Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-05-13

RAID ON GAMBLERS usual nocturn-
al quietness of the city was somewhat in
terrupted last night by raid by the police
on q gambling den and the arrest of twenty.
i've persons who were engaged in the alb
sorbng pastime of dallying with the playful
tiger 1t was about halfpast nine o'clock !;
stores had been closed early to allow EN-
ployees an hour or so Of recreation" young
married women (happy in the thought that
their iege lords were at the "lodge," or
"uuavoidably detained'') patiently awaited
their return home, and anxious parents So
Iilouuized on the probable whereabouts of
darling boys" when Harry Brown appear
ed al the station house, and complained
that in the cellar OF a certain house on the
north side side of Cameron street, between
Fairfax and Royal, owned by John I. Dow
nev, number of persons were at that
tine engaged in we'll known game, where
ever end anon an elated individual ex-
claims keno" when others ventilate
themselves by uttering nameless expletiye.
He averred that the place was run by an
Individual known as Owens James B., alias
:Dick"( and swore out 8 warrant against
him The Mayor was forthwith notified of
the matter by Captain Webster, and the for
mer issued warrant for the arrest of both
proprietor and players, whereupon officers
Pat. Hayes, Sherwood and Simpson ac-
comranied Brown to the place. Upon enter
inc the cellar tho conservators of the peace
found an interesting group of between thir.
" and forty persons, representing nearly all
GRADES of society, intently bent on forming
the winning rows, while Owens, equipped
with the paraphernalia Of the game, which
was adding more dimes to his own pocket
than to those of his guests, Justify call
s,,.r In q IISnnVnru
hat the officers had entered the cellar,
there was great commotion, and the
;olice, having been reinforced by the arr
al OF officers Franks Bontz, Martin, Thos.
Hayes, Bettice, Grady and Davis, succeed
Cd in taking into custody about twenty-five
Of the players. They were escorted 10 the
station house, aud sixteen left collateral for
their appearance At II o'clock to day. and
nine, who failed to produce such security,
were detained Officer BontZ was then put
~ charge of the house. The trial came off
this morning and attracted large crowd,
which completely blocked up the Mayors
Office and all approaches thereto. The pc
ice who made the arrests testified that they
a&d surprised the accused parties while en-
@agcd in playing Keno Owens became
very reticcnL and declined answering most
OF the questions propounded by the Mayor.
Downey. who WAS charged with being the
owner Of the paraphernalia of the concern,
said the building upon which tie raid had
been Iaade WAS unoccupied, but that he had
charge OF it. After hearing the evidence of
he policemen and the deposition Of Dow
ncy, his honor fined tho latter and Owens
$50 each, .>'!d the players so respectively,
ami conli>cated the equipments found in the
cellar. tn. maiority Of these who had APP
peared paid the fine, and several who had
left SO IaSs night is collateral for their APP
pearance forfeited the same by their nom
attendance. Some few who found it incon
renient to raise the amount Of the fine were
detained to indulge in visions Of Jail walls
and chain gangs The case WAS tried under
the city laws against gambling; hence thu
Golfers OF the corporation were swelled with
the proceeds OF the fines The cause which
inpellea Brown 70 inform on Downey and
Owens is said to have been this Some time
ago Browns brother was attacked and beat.
en- by Owens and another man named Jetl.
Phillips. which so exasperated the informer
hat i" notified the proprietor Of the cellar
That if he suffered either of the sssailants to
come to mis- place 'o BROWN would have
him quilted" He discovered last night
that Owens was running the place" and
forthwith carried bis VOW into effect.