Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-12
THE GAMBLING CASES.
ever $3.50 Raked Into the City
Treasury,
With the Prospect Of a Little More This
mOrning---The Gaming Parapherna-
La Attached Mayor Grub in
Search Of Legal Ia
formation.

The cases of the two proprietors and thir-
teen inmates of the gambling houses
Iaided by the police Saturday night, came
up in Police Court yesterday morning, to
the very considerable benefit Of the NUM-
cipal treasury. Joe Green and Sam Good
win, the former the proprietor of the Twelfth
street place and the latter Of the poker
room in the rear of Heyman's saloon, were
each assessed $40 and costs, while the thir-
teen men found bucking the tiger in the
places when the police entered got OF With
IS and costs each, the aggregate being
$751; so, making the nights amusement
RATHER EXPENSIVE.
When the Court had adjourned Mayor
Grub began his preparation for the destrue-
tion of the tables and other stuff captured in
the raided rooms, as is provided for in sec
ton so of the ordinance in relation to
offenses when Constable Dick Bird appear
ed on the scene and demanded possession
of the property. On being asked upon what
ground he based his claim he said he had
writ of attachment for it, sued out for debt.
He was asked who swore out the paper, and
answered that E. F. Hsymsn was the per-
SON. The Mayor was informed of the
claim, and he directed that the stuff be kept
under lock and key, and that q process be
issued for Mr.. Heymsn, citing him to ap-
pear before the Police Court this morning to
answer the charge of permitting gaming on
the premises occupied by him. This
FLANK MOVEMENT
on the part of the Mayor and police was en-
tirely unexpected by Heyman, and he was
considerably crestfallen when spprised Oft
as the $50 and costs he is tolerably sure to
get is more than the total value OF the
tables, chips and cards taken.
In the meantime His Honor had called
upon City Solicitor O'Keeffe and spprised
him of the filing of the attachment, asking
at the same time for an official opinion as to
whether or not the stuff captured could be
DESTROYED. The Solicitor asked for two
days time in which to consider the matter,
but this, the Mayor thought. was too long to
wait under the circumstances, and he &C
cordingly, unknown to Mr.. O'Keeffe, EN-
ployed W. P. Hubbard at his own expense,
to look into the legal aspects of the case
aid report this morning.
Should this report be favorable to the
destruction of the apparatus, the tables and
other stuff viii be cremsted to-day.
If the present attachment be allowed
10 stand it will be the regular thing
in the future for gamblers, when their places
are raided, to have some friend file claim
and
SUE OUT WRIT
attaching the stuff in the hands of the city,
the result being to nullify the section of the
city ordinance authorizing the destruction.
it Mr. Hubbards opinion, however,
should be- adverse to the city, Council should
at once take measures to amend the ordin-
ance, making it the duty of the police to
wreck gaming apparatus as soon as they
get their hands on it, without awaiting the
formality of the conviction OF the owner or
operator. 1t seems to be the general fault
OF the city statutes that they have too much
milk and water in their composition, and
that, whenever they are put to the test, they
are found to be made up of glittering
generalities which afford every
facility to the law-breaker to get clear en-
tirely or else be inflicted with but nomi
nal punishment.
However, let US hope for the best from Mr..
Hubbard, and trust that to-day will give US
the unusual but edifyiDg spectacle of His
Honor the Mayor executing war dance
around a pile of blazing poker tables, while
Clerk Darrah SHES red, white and black
chips into the flames, the Chief of Police,
Lieutenant johnson and officer Barum be
ing effectively grouped in the background