National Republican., 1877-07-11
Tho Trial Of the Gamblers.


pcruscd attrntively the testimony on the
trial of the proprctors of the gambling house
known as 'rhc Club" who is not satisfied be-
yund all pcradventure that there has been an
organized conspiracy to defeat the ends of jus
ticeY We do not deem II necessary to enter
into an elaborate discussion of the case.
Everybody knows that the JONES Brothers
Were the proprietors of rhe Club 1t was
fact as firmly established as anything could |
be. Hundreds of persons who patronized the
establishment knew no other proprietors of
"Thc Club" than the JONES Brothers. Thcv |
were there in constant attendance, exercising |
supervision over the swndling arrangement |
and directing the movements of the place.
District Attorney WELLS during the trial |
showed this conclusivcly But all of the cum |
ming of the blacklcgs was brought into play to
defeat the law. The hundreds of persons who |
have frqucntcd "The Club" will always re-
gard the JONES Brothers as the proprietors and |
LOOMS as a sham. The gamblers declared |
that the JONES would never be convicted and |
that none of the proprictorS of gaming houses
can be convicted. Their business is managed |
with such shrewd foresight that it Is impossible |
to prove that the men known generally rs the |
proprietors ever pay the bills of the establish
mcnt or perform other acts which could legally |
implicate them proprctors. Their leases
are made out in the names of other persons
and their employees are paid by other people.
r The only evidence that District Attorney
| WELLS could rely upon was that of the
frcquentcrs of the gaming-room or the victims,
$ who saw the defendants always about the
! gaming tables exercising supervision. Most
u of the witnesses for the defense were persons
: closely identified with the gamblers. Only
such crcdencc can be given to their testimony
y as should he given to men either criminals
themselves associates of criminals.
y With such testimony rs was offered neither
~ District Attorney WELLS nor any other lawyer
nj could have gained a CONVICTION. Many of the
y witnesses for the defense swore directly
i. against what was believed by every person in
ID the community acquainted with such matters
tn to be true, and 1t will always be believed that
re they swore against the fact. The trial was a
rc triumph for the gamblers, and II has weak
eued the force of the law in the District.
Id 1t was another example of the instinct
lc for making blundcrs usually exhibited by
l. GATCHEL. His defeat Is ignominous, and his
" position pitiablC. Instead of aiding in sup
- . pressing the vice of gaming, he has contributed
,v toward restoring the immunity formerly cx-
n tcnsivcly enjoyed by the gamblers under the
n protection of RICHARDS and the detectives.
D. Hereafter the gamblers will laugh at
re GATCHEL. He was held up to ridiculc
o. which was not undcservcd, before the jury and
II the public. That the head of the police de-
OF partmcnt is most stupidity inefficient was made
very plain. During the past few months II
has been shown that he is unable to make a
raid upon gamblers, or even direct o petty ir-
~ u, vasiOn of an unlicensed bar-rOOm, without
~, making incxcusab'c blundcrs, and doing more
~. harm to the law and its execution
he in the District than would be done
e. If the lawbrcakers were not intcrfcrcd will,
ut by the police at all. Ills position is more wO.
ly fully pitiable because yesterday he was heart.
lcsSly deserted by his friends, RICHARDS and
the detectives. 1t was ingntitudc on the part
en- of MILLER and McDEvIrr to endeavor to
81 :" shield the gamblers, as 1t was evident they
- -, did so in their evidence before the court. 1,
AZ. was GATCuEL who gave them certificate oi
no character after they had been arraiged fol
hes having been in collusion with thieves and
nd gamblers.
IRE 1t is said that there is honor among thieves
lst but this adagc will not apply to the friend,
ed and protectors of the thicvcs-thc detectives
WI pericnce that the men whom he befrendct
', on and whose sins he hid from the light by hi
a, huge shadow, have more love for their ole
NE associates the gamblers, than they have 70
les him. 1t was question with the detective
nd whether they should lean towards GATCHEI
of and, by telling the truth, help to convict tn
ter gamblers, or lean towards the gamblers an,
the leave GATCHEL to ridiCule.
es- There were evidently more powerful in
10 ducemcnts on the side of the gamblers. Nc
h' Dewitt was most conveniently forgetful. Ha
o, he been tcstifying against some unfortunat
rye man who had fallen into his clutches hi
'ing memory would have been wonderfully vivid
ST and he could have given details with astOnisl
cen ing minutcncss. But such fact as receivin
'''' fifty dollars from gambler to pay to mal
Ian who had been robbed had entirely faded froI
it his recollection. MILLER's testimony was ais
Ill, remarkable Taking it for granted that
ella was all true, he showed that he had puI
posely withdrawn out of hearing
ol conversation which, If repeated q
'ah testimony, would have convicted one of tn
, rus parties Us proprietor of gaming-house ii
,l ,'' did not want to or hear anything of tina
,or. kind. The testimony of both of the detective
nus is additional evidence that the charges pre-
fcrred against them by The REPUBLICAN, thu
ral they were in conclusion with gamblers, wer
en- true. Even after most complete eXpOSur,
our they still dare openly to shield the gambler
no or they are more afraid of the ire of thei
INT black leg friends than of the odium whiC
u im they deserve.
nm. Other gamblers are to be tried, and it
all hoped, in order that lawlessness may not bt
sc. come general that the trials will not result a
lis did the one which terminated yesterday, Tn
ner notoriou, gambling house of tally, HEAT