The Evening critic., 1882-04-26
ABUNCo MAN
On Trial i'm the Criminal Court To-

Ouy.
The United States recently, in the Criminal
Court, mas prosecuted, with commendablo
success, the three.card.monte men, who for
fve years past have carried ON their nefarious
business in this District, carrying their vic
Tins to the Arsenal grounds, Carroll Springs
or Arlington, and then fleeing them, and to-
day turned their attention to the bunco
game and the manlpulators Of It. These vul-
lures have preyed upon the public for long
time, and until now IL seems to have been
impossible TO come up with them. The man
put on trial gives his namo as John Long and
The victim was Ebenezer s. Bartlett, an el-
derly.looking man from Belfast, Alieghany
County, N. Y, who was mulcted in tho sum OF
$50: Mr.. A. b. Williams appears for the de-
fendant. ~,
On the sth of last December Mr.. BARTLETT
was stopping on Pennsylvania avenue, near
the st. Charles. He met young man on the
street who claimed TO know him, and was also
from Belfast, N. Y. After conversation he
was invited to go to the office of tho latter,
which was on Missouri avenue, between Third
and Four land a half streets. He did 60, and
there found Mr.. Long, the defendant in this
case. After being introduced and n few In
quirIes made concerning himself, Mr.. Long
said that Mr.. Bartletts acquaintance was one
Of the lucky ones in their last lottery drawing,
and had gained q prize, which was an oil
painting and 5000 or $500 In money. The
drawings were then opened, and the pseudo
friend, being member Of the company, was
entitled to participate in the drawing, and did
lie then insisted that Mr.. Bartlett should
draw for him, which he did, and won $50.
The money was not paid, but this man handed
him ticket which Long said made him a
member and entitled to take part in the draw
ing, but he must put up money in advance.
They put up SO, $50 and finally 500 He did
not draw anything at the first two drawings,
but the other man on the second drawing drew
in the neighbordood OF $500, but no money
was paid. Mr.. Bartlett declined to carry.the
scheme any further, and told them TO return
the money and he would quit. This was re.
fused, they saying he must conduct the draw
ing to the end. He said that he had no money
bank account or could give a note. which
Mr.. Bartlett refused to Go and he was then
ordered out Of the office. The man that went
in with him also came out with him. He made
up his mind that he had been robbed and that
1t had been done deliberately by the two mon.
He called for the police and caught the man
with him. The other man, whom he believed to
be the defendant, came up and asked II he got
his money back II he would let the party go,
and he answered in the affirmative. They
then went to the window, and while the money
was being counted the man that Mr.. Bartlett
held got loose and ran away. He received 500
from the other party, and at that point Detect
I've Acton came up. Last Thursday, at his
home in Belfast, q man came there and paid
him tho balance Of $40.
Mr.. Bartlett, on the witness stand, repeated
these circumstances, and his straightforward
narrative showed that he was Just the kind of
innocent, unsuspecting person that the
Detective Acton testified to arrestlng Long
on the statement of Mr. Bartlett that Long had
MS money. On tne way TO POl1ce headquarters
the roll OF money was dropped and ten dollars
recovered.
Mr.. Williams did not think, under the testi-
mony, that the charge of larceny was sus-
tanned, as the witness testified to volunteering
to enter into the game, and the money re-
NAMED in his sight until Mr.. Bartlett refused
longer to continue 1t, and the money was
offered to be refunded II he thought he had
not been treated fairly. The court declined to
| take that view Of 1t.
tiLong, the defendant, testified to meeting
MIR. Bartlett in December. He went around to
| Mr.. Jackson's Club-rooms, on Missouri avenue
and was interested in n social game of poker,
when he saw Mr.. Bartlett and his friend enter
the adjoining room. After they went out the
| trouble arose, when Mr.. jackson sent the
| witness to pay Mr. Bartlett his money back
| While trying to do SO, he was arrested, and on
| the way TO the station he slipped the money
back TO Mr.. jackson, excepting ten-dollal
bill which fell on the sidewalk. Mr.. jackson
was now attending the races at Nashville, Tenn
Tho paraphernalia of the game was showr
| and the witness termed 1t on sight dice game
| After argument the case was given to the
| jury.
| Al 2 O'Clock the jury, not being able Il
| agree, the court took a recess. His Honor sale
| that he would come to the court any time
| before 10 p. m, but after that hour he woult
| not como until the next morning.