions across the river really are, and would help the approaching fight for a desent county government mightily, indeed. . The Virginia Laws. The law of Virginia provides a heavy penalty, fine and imprisonment, for setting up a gaming table. The language of the statute is explicit and leaves no room for doubt, including within its operations keno, faro, wheel of fortune and any game of chance played with cards, dice or other- wise. The penalty for vialation is impris- onment from two to twelve months, and five from $100 to $1,000. -Fine and imprison- ment is also provided for persons who shall permit gambling to be earried on upon their premises. As the law is plain in the case, and as it is a matter of open and notorious fact that gambling is conducted at Jackson City and 6ther places on the Virginia shore between the Long bridge and the Aqueduct bridge, the question naturally arises; Why is it.not suppressed by the authorities? 3 Well, that is a question. Judge Chichester’s Declarations. Judge Chichester,while*presi@ing Over the county court at its January ‘term, in his charge to the grand juty. said there was mere defiance of law.-inwthe little tract comprising Alexandria @ounty than any area of like dimension in’ the state of Vir- ginia. He had tried to remedy the matter, but with indifferent success,:and said it was mainly due to the fact that certain officers had failed to do their “@uty. He had at times appointee special officers for the pur- pcse of preserving law and order, but had subsequently found they weré’ paid by the very lawbreakers the& wefe supposed to prevent carrying on, thetr unmlawfyl acts. ‘They had, of course,,.béem ‘removed when the facts were made known “It was singu- lar that the people of, ‘Alex#®dria county allowed these things .to go on, and that no one would make a mévement toward sup- pressing jhem. It was hissduty to try the cases brought before him, ‘and it was high time for some one to maKe é¢omplaint of the unlawful acts being conimftted every day within the jurisdiction of the county. Congress, in its wisdom had- passed an anti-gambling law, @nd every one in the District of Columbia who desires to engage in that pastime*now crosses the’Fiver Into Virginia in order to indulge in it, and as a consequence Jackson City and the entire river front are now scenes of lawlessness. These were facts for the Jury to consider— facts which were a crying shame. A few years ago he had, for good reasons, closed all bar rooms in the county, seeing no use for them in a small, spargely-settled tract of country sandwiched hetween two cities, but the legislature of Virginia, by its ex- cise act, had opened them,and disorder and murder had followed. The legislature had also altered a charter (mever intended to allow any such thing) in @ manner so as to permit horse racing—se as to render gambling easy. Two race tracks had sprung up immediately and @re still being conducted. The judge said he had been promised help by the. governor to break up these places, but the only help he had obtained from that quarfer was in the governor signing the excise bilb together with the one allowing horse racing. Worse Than Coxeyites. The governor, continued Judge Chiches- ter, had sent troops to remove the Coxey- ites from our borders, whilé’a horde more injurious than the commonwealers are al- lowed to invade the state and carry on their questionable ard unlawful commerce without let or hindrance. “The governor, it is true, had made a show of attempting to stop winter racing, but the judge saw no difference in horse racing, ‘whether it be in summer or in winter. It was-not the noble pastime of our forefathers and was not inaugurated for the purpose of bringing about perfection in horsefiesh, as is urged, and he appealed to the jury if such stock are any better now than in days of yore. If anything, he said, there was better stock then than now. The governor, attorney general and an array of legal talent had made war against winter racing and had been met by an ar- ray of talent on the other side, and Jones & Co., at Alexander Island, had graciously agreed to cease-racing during February— the shortest month in the year. Bcok- making was carried on at the St. Asaph track all the year round in the face of the understood fact that such should not be done save only when races were actually run. Now, it made no difference whether a son was ruined at St. Asaph or Alexander Islard track, and if bookmaking was un- lawful at one it was equally so at the oth- er. Some of the parties should be brought to justice and this defiance of law stopped, and the judge hoped the jury would give these matters serious consideration and not allow Alexandria county any longer to have such blets upon her history. The movement, he said, was designed to save the young, the old being set in their ways and joined to their idols, Having thus called the: attention of the grand jury to the existing évils the judge could go no further until‘action should be taken upon the suggestions thus made. No Indictments Found. It is understood that no’indictments have been brought against Jackson City gam- blers, as a result of Judge Chichester’s charge to the grand jury. It ts said that the jury brought in a member of indict- ments for chicken stealing, fighting and minor offenses, but, as far as Jackson City matters were concerned, they ‘were in the same boat with all the other officials of Alexandria county, “They could not get any evidence. 2 Why is Not Somethimg Done? To those who ask why the sheriff of Al- exandria county and the commonwealth attorney do not put a stop to the open violations of law in the gambling dens along the river front, the answer is made by the friends of these officials that they are powerless to obtain evidence which would convict the lawbreakers. It is said that indictments might be returned against the offenders, but that when the case came to trial there would 10 witnesses to prove the offenses. It is ed that the com- monwealth attorney fs not a detective to accumulate evidence #gainst law breakers. His duty is to pi ‘gte the case in court. It is also held that its not the part of the sheriff to spend his own money in- attempts to procure evidence. He, it is claimed, is an officer whose duty fs to serve papers put into his hands by proper authorities. It 1s said there is'no fund in the county court out of which to pay detectives for working up evidence against the gambling dens, and without such evidence it would be impossible to convict the offenders after they should be afrested. A prominent of- ficial of Alexandria is quoted as saying that with a small fund for the employment of detectives and with the aid of earnest, law-abiding citizens, he would be able to make it so-warm for the gambling fra- ternity at Jackson City and other places that they would be compelled to clear out. The Prosecuting Attorney Talks. Mr. R. W. Johnson is the prosecuting at- torney of Alexandria county, what might be called the executive officer of the law in that séction. A Star reporter, who went to Alexandria to interview Mr. Johnson, was directed to the race track to find him, as he is the owner of several horses, which he runs on the Alexander Island track, the course that is immediately adjoining Jack- son City. Yesterday was an off day at Alexander Island, but Mr. Johoson was found at the St. Asaph track, where he willingly consented to talk upon Jackson City matters. He said that no one is more anxious cr willing to break up the violations of law at Jackson City than himself, and that he wiil vigorously prosecute any cases brougit be- fore him in which evidence is presented. He said the trouble lies in the difficulty of getting evidence, in obtaining reputable people who will go before.a jury and make oath to the allegations which they made outside. He said that usually when ar- rests are made and indictments presented by the grand jury, the witnesses have dis- appeared by the time the case comes to trial. The interested parttes have seen the complaints and arranged a compromise, so that there is no one to appear against them, and the matter drops. Hard to Make Cases. He said the county has no regular police or detective force which can be utilized for the detection of offenders. When cases are brought to the attention of the officials, and a raid is made, the lawbreakers cross the river to Washington and stay until the matter blows over. Then they quietly come back and probably continue their operations for some time before it becomes known to the officials. Mr. Johnson said citizens of the county come to him sometimes and talk about af- fairs at Jackson City, and when he asks them to make afidavit to their statements, and support. them before the court, it is found that they have no personal knowl- edge of the matter, and are, therefore, use- less a8 witnesses for a successfal prosecu- tion of cases. Mr. Johnson saii he has no personal knowledge of violations of law at Jackson City, and added that the county officials are not personally aware of the misdoings charged against the place. He sald the only case brought against @ resi- dent of that place, in whien he has been able to secure a conviction, was where the presecuting witness made it a business to come all the way from Guttenberg two or three times, to testify. Usually, he said, the complainants are non-res‘Iunts, and by the time their cases are called in court they are not to be found. Mr. Johnson an- ten* of the law, if some one will only fur- uish him wi evidence. Might Be Impenched. Those who believe that the inaction of the sheriff and other county officials is re- sponsible for the condition of affairs, have been looking up the means provided for effecting reforms quicker than the election of new men to fill the offices. They have discovered that the governor hag no power A Sheltered Spot. to remove the sheriff, justices of the peace, or other county officials. It appears, how- ever, according to Virginia law, that upon complaint to the corporation, hustings or county court, such officers may, upon prop- er and suflicient proof, be removed by the court for misconduct in the discharge of their official duties. The law of the state, section 821 of the code, directs, of course, that the court, upon filing of charges against any such officer, shall allow the accused official ample opportunity to be heard in his defense, and the complained of official may, if he so elects, have the right to a jury trial. From this it would appear that the citizens of the county have a remedy in their own hand. : The Case Summed Up. The case stands, therefore, something like this: The gambling exists, which nobody will deny. The county court is aware of this and is willing to try the offenders, but there are no offenders brought before it. The commonwealth attorney is the prosecuting officer, but he must wait until some one is brought before him to be pros- ecuted. The situation narrows down to the sheriff, but he in turn disclaims re- sponsibility because be has not the means to secure evidence to back up his ar- rests. ‘The case is submitted without comment. . GOV. O'FERRALL TALKS. How the Winter Racers Gained a Foothold in Virginia. Correspondence of The Evening Star. RICHMOND, Va., March 27, 1995. Gov. Chas. T. O’Ferrall was called up- on by The Star ccrrespondent today and asked as to his authority over and re- sponsibility for the gambling dens on the Virginia shore of the Potomac in the im- mediate vicinity of Washington city. The governor very readily consented to talk on this subject and gave The Star's reporter a full interview. In reply to questions he said: “For years Jackson City has been prop- erly styied ‘a_curse spot.’ Being located just opposite Washington, at the end of the Long bridge and easy of access, it has been the resort of the most vicious classes of the city, and being only a small village, with no police regulations, it has been a matter of impossibilitiy to preserve ye el pl re in ‘turning forts merit. have gone through all of the “odds” and “ends” You, can take your pick ond floor at exactly one-half end in view—clearing this earliest possible moment to Chiffoniers Half Price. Along one side of the wall you will tind nineteen Elegant Chif- in various woods, sizeg 0:! Were $26 to $64. “| Now $13 to $32. Rockers Half Price.- Over sixty Rockers are crowds ‘on this floor and no two exe actly alike, plain and fancy, ce. +} Were $2.75 to $28. Now $1.37 to $14. Corner Chairs Half Price. | 7 Round Corner Chairs. Were $6.50. Now $3.25. China Closets Half Price. 4 Very Handsome Glass Front China Closets, highly polished oak, in attractive shapes. NA LOS! 14 CHINA CLOSETS, CHINA CLOSETS, 76 CHINA CLOSETS, Hall Stands Haif Price. Four of them left. Fine Solid Oak Hall Stands, with extra large French bevelcd plate glass. = HALL STAND FOR $8. HALL STAND FOR $10. 8 HALL STAND FOR $34. [ALL XD FOI 5 “Qlla-Podrida” At Half Price. A. mixture—Pedestal ixture s, ¢. G © ETS, $8.50. CABINETS, $12.50. 28 MUSIC CABINETS, $14. MUSIC CABINETS, $15. $14 PEDEST. 7. $14.25. 50 25 PEDESTAL, $: a ft. Exten. Dining Table, $18 10 $9. 8-ft, Exten. Dining Table, $34 - to $17. is eats Exten. Dining Table, $34 10 $17. $38 Parlor Cabinets, $19. Two Combination Book Ceses and Writing Desks, reduced from $40 to $20, and $42 to $21. Wardrebes Haif Price. These are magnificent pieces of Furniture, being finished with very large handsome plate glass front door, only eight of them || $92_ ONE, $16 $54 ONE, $42 108 ONE, $54 $86 ONE, $43 | $112 ONE) $56 Folding Beds Half Price. Only two left of the Famous “Phoenix"” make, handsome plate lass fronts. A Letter Which MESSRS. GRAIG & HARDING. We beg to inform this day executed a ou, having satisfactorily ims of your creditors, and take great ., With the sincere wish that you ma: in future meet with the success your ef- HALF-PRICE “Topsy Turvy” CLEARING SALE. — N resuming we find the stock very much depleted, so we floor, where we shall make quick work of them. of new Furniture now on the way. Various other pleces of Furniture on this second floor—mighty fine picking. Craig & Harding, Cor 13th and F Sts. Explains Itself: March 30,' 1895. you that we have Deed of Release to adjusted — the the business over to Ours, LEF) Late Assignees. the six floors and picked out all and brought them to the second 4 of anything you find on our sec- marked price. We have but one Second floor completely at the make root for the car loads Parlor Suites Half Price. Eight of these altogether. You will agree with us tba‘ it is & positive shame to offer these Suites at baif price. We couldn't * buy them over again for half as Much more than we ask you to pay. We simply want to inake a clean sweep. One Elegant 4-piece Divan Suite, with Matform focker, new shapes, skeleton frame. Was $60. Now’ #30, A $30 Divan Suite, $15. A Divan Suite, from $80 to $10. A Divan Suite. $100 to $50. gauverd t-plece “Silk Tapestry nite. Was $100. ‘Now $50. Handsome — Brocatelle Parlor Suite. Was $110. Now a 6 ae x on One Magnificent Overstuffed ractive color! a ‘as $135. Now $67.50. ° Chamber Suites Half Price. ‘True, mest of these are mag- nifcent Chamber Suites, the finest made, yet at half’ price you get the’ finest for what you generally pay for the ordinary. ‘Only ‘one ‘each of these suites, and “first come, first served.” ber Bitte, 98% Mavle Cum- $27, 50)% ny 1 Fine Imitation M: Chamber Suite, brass mount $64 to 1 Blegant Natural, Cher Chamber Suite, tiful : poe beautiful chet Elegant White Bird Ma- —, "pana with’ cheval 1 Superb Natural Cherry Cham- ber Suite, extra lai and Pets mee quisite Curly Bis - x mo $164 to. ac autiful Ch i Chamber Suite, $168 to" ™"* $82 50: 1 Magnificent Mabogany Cham- ber Suite of 2 pieces, rich che- $ val dresser, $200 to I coy gusite, S-plece, Mahogany suite in the house, $210 ton $105 Iron and Brass Beds Half Price. : 1 Pink Evameled Iron Bed re- duced from $14 to 1 White Enameled Single Iron Bed, with spring, reduced from $14 "to 1 White Enameled Crib, brass trimmed, reduced from $18 to 1 White Enameled Iron Bed, brass trimmed, reduced from $28 to 1 Handsome Imported English Ham Bed reduced from $60 to Exquisite Imported Engl Brass Bed reduced trom $i8i te $7 $7’ So $14 $30)° S62) Cor. 13th CRAIG & HARDING, & F Sts. ee ee eee eeedoosee: x CEAXRKERARR ERR ERS SESE order and suppress crime. The most strin- gent measures have been passed by the legislature of Virginia and the most dras- tic laws enacted in reference to gambling, but, while the statutes were strong enough, the arm of the law seemed to be too weak to enforce them at this place, on account of the desperate character of its habitues, the easy means of escape across the Po- tomac into the District and other reasons. Pool selling on horse racing all over the country had become the favorite mode of gambling “there, so last winter the legis- lature passed an act just in its closing hours prohibiting in the broadest terms the making, writing or selling of books or pools or mutuals on the results of any triais of speed or power of endurance of animals or beasts, except upon the grounds owned or controlled by any agricultural association or county or city fair or any driving club or driving park already char- tered, and fixing the punishment for any violation at a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $500 (one-fourth to. informer) and imprisonment not less than thirty nor more than ninety days. Why He Signed It. “When the bill was laid before me I did not like it. “I could see that it aliowed much latitude on agricultural grounds and driving parks, but I believed {it would break up pool selling at Jackson City and relieve that community by removing the attraction which supported its dens of vice, and I felt sure that the privilege would not be abused nor carried to any great extent by the agricultural societies and driving associations then chartered, as they were managed, as I believed, by gen- tlemen who would not tolerate horse racing for the sake of gambling. I was satisfied there would only be agricultural fairs as usual in the fall, and, I believed, meetings on the driving parks for a icw days only, spring and fall. Feeling the necessity cf breaking up Jackson City and there being no time for an amendment to the bill, I ap- proved it. “Soon, much _to ~my_ surprise, I learned that an old charter granted some years since to! the Grange Association of Virginia ‘for the promotion of agriculture,’ etc., and whose grounds were scme miles up in Fairfax county, had been purchased by certain persons in Washing- ton city, and that they intended to estab- lish a driving park at Jackson City and run it under this old charter, and conduct cursed spot’ it would be continu intensified form, and so it has beens Jog) Law-Abiding People Outraged. “I do not hesitate to say that this place stinks in the nostrils of the respectable and law-abiding people of Virginia, and they feel outraged that a lot of non-resi- dent gamblers, who have no interest in the fair name or welfare of Virginia, should be permitted to settle themselves down on the south bank of the Potomac and there pursue their nefarious business with brazen check, gathering from every quarter the Worst classes, under a charter granted to an honorable association of farmers ‘for the promation of agriculture,’ ete., some way acquired by these men, “A short time since, under my direction, the “attorney general’ obtained an injunc- tion against the ewners and managers of this race track. At the hearing, for rea- sons well understood between the attorney general and myself, the proceedings were suspended. These ‘people are, however, resting upon very uncertain ground, and while they seem to feel that they are se- cure, the day is not distant when they will find themselves mistaken. They have out- reged decency, fostered crime, perverted legislation and bid defiance to public senti- ment already too long. It is not proper for to state what steps will be taken. irginia prohibits faro banks, gaming tables and all species of card «gambling, and she will not tolerate horse racing for the sake of gambling upon the shallow pretense of encouraging the breeding of herses. If she cunnot make the faising of horses profitable without corrupting the youth of the country and drawing to her borders the people who have been run away from Guttenberg and Jersey City, then she had better stop the breeding of blooded horses. She is paying teo dearly for the profit she makes. I am a lover of fine horses; have owned many. But I believe it is as wrong to gemble with them as with cards, and one is as corrupting as the other.” sates Pages Bincked Ont. An article in the EngJish children’s mag- azine, “Little Folks,” about the Czar of Russia was ertirely ‘“)lacked out” by the Russian censor before being delivered to the Russian subscribers of the periodical, The objectionable paragraph is supposed to be one in which the czar, bidding fare- racing and sell pools under the act of Marck: 3, 1804. I saw at once there was trouble, ‘and that instead of ridding the Virginia bank of the Potomac of ‘the Well to the daughters of the Prince of Wales, cays: “Good+! , My dears; you are going back to your happy English hone, and I to my Russian prison.”