The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-10-24
l. LOCAL MATTRRo.

John A. WOrsham for exhihnlng game
known a. faro bank, and for being interested
10 gaming house on Main st1eef, known az
Corinthian Hall. On Monday night por-
tion Of the city police, headed by officer
Seal, proceeded to the hon:e heretofore oc-
the front door, entered the bu&1ding. The
officers then ascended to the t1Ard stony OF
the hall, where they discovered eight white
men aud o servant in one room. Five of the
men were seated at table playing draw
bluff, using ivory chips % counters. These
five were taken into custody, end, together
with six kervants, were marched OF to the
cage, but succeeded in giving bail for their
appearance before the Mayor the next morn
possession OF, and a general search made Of
the premises. Adjoining the hall on the
west is three-story brick building, the two
connected by passage way and a door,
which leads into three or four Chambers
In small room in this passage the end of
q rope was discovered in the window, and on
being drawn in was found to have attached
10 it bag containing "iv0ry chips" In this
small room coat was found hanging against
the wall, from q pocket Of which was taken
a memorandum book, In whichwere entered
the winnings and losings at faro bank and
roulette, and the expenditures at market. for
q period anterior to the 18th instant. but
none since then, the present gaming Law
having passed on the 10Th inst. Entering
the west tenement, containing several cham.
bers, the police searched them, and discoy-
cred two or three bags OF chips and seme
few packs of playing cards. In one Of these
rooms they discovered Worsham, who, ap-
parcntly, had been asleep, aud was then
dressing to see them. He, too, was taken
into custody and held to bail till the follow
ing morning. A police guard was then
placed in charge of the house for the night
On Tuesday morning the search for gaming
implements of all sorts was continued. An
iron safe was opened for inspection, and,
besides bcgs of gold aud bales of notes,
nothing was fouLd save several packs of new
playing cards and bag of chips. The po
lice could discover no faro table, no faro
box, no spread Or layout, and nothing save
cards aud checks to indicate that faro bank
bad ever been exhibited in the house.
Under the new law all the paraphernalia of
faro bank is cOnfizcated, including the house
ana servants, and this act applies to gaming
ten days previous to the time of capture OF
the articles.
The Mayor said he was satisfied, from
what the witnesses stated, that the game in
which the five men were engaged was not
that of faro bank or OF a like kind-the words
IKE kind referring to such games only as all
the players had not an equal chance to win
Bluff and similar games were punishable "a
unlawful gaming" where more tLan $50
were Won aud lost. AS the police saw no
money, he should discharge the card party
for the present.. The negroes, he said, were
also discharged, they not being subject to
confiscation; and the property of Worsham,
except the gambling apparatus, was also re-
leased from custody, because no exhibition
of faro bank, on the night in question, had
been made out, and the Legislature had not
the constitutional power to- pass an erpost
faetolaw, confiscating property for gaming
that had been carried on before the passage
q the act.
Judge Crump here reminded the Mayor
that no proof had been adduced to show
that Worsham had ever been the proprietor
of the house, or that it had ever been kept
as a gaming house. He thought that the
new law repealed the old one entirely, and
evidence to prove that workmen
were engaged last week to remodel the
house aud lit it up for restaurantD
the Mayor did not suppose that the pro-
prietorship would be denied-indeed he
thought it had been admitted. He did not
think the new act repealed the old law, but
merely amended it-and with view to look
into that question, and to get other evi-
depce adjourned the examination to Thurs
day next, aud admitted Worsham to bail for
his appearance in 81 800. 1T he can get wit
nesses to show that the house has been kept
for gaming purposes, and that WOrsham has
been engaged in a faro bank within twelve
months, he may send him on to the Grand
Jury.]