The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-08-21


ward. This is not a threat, but warning that
5 in store for you if you do not take a tumble |
o yourself. II you want dollar, why don't
y" Signed 81 a. -N'' MANY GAMBLERS
The above needs no comment, but |
he who does may read, and it demon
,trates the propriety of general pub
ic awakening against men and meth |
DDS of the kind so boldly an
nounced in the foregoing letter.
Of first popular indignation and oppo-
sition against the accursed vice OF
gambling arising throughout the
state. A number of prominent candl-
dates for the legislature have pro-
claimed their determination to intro
duce and favor laws making profess
Sional gaming felony, and certainly
no rational man will say them "nay."
Does it not behoove the capital city to
take heed to her own morals and safe
ty in this regard. AS the seat of the
state government and presumably OF
the states intelligence and clviliZa-
ton; as the centre of the educational
system of Texas, with a university
whose revenues are supplied by pub
lie funds, whose halls must be filled
by public patronage, and whose pu-
pills must be morally and socially
either promoted or pros tituted by the
influences here surrounding them;
as the home of a population OF cuitur-
ed, refined and prosperous men and
women, does not Austin owe it to
herself, to her own people and to those
who come among US for our presumed
social and moral worth, and to the
state at large, whose representative
and beneficiary we are to exert every
lawful and practical endeavor to put a
stop to gambling and its necessary &C
compartments in our midst? It'll my
opinion that she does, and that the
officials in whose hands the execution
of the law is placed, would be recreant
to their duties as officials, if they 81
lowed a favorable opportunity to es-
cape to enforce to the fullest
possible extent the penalties provided
against this offense. The Penal Code
provides that any court, officer or trl
bunal, or any district or county attcr-
ney may subpoena persons and compel
their attendance tie testify as witnesses
as to any violations of the laws against
gambling; and it is further provided
that it any justice of the peace, may
or or recorder shall know that an
offense against the gaining laws
has been admitted and shall fail or
neglect to cause such person SO Of
Tending to be arrested and prosecuted.
Such Justice, mayor, or recorder, shall
himself be guilty and be fined not less
than S25 nor more than 800 in each
of such cases. About month or six
weeks ago a gentleman came to me
hn In Of
many violators OF the gambling laws,
and that II l would pay
him for the necessary time
and labor it would require to write
out the complaints, he would furnish
me the names of the offenders. the
time and place the offense was COM
mitted, and the names of the wit
nesses who were present. This gen.
tleman, as he informed me, had no
personal knowledge of the offense and
had never been in gambling
house. 1 had previously, some
time ago, tried the plan of subp9aing
witnessing and compelling them to
testify, with no other result than to
produce plentiful crop of perjuries,
as the witnesses were gener.
ally interested parties, and always
'.failed to remember" anything on the
subject. l accepted the gentleman's
proposition, furnished with forms for
writing complaints, and he prepared
something over five hundred COM
plants, writing the names OF the wit
nesses on the back of the complaint as
the law requires. In many instances
the witnesses are among the most
credible and prominenJ of men in the
community, and, in no instance,
that l know OF were
any of the witnesses con-
suited or informed of the fact that
their names were being used. The
gentleman who furnished this inform
alton has not been and shall not be,
with my approval, a witness in any
case, as, in view of this connection
with the matter, l do not think it
would be entirely proper to use his
testimony. l have paid and agreed to
pay for the labor and time consumed
in the work, which it will be
readily seen was no light task. After
these complaints were prepared they
had to he sworn to, and turned them
over to Justice Won Rosenberg, stat
ing to him the facts, and in pursuance
of the imperative duty imposed upon
him under penalty of beng himself
prosecuted by the statute above
quoted, he proceeded to have the affi-
davits sworn to by such persons as he
considered credible and available.
This is a succinct history OF the
pending prosecutions against the gam
blers in this city. But, it seems these
gentlemanly law-breakers are highly
inceDsed at the manner of their prose-
cution. They are righteously indig-
nanJ and wordy over the "idea of a
war being made on them. The cry of
Hspies" and SHRED niormers" is loudly
raised, and they even go SO far as to
hint at bribery and subornation"
of witnesses. All sorts of
dire and mysterious threats
against the officers of the court are be
ing whispered around their circle, and
it is said Justice Won Rosenberg is to
be made a sacrifice to their vengeance
and resentment, by being defeated in
the next election' They are especially
indignant beeau It seems the COM
plants against Ia IN are sworn to by
two colored men ne of them himself
a professional gamuler, and therefore
a very competent afiant, and
the otner a uoot-black, which is
certainly pursuit that will
compare most ia, orably in point of
honesty and respec; ability, If not OF
lucrativeness, with That of gambling
for livelihood.
Now, the point wish to suggest to
the hottest and yirtuous portion of
this community, ai.d upon which l
desire to appeal tn rem. Is: Shall fit-
teen or twenty. y hose ayowed and
calllng is one of vice,
crime anu h.1l1 al lawlessneSs-
whose nefari' us business is
daily and lightly pursued
on the principal thorouehfare
Of the capital of the state, whose ex-
in our midst is q standing |
to the morals of youth and |
me domestic happiness and thrift OF |
many households, and who are them
ielves Migrants by the express detini-
ion and dsnunciation of the law.
Shall these men, say, effect their
purpose of defying tie courts, traduc-
NO honest officials, threatening politi-
al defeat to a pure, upright
nd fearless Judge, and set at l.