The New York herald., 1870-09-20

The Anti-(sambiing Association In Court
Trial of Rowland II. West for Alleged
False Pretonccs-The Jury to BE Charged
To-day. N
Before Cunning 8. Bedford, City Judge.
| After some preliminary business was disposed OF
yesterday the trial of Rowland r. West who claimed
to be the president OF "Society for the Suppress
sion Of Gambling" was proceeded with, he having
been indicted with Henry Galloway the superin-
endent OF the detectives OF the society," and Charles
c. Prescott, the solicitor of funds The specific allie
CATION that they obtained fifty dollars on the 9th
of February 1870 from Albert G. HYDE by false
! representations. West demanded separate
| trial. Mr.. William F. Howe defended the
| accused. Assistant District Attorney Fellows
| conducted the case for the people, Mr.. G. s. Spen-
| Ger, who conducted the preliminary examination.
was associated with Mr.. Fellows in the prosecution.
There were only two witnesses called by the prose-
cutting officer. The first one was the complainant,
Albert G. Hyde, Of the firm of A. G. Hyde Co., 50
King, who ested that on the % 7th OF February he
| received cOmmun cation from the above society
which led INN to call at their office in Nassau street:
MIR. West said that he had important Information In
regard TO some person connected with Mr.. Hyde Ia
business; he said he had positive information that
| some one was gambling. and asked the witness TO
subscribe to the association. after which he would
give the information. West was asked who composed
the ASSOCIATION, and then handed down subscription
book containing the names OF the principal firms III
the dry goods business and other calings which he
lMr. Hyde, knew to be genuine. West told him that
| the association was managed by committee or
those names: He was asked for one Of the names
and was told that It would be breach Of confidence
received positive information that his partner had
been gambling On February the ssn "a the s
sntsl % the SUBSTANCE Of Which @ was that Joseph
Company s VIII Win T Mott % Of Nc MotIs % Iron Works, and
Mr.. Helmbold, The druggist, visited Chamoerlans
played % er money none al and lost money and loaned some
TO either Mr.. Mott or Mr. Helmbold; that they
then Mr. got pesrs '1' in resn5 is5sass ss "sni ns
there he lKing) had gambled again that
he was a frequenter Of French balls, and his ex-
| penses indicated large means. This communication
| was signed by Galway, the superintendent ON
that day Mr.: Hyde gave a check upon the Ninth
National Bank for fifty dollars as an equivalent for
| this "posLIve information.n
| The letter was signed by r. r. West and was mis-
laid
Mr.. Howe subjected Mr.. Hyde to lengthy, severe
| and able cross-examinatlon and lnterposed mum.
aer Seans him at
each point presented, and listening to Mr. Fellows
argued by Mr.. Howe, who took exceptions to the
| rulings OF the Court
jordan L. Mott and Joseph L. King were put upon
the testified that the statements OF the menu
| bers OF the "Anti-Gambling Society" were utterly
false; that they visited no gambling establishments,
and never knew each other until they met In court.
| The prosecution rested their case at this point.
Rowland r. West, the defendant, was called and
| stated that circular (which Mr.. Howe read) was
placed in front of the subscription book in which Mr..
| Hyde and a number OF prominent firms had signed
|
clation by paying certain sum; that the assocIa-
ton for the prevention OF gambling had 1ts ofce at
81 and SO Nassau street, OF which ne was President
and Treasurer; that only two complaints were made
against the society during the three OF It's
istence; that detective named Selkrk brought
| Information to the office OF the association that
man named King In the employ OF Hyde Co., 81
Walker street, had been gambling, giving q descrip-
| ton Of the man. The defendant gave detailed
statement of the conversation which he had with
Mr. Hyde, In which he (the complainant) said that
his partner was shiftlesS and had violated their CO.
| Howe
West said that he was major In cavalry regiment,
and served four years and eight months in the
army; that alter he came from the ne
purchased spice business in Washington street,
ana sold it to two gentlemen; there was difficulty
about it, and he (WesD was arrested upon criminal
and civil suit growing out 0fit the former OF which
was dismissed and the latter never called UP for
trial; MIR. Hyde came and asked West for twenty
five dollars portion OF which had been spent III
detective duty" which the defendant declined to
Assistant District Attorney Fellows put Major
West through searching cross examination and
brought out interesting facts respecting the "Ant-
Gambling Association" 1t appeared that the society
was never chartered was not joint stock ass0cia
ton, had no trustees and was originally composed
or r. X. West, Henry Galway, Josias Sturges,
Charles w. Bartlett and Nathan Nesblt. The wit
ness understood that Sturges was broken down
merchant and had gambled his money away; that
he knew Bartlett to be common swindler: inat he
tWesp was engaged some years ago IN getting up
swlndles that he Knew Galway fifteen years, and
heard Galway kept a policy shop in Wall street.
MI Howe asked the District Attorney TO admit
the genuinness Of the signatures of merchants pres
dents OF banks, &c, who mad subscribed to the
society, which, lor the sake OF eXpediting the trial.
he admitted.
Mr.. Fellows informed the Court that 1t would be
necessary to hold la an evening session in order to
finish the case for he was compelled t0 go out Of
town to attend to pubic business.
A recess OF half an hour was TAKEN after which
the counsel called Mr. James Ii. Dunham and Fred
erlck A. Macey, who testified that they subscribed
TO the AntiGambing Society and mad reaped some
benefit from it,
MI. Howe offered to show by several merchants
similar state OF facts which MIR. Fellows admitted
TO shorten the trial. remarking that for every wit
ness the defence could bring forward to show that
he obtained valuable Information from the society
he could present others to show that they were
swindef
After effective and eloquent speeches by Messrs
Howe ana Fellows the Court adjourned at late
hour in the evening, Judge Bedford informing the
jury that he would deliver his charge this ruesday
morning.