New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-24
GAMBLING AMONG ARMY OFFICERS.
PERYiCIoUs INFLUENCES 81 POKER PLAYING II
MASHINGION.

WASHINGTON.
lBY TELEGRAPH TIE rKIBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, May 23.-lt is very probable
that the exposure Of Colonel A. T. Morrow OF the Army
Headquarters staff viii lead to au nvest and fur
thereX which, for the sake OF the military service
ought % have been made long ago. For two three
year, at there hive signs which ought
have been dlsrcgnrled army officers IN Wash
ington engaged IN gambling and has been assert
ed nnd aGaii army circles that high military
aud civil authorities knew Of the evil aud tolerated N in
stead performing their duty and suppressng IT, II Is
understood that poker s the game which has attracted
aud ruined than army oaioer in Washington
within the last y"nr or two.
II not much say that the game OF poker is
where played with greater skin thnn at the National
Capital by certain army officers or high rank and others
1t should be understood very distinctly that neither the
General OF the Army majority OF the other officers
IN Washington belong 10 the gambling crowd Among
the players however. officers OF high rank two
or OF whom II ia affirm ed members Of the stan
corps. aud such charged With tho disbursement di
rcctly indirectly OF large sums OF public money Par
agraph iG2s ot the Army Regulations reads rs follows
n any di.bur Ing olcor shall bot at cards any
Of hazard his commanding officer shall suspend his func
tions require him all the public funds In his
Keeping shall imrnedlteiy report the o the
proper bureau Of the War Department. In every
where an officer entrusted with the disbursement
OF public funds shall violate this regulation he will bc
brought trial before general court martial by the
department commander, and will not be assigned To
duty or again put In possession Of public funds sub
srquent to his trial. without the approval OF the secre
tary OF War"
Besides the officers alluded to there probably six
or eight other military men in Washington who are
generally Regarded active regular poker players
During the last Congress an officer who camc here from
the West was swindcd OF all the money he hail. and
in hope OF recovering IT, he pnycI until he had his
checks for 500 city bank where the next morning.
IL was ascertained he had funds. The worthless
checks got into the hands OF lobby operators and the
identity OF some the other players narrowly escaped
the knowledge ol the public some Ol them. II Is
serted hcstated TO thcr know ledge OF their
short cOuncS To attempt To control tnrir
tions important matters OF public duty, mainly IN
cascs where punishment for offences should have been
inflicted by those tuperlOrs III the discharge Ol thcr
duties.
The gaming crowd appears TO have extended It's In
nuence gradually, uutu IL has not only become the bane
of army life Washington and a souIcc OF great danger
it's ne>hcs and compromised men high IN
authority and thus been destructive TO army discipline
This one the worst features OF the ease. Officers
who value their regulations and hold Official honor
IN Lnghty esteem could easily keep ont OF the net hut
they could not suffer indirectly because Oi the lax
~ of discipline which has affected the whole army,
becausc II hardly prnccabir lhueed pfuucht 10
punish Il frontier post an evil Whlch WAS allowed 10
flourish with IMMUNITY at the seat of authority
anOat 10 night 70 the cnect that
startling developn bc soon expected impcn-
ing high military and civi authorities IN the gambling
practices which have existed here for some time and
many stories told of the amounts money
and lost by various fortunate and unfortunate men
of high rank and position. All these stories appear TO
hoped for the honor of the army at least mat they
will turn ont to be destitute OF foundation