National Republican., 1877-01-25
GAMBLERS CONSPIRACY.
LITTLE BILLY COOK ADMITS BEING THE
FATHER OF THE INVESTIGATION.

LITTLE BILLY COOK ADMITS pEING THE
FATHER OF THE INVESTIGATION.
The Tiny Little Fellow Gives His Version of
the Meeting of the Conspirators in His
Offce-The Motives that Induced Him to
Write . Blackmaiiipg Letter to the Pro-
prietor Of "The Republican"-A Case
where Richards gave Warning to a Gam
bling house.
The investigation into the charges preferred
by the Chief Of Police and the detective, aga Inst
the president Of the Police Board was resume at
the Capitol last evening. DIR, s. W. Crowc nd
q. l.. BoZfell testified TO having notified Rich.
ards Of their intention to make afidavIts that
Sawdust hall was n gambling. house so that the
proprietors could be prosecuted. when he saw
Richards again no told them that it would be
unnecessary to mako aff,davits, as he had notified
Jewell to close the game. So the gamblers es.
capped punishment. The event Of tho evening was
the appearance on the stand Of little Billy Cook
Richards and Cook were nottled because The
REPUBLICAN persisted In calling the meeting In
little Blly's ONCE, where the charges were con-
cocted, a meeting Of conspirators. SO It was de-
ofthe two, should be put upon the stand and be
examined BY McDeyitt's counsel as to the char
the questions and made his plausible explana-
tions with the JUNCTION that used to characterize
tw,ddIps his thumbs na fa.nr h R. TOUs
mournfully at the end Of his sentences. Little
Billy related at length the pure motives that led
tor Of The RrPusIicAT. He showed the letter
TO Richards and the detectives, who assembled at
a, ssSns Gse mr. Ss q 'd him rslS
threat. Cook hesitated in giving his tcsti-
mony, and evaded a number Of questions regard.
ing the source of the Information upon which he
based the threats IN his letter, and disclaimed
sll knowledge Of the Congressional resolution,
sssSsh ssS ne ss af bis ~ sy @ Snd tSSy sa
gcsted such thing.
The committee met at o'clock.
Testimony of 8. W. Grove.
Selden W. Grove sworn and examined:
BY Mf. WILSON, q. Do you know place In this
city called "Sawdust hal2" A. l do.
@: What kind of gambling is carried on there
A; There %s was 2 game q Keno and Hazard.
,,Q; DO you know anything about game called
Q. Was that carried on there7 A. It was.
q; How long agoF A. From June until Sep
q. who WAS the active man at that establish.
nma mentI IA a. Ths game belonged to Isaac Jones
q: who was the man who had 1t in charger
A. Jerry jewell.
q. Did you have any conversation with Major
ali that you Know Il that PsSSrd rpa esiss sinss
upon Major Richards some time in September, I
think ,. and and told him there wa. q game going. on
"
would be necessary to get the afidayit OF two
citizens; got citizen TO- eo with me that even
would be unnecessary for US to do anything. as
he had notified the proprietors Of the place to
close II up, but IL there was anything going on
to let him know. I said l would, and It was
stopped.
NOT CLOSED UP.
Q. Was the house closed upr A. No, sir.
Q. i'd the other games 20 on there the same
as before A. Just the same.
q. Who was tho citizen that went to Major
Richards with youf A. q. L. Bozzell.
the police BY the gambling establishments OF this
city A.. don't know OF any Of my own personal
knSw,edFs know ! . never saw say any paid, but have
By Mr.. Miliken: 9. Was the game to which
you refer-the "Centennial" stopped, after
Major Richards said he would have 1t stopped?
q. Were any other games continued A. They
continued other games, but ! did not see them.
:. q. why did you not have IT stopped before that
ties, and they would not give me a certain
amount.
q: And then you sought to have 1t stopped.
had agreed to- was merely the inventor Of this this
game, and sold It to them Just as any card man.
%Su Ss 'e SEEK c hsxe
g; Simply because they did not pay you, A.
That was the reason.
Q. No other reason? No, SIR
Q. Did you give that reason to the offioer' A.
l gave no reason; I simply said wanted this
BY Mr.. Norris: O. Was Mr.. Bouuell a partner
OF yeursf A. He was not partner. He assisted
me In working these cards.
Testimony of Chas. L. Bo.zeiI.
was sworn, and corroborated Dr. Crowe's testi.
mohy xGy - every RsTtisuisr He further testified
house; that he had seen from one hundred and
nity to two hundred people playing there at q
time, and that 1t was easy Of acoess.
Testimony of Little Billy Cook.
william A. Cook sworn and examined.
by Mr.. Norris; q. What time did the investi.
CATION before tho Police Commissioners closer
A. do not remember the exact date that II
closed; somewhere about the beginning Of Jan.
Q. There was no combination or conspiracy
formed at your ofice? A. No, sir; the facts arc
Pocs Com%ssoners had proEressed fUq some sne
time, ], as the attorney Of the board, placed the
leading gamblers, or those having that reputs-
Mr.. Williams objected to this question.
The witness. l addressed q letter Ia copy OF
which hold in my handy on the ist Of january
ter, who is in my office, to be copied off and car.
ried to Mr.. Murtagh's ONCE The fact that /
one BY myself Neither Major Richards nor any
OF the detectives had any knowledge OF Its prep.
sTau9n ns or m existence until after Z was written
to Mr. Murtagh,s office. tThs witness here pro.
duced copy Of tho letter referred to.l
HE CLAIMS TO BE TIE SOLE coNsrIRAroR.
1t was entirely my own independent act. 1t Incl.
became known that had written this
letter, and when Major Richards called 10 my
office q request was made that show him the
copy had retained, and declined doing So say.
Ing that 1t was my own matter, and that did not
wish him or any one else to be contested with IT,
There was no arrangement with Major Richards,
or McDevitt, or McElfresh, or Miller TO take any
actien or proceeding against Mr.. Murtagh. an.
nounced In that letter my purpose to do so The
letter speaks for itself, and have acted accord.
Ing TO the announcement contained In II.
BY Mr.: Williams: q. Did you show that letter
had prepared the original, and requested Mr.
Slater, young man that have assisting me in
the ctice, TO make copy. That copy I took
down stairs In the lower rooms Of my ONCE md
signed and gave II to him TO transmit to SSr. Muir
tagh's office In person. During tie afternoon of
the day several parties calls In, and said il was
understood that | lad sent a letter, and after
to them.
q. To whom? A. To Mr.. McDeyitt that time,
who was In the ONCE, Mr.. Hopkins and MIR.
at different times. The only
person to whom the original letter was read be.
Tore being sent-before being sealed-was Mr..
Hopkins.
q. Did you not show It to Major Richards on
that dayf A. In the afternoon showed, not the
original, for II had then gone, but copy.
q. Did you show 1t to McElfreshP A. think
not. do not remember that did. How came
to show 1t to those parties could tell you. The
letter was taken down stairs 10 be copied. Mr..
came In, and 1t was stated TO him by
Mr.. Slater, without any authority from me, that