The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-05-30
AMONG ARMY OFFICERS
Pernicious Influence Of Poker Play
ing in Washington.

WAsH1SGroS, May PIT is very probable
tlIrt the exposure OF Colonel y. r. Morrow, "t
the army Headquarters S!nlf, will lead 10 an
In investigation and further exposures. which
for the sake Of the mliitlr% service, ought TO
have been male ION. ago. FOR Two o: tl:rre
years at least there has Been signs, "nIcl,
some army officers in Washington were en-.
gagged in gambling. and 1t has been asserted
over and over again inarmy circles maj hiGIl
military and civil authorities kne" OF the
evil and tolerated 1t. Instead OF performing"
their duty and supprcssing 1t. II Is under
Stood that poker is the game which has at
tractcd and ruined more than ortmrnH officer
In Washington within the last year or lwo.
1t Is not too much 10 say thai inc game oi
d. kcr Is nowhere played with greater >k1l
than at the nutional capital by certain army
officers of high rank and others. III Sliou!u ne
understood Very distinctly that neither thc
General of the army nor II minority OF me
other officers IN Washington belong To- Inc
gambling crowd. Among Tho, players: now.
ever, are some officers OF high RANK, Two or
more Of whom, 1t is affirmed. are rner!bcTSo or
the staff corps, and as such clar=ri WIN me
disbursement directly or indirectly or large
sums of public money. Paragraph l,o.,c INC
army regulations reads rs follows I'll any
dishnrsing officer shall bet at cards or any;
ga ME OF hazard, his commanding oillccr snail
suspend his functions. require h'ii 10 urn
over all the public funds In his Keeping, ara
shall Immediately report the case TO me
proper bureau of the War D~cpartmcnt. IN
every case where officer entrusted with me
care or, disbursement of luhltc iuilIS Snail
violate this regulation he will he brought 10
trial before a general court martial hy he Fc-
partmcnt commander. and VIII not pc A.
signed TO put in possession OF public lunhS
subsequent to his trial. without the approval
of the Secretary of War;"
Resides the officers alluded to there are
probably six or eight other military men III
Washington who are generally frgar,eu hs
active or regular poker players. During me
last Congress an officer who came here from
the West was swindled out of all the money
he had, and IN hope Of recovering it, he pa cd
until he had given his checks for S1D on Il
ceriaincd he had no funds. The worthless
checks got into tho hands OF lobby operators,
and the Identity of some of the other play
ers narrowly escaped the knowledge OF The
public. Some OF them. ii is asserted, have not
hesitated to use their knowledge OF their
superiOr'S shortcomings to attempt tocontrol
their actions of important matters OF puhilc
duty, mainly In eases where punishment Tor
otfenScS should have been inflicted by those
supcriOrs In the discharge OF their duties. =,
Thc gaming crowd appears to have extended
its influence gradually. mill 1T has not only
become the bare OF army lie In Washington
and Il source Of great danger to Inexperienced
officers visiting the Capitol, but has also drawn
into its meShes and compromised Wen high III
authority, and thus been destructive TO arm
discipline. This Is one Of the worst features
of the cosc. Officers who value their own
regulations and hold official honor In Knight
ly esteem could easily keep ont OF the net ;
but they could not but Sufler indirectly nc
cause OF the laXty of discipline which has
affected the whole army, because 1t was hard
IS practicable. If indeed prudent, TO punish at
n frontier post an evil which was allowed TO
flourish with impunity at the seat of autho-
rity.
There are many rumors atioat tonight to the
effect that startling developments may be soon
expected, duplicating high military and civil
authorities In the gambling practices which
havc existed here for some time, and many
sensational stories are told OF The amounts OF
money won and lost By various fortunate and
unfortunate men Of high rank and position.
All these stories appear TO be mere rumors
and nothin. more thus far, and 1t IS to be
horcd, for The honor Of the army, at least,
that they will turn out to be destitute Of foun-