Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-02-10
LOCAL NEWS.

he CentrG1 Hotet.-1 eSterday, alter our report
closed, the case of Hugh Gelston, proprietor
of the Central Hotel, charged with keeping u
bawdy house, was continued. This case has
excited considerable attention from the fact
that the hotel indicated is prominent one on
Pennsylvania avenue, and that another we'll
known hotel on the avenue-the United
States''-has also been indicted on the same
charge.
IT, odore Faulkner testified hat he had stopped
at the Central. He had seen men and women
in the house. One of the latter was . Bell Sim
c!air," prostitute.
John B. Exams, (hackman. WITNESS went to
the Central with lady he fell in with, aad
got q room for her. 1t was between eight and
Eine o'clock. Witness occupied the room with
her, of course, and remained until eight or nine
O'Clock next morning. witness paid second
visit 10 the hotel about two or three months
subsequently, and en:ere.. himself and COM
panion as man and wife. Wines engaged the
room from the clerk or barheaper. Witness
has gone there alone and found a woman to
accommodate him.
On cross examination, witness stated that he
and a friend went there with ladies and were
refused. At nc time when he went there with
women did he see Dir Gelston. The last time
he entered his name dis g John Jones and WIFE
Witness never drove any woman TO the hotel
but one time, ana then she was accompanied
by an officer.
Patrick 8cGjunis lbackman) was called, but
testified 10 nothing OF material Importance.
Htnrg e. i.Hrdy was sworn. and testified that
he Lad been 10 the hotel several times; oace he
took Dung ladies there 10 obtain board for
them They were girls employed III witness
concert saloon. lie had been there With O. her
wCrEen 10 get rooms, seine of W hom he was
Introduced 10 sometimes on the sgeHus and
sometimes a. the United States Hotel Witness
never Stald there all night with these ladies
He had seen many ladies III the hotel. They all
appeared well dressed. Witness declined TO
answer the question whether he ever staid
with aEP OF The women all night. On cross
examination witness stated that Mr.. deistou,
before he agreed to let room 20 the girs,
required that he (witnessl should see thai the
girls did rot receive gentlemen in their rooms
Wines stated tina. he had siep: with women
in The United States Hotel, but he declined to
say il he ever slept with women at the Cen
trail
jain Holdron thackmanl testified that he had
been 20 the Central with 2 lady to whom he
introduced himself. They went in hack and
entered their names as j. Thomas and wife,
Witness stopped there till twelve O'Clock next
day. Witness lad seen women looking out OF
the window. He had taken girls there In a hack
while they Were intoxicated. but they Were
refused admission. On cross. exam n alton wit
ness stated that he engaged the room when he
went there with 4 woman, from the clerk.
RoufdSmGr j. r. Kelly testified thai he had
seen women OF loose character go 10 the house
during day md night. Witness had seen indie
cent exposure of person, and Mr.. Gelston's at
tenion was called to Il, after which he saw no
more OF il. he saw women scutiling with Boo
Tale, OH one occa sion. On night of first OF Jan
Iary, witness went there 10 look for a man ac-
cUSeG Of crime, II company with Officer Rurch.
He stopped ! door twice, and when il was
opened, hs cav Il young girl about ii wears
OLD. mo pass s as i decent girl, with a Colo
mel, rather aged Witness went TO another
room aud saw three men and three women, one
or the Litter sitting on the floor. The party
they We're looking tor not being there, they
cane out iii the hall, and two OF the women
came out also, when one of them spoke of a
ROBBERY committed the night before saying =
friend OF hers: Mice lit IL Lieutenant, who
had staId with her the night ba sur-, had been
robbed. While talking. the Colonel came out
and the girl who was talking, Went down the
hall with him. Witness passed tn I'm. when
the Colonel was in the act of giving her some
money, and witness saw her 90 10 thr OH cP and
ask fnr room With double he'd, Tor which She
p3id t.r o dollars.
Ofctr B.,rch teSiifi, d to having cone 10 the
Central with Roundsman Kelly.
The prose- ution hsre closed, ami Messrs. Il.
l.. Jackson, A. z. Hoover, John Robinson,
John NJ. Heating doing business in the sicini-
" OF the Central Hote) Were called, and testi-
fed 10 never having heard of any disorderly
conduct at the house.
IE-. Codriek testified TO having when he was
driving q hack, taken lady TO the Central
from ihe depot, who Mr.. Gelston refused To
accommodate, alleging that he would like to
know the character of the woman first; he had
bssn humbugged too often before,
Z. 4. FINK clerk az the hoteD testified that
tie practice WAS rever TO let a room 10 single
ladies, but when a couple register themselves
as Gl;sn and wife, they can get Il room, Wit
less knows Bob Tate, who stopped at the Cen
trail only two OF three nights, with a woman
ne called his wife. They were ordered 10 va
cate on account OF some little annoyance IN
the ir room
Charles Eaton, Thomas Cole and - Cox tes-
tIfieG 10 suspicious persons being refused rooms
1t the Central. The latter testified that NJ was
often called up from his bar room - help Gust
parties W no had been brought into the mouse
by the shoulder strapped genuy.
Judge Oliu charged the Jury thar i, the in
I'll, tnient was sus AIMED this was crime OF the
greatest outrage; for under the gtrb OF
spectacle hotel persons might be Induced - 20
there, and fluid themselves III 4 bawdy- house.
The law presunes that the owner Of Tie house
knows the character OF MS house. AMI tue~e-
fore Is responsible for is conduct. IL Is not
necessary that an additiousi o. extra price
shou ID bs charged to max a house \ btWdy-
house. There seems 10 have been SOM in
s.ructiops given to the employees III reference
10 the admission of women, and Il was for iha
Jury to determine whether az not thsSe instrpc-
tons Were not given "a II bind.
The Jury took the case st Il IL w NJ inutes be-
fore three O'Clock, and wera instructed should
they be able to agree, 10 seal their verdict
This morning the jury returned 4 sealed YER
diet. in which they nc luitted the accused, and
he WAS discharged.
CRIMINAL COURT, Judge Olin.-This morn
ing, Frederick Lambrecst and Geo. Eckert,
charged with dcfrauGing VIM. Leisman, by
obtaining money from him on false psetences,
were tried and acquitted
TRIAL on CHARGE OF MURDER
+, The case Of Emanuel Pollard, cold, charged
with the murder Of Geo. Butler, also colored,
on the 10th OF October last, was called, and the
following jurors were sworn:-W. H. Fork.
per, Thomas PROXY, Jacob Aeh, John Ssss-
ford. Charles Cumberland, Andrew ]. Joyce,
Foster Henshaw, Joseph Mundel, Watkins
Toison, Daniel Z kealy, Aaron D. Harmon
and Thomas Thornley,. (The two last named
are talesmen.)
The circumstances of the case are stated to
be as foliows:-The parties resided near Buz-
1ard's Point on the Island, and about the time
Of the homicide they had dispute about
boat, when the prisoner, 1t Is alleged, threat.
good, and also said that he going to kin
colored man, alluding to the deceased. On
that a kha accuSnd. armed