Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-04

son the southeast corner Of GayosC
and Second streets a two-story brick
building can be seen, bearing the sign
tChurch's Billiard Hail. The building
is used for bar, billiard hall, gambling
hell, barber.shOp, etc, and is kept by
Bob Church, one of the swift witnesses
OF the congressional committee on the
Memphis riots Of 1885, before which
committee he swore that he had beer
beaten, shot at, and had his saloon rob.
bed Of two hundred and forty dollars in
big bills and fifty dollars in small change,
and testified that his entire loss was
between seven and eight hundred dol.
lars. He also testified that Dan Roach,
policeman, shot at him, and that the
men who committed the robbery were
all policemen, etc.
"This mulatto keeps q lively trap at
the location above mentioned. Many q
poor negro has been run through and
robbed therein, IS it is frequented by a
crowd Of negro loafers, gamblers, cap
pers,' 'steerers,' the very sharpest and
most expert gamblers and fancy negro
hulks in the city, all of whom are Radi-
Gals Of the deepest dye. Church's estsb.
lishment has been raided upon few
times, but 30 watchful are the boys Of
the police that while the gambling de-
vices and cards were found on the table,,
the players had left the ranch. A num-
Der Of ugly scrapes which took place in
this house called for police Intervention,
but some way or other the boys always
managed to escape legal punishment.
"During the trial OF the Mary Burton
rioters Church and his gamblers, bar.
beers, ETC., have been in attendance
around the recorders courtroom in the
interest of the rioters, several of whom
belonged to the same class of fancy ne
gro gambling bucks.
"The barber. shop in Church's build
ing Is presided over by one Sam Biz.
eel, fancy gambler and turbulent me-
gro Of the upper-ten region, who some
years since came from Ripley, Ohio.n
TO THE PUBLIC.
The above appeared in yesterdays
Evening Ledger, and certainly demands
attention at my hands. l am
too well known in this community to
ask for an Endorsement OF my conduct
during my long residence in Memphis
Of any particular class Of individuals;
and shall only, in as few words as pOsEi-
bic, answer the charges preferred.
Az to my testimony before the con-
gressioDal investigation committee, 1
was corroborated by Mr.. Thomas Ford,
who is large property owner In this
city, and who still resi- les on GRyoso
street, between fernando and DeSoto
streets. l keep saloon and billiard hall
on the corner of Gsyoso and Second
streets. Up stairs is restaurant, which
is also under my charge. While the &C.
cola modstions are only intended for per-
sons Of my color, yet l have no hesitan-
cy in saying they are as good as any
similar place In the city, and as to good
order being maintained, no complaint
has ever been made, for the reason that
no cause has ever been given.
During the late Mary Burton affair l
was in Philadelphia, leaving there the
night she was arrested here In Men,
phis.
Sam Bizzell, the barber who shot
Columbus Stewart, while occupying the
premises to me, rents from
Hon. John Overton, jr. His shop has
90 connection at all with my saloon. l
own my place of business. Hon. John
Overton, IT,, owns the premises occupied
by Sam Bizzell, in whose shop the diff
Guilty originated.
In conclusion, 1 only ask Of the public
an impartial hearing, and deeply regret
The circumstances which prompts me to
refer to the article at all. Very respect
'ullY, ROBERT r. CHURCH.