The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-02-29
A Report that Frank j. Bowman
Has Promised to Prove It's
Unconstitutionality.
Denied by Mr.. Bowman, Who Declares He
Neither Seeks or Desires that
Kind Of Patronage.
Charlie Johnson Confident That His Pet
Measure viii Stand the Test Of
Supreme Court Scrutiny.


Bowman was seen this morning in his
Office, and expressed his surprise and in
dignation at the report that he was about
to undertake to prove the Johnson law,
making gambling felony, unconstitu-
tional.
81 most emphatically deny the truth OF
the report" Mr.. Bowman said "The
first heard of the matter at all was
what | read in morning paper. | have
made no such an offer as is indicated,
and if my clerk authorized any one to
! make such a statement, his resignation is
| IN order. | do not in any way desire to
ally myself with the gambling fraternity,
nor am seeking gambling business"
Mr.. Bassie, the clerk, said that some six
months ago he had stated to some one
that he thought of engaging Mr.. Bowman
| to defend him in case which would come
under the johnson provision, but denies
having said that Mr.. Bowman had any in.
| tention Of undertaking the work for thu
gamblers.
Mr.. ED. BUTLER
| said that he could not say anything posi-.
| tive about the matter. Mr.. Butler re-
| marked: "Although | have never been in
| q gambling house in my life nor never
| fingered a card, what do know is that
there has been little too much reform
| going on in st. Louis lately, and that
something must be done, and Frank Bow
man is just the man to do it. Why,
| don't you know what made st. Louis
lose the convention? Well, I'll tell
| you. A town where there's no gamb-
| ling going on is dead, and ifeverthere was
dead town st. Louis is one. There
| isn't a sporting man in the country who
| didn't use his influence in some way to
| prevent the convention from coming
here. This downing of the gamblers is
all id nonsense, you know. When
used TO shoe their steppers, | made more
money than | do now, and it's the same
| with every other business man" Mr.
Butler added that he hoped something
would be done, although he was not much
concerned in the issue except for the
good of the city.
| HON. CHARLES p. JOHNSTON
was found at the Four Courts. He said
that while he thought the stability of the
| gambling law could not well be shaken, he
had no objection to any attorney testing
the law for a client. The Supreme Court
| had declared the law constitutional in an
| indirect test before, and he had no doubt
| that 1t would sustain its decision If the
| matter was referred to it second time.
| He had no desire to be personal in his re-
| marks, but at the same time felt certain
that any efforts in the direction alluded
to in the morning paper would be in
| effectual
| A prominent sporting man on Sixth
| street expressed it as his opinion that
the alleged offer of Mr.. Bowman would,
| if held out, meet with the hearty appro-
| baton of the gamblers, and that there
would be no difficulty in raising a much
| larger sum than that named They had
no intention of "bucking" against the
authorities, but if they could accomplish
anything in legal way would avail them
selves of the opportunity.
CARD FROM MIR. BOWMAN.
| EDITOR CHRoNICLE;-I read the article
| in the Republican this morning with sur
| prise. have never formed or expressed
| an opinion as to the constitutionality of
| the law that makes gambling felony. |
have never made any proposition to take
the matter before the courts, nor author
lied any other person to make any such
| proposition. have expressed the opin-
ion that it was unwiSe and demoralizing to
attempt to place the man who plays a
game of poker on the same moral plane,
and under the same legal penalties, as a
horSe-thief or highwayman; and l say
frankly that regard the Johnson law, so
called, as a kind Of spasmodic public vir-
tue, that is calculated to cause reacting
effect. Very truly,
+. j. BOWMAN,