The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-10-15
OELY TWO PLACES OPEN.
The uuietest Sunday Alexandria Has
Known for Years.

KNOWN iOr Years.
For the first time for some years the
Alexandria gambling dcns were closed
yesterday, with two exceptions. There
were the usual influx Of gamblers f.om
this city by every boat, who went in
droves to their usual haunts, out the
gates were barred and smooth.faced
individual greeted them sadly. Looking
at the closed windows of the upper part
of the house where the "tiger" had
been wont to greet his victim, the sentry
said, in tone that was evidently meant
TO be cheerful. Things are very dull to.
day, very dull" Then his visitor would
respond in n disappointed monosyllabe of
acquiesence. This part of the ceremony
through the would-be fortune hunters
would return to the corner cf Union and
King streets and discuss the situation.
The authorities were denounced for their
action, The Post was abused for its
course, the author of the article threat
ened with personal violence and the
dealers condemned for their cowardly
fear of the law Thus the day passed.
Every boat that left carried back a
crowd Of disappointed gamblers. Their
places were not left vacant long, for each
boat load brought others, who, failing to
get into the houses, stood on the corners
and around tho ferry house until the
beat left for Washington. Occasionally
q policeman walked down King street,
swinging his baton, and then the crowd
separated. Passing the houses the officer
would look them over scrutinizingly,
and seeing no evidence that the law was
being violated, went on. while the
scattered crowd would collect again and
continue their interrupted discussion
1t was novelty for Alexandrians.
They could not understand how it was
that the gambling element was so thor.
oughly cowed. Heretofore the law,
while it has been the same, seemed in
operative. The chambers were arrested,
fined and released TO again play their
profession. Although the law provided
for imprisonment upon conviction, that
penalty was seldom if ever imposed, and
then the sentence was merely nominal,
mostly one and seldom more than ten
days Judge Stuart's admirable charge
to the grand jury, upon the opening of
the Corporation Court, last Monday, fol-
lowed as it was by the prompt indictment
of fourteen of the most prominent back
ers and dealers of the game on Friday,
reused the better class of citizens to the
enormity Of the offences they had so long
condoned and regarded as necessary evils
Public sentiment was that the gamblers
should go, and that every one convicted
should receive the full penalty of the
law, which has been so flagrantly and
continuously disregarded.
A Post reporter visited the city yester-
lxzC 49, "a
houses open. He was allowed to enter
one without molestation, and going up
stairs to the room where faro bank was
usually dealt, found three disconsolate-
looking gamblers sitting on the table and
bemoaning their fate. The professionals
were given wink and directed to other
quarters where game was in full blast.
There the reporter experienced consider.
able difficulty. The colored guardian at
the door declared that the game was not
in progress, and firmly but politely re-
fused to allow any one but known hab-
itues of the place to pass him. One OF
these told the reporter coming up on the
boat that faro had been dealt, and that a
prominent merchant in this city lost con-
siderable money.
Going to the ferry house, within a
SJOut tuTOW VI but ldSJ mclltlin6u
place, the reporter found Lieut. Smith,
'rIieufenant," said he, II represent
The Post, and"
He was permitted to proceed nc
further, for the Chief of Police launched
into blasphemous TRADE against The
Post and everybody connected with 1t.
Every sentence was punctuated with
profanity, and the ladies in the waiting
room of the ferry house were forced tc
listen to the conversation. Finally the
Lieutenant became somewhat Modified
and admitted that he believed gambling
went on in Alexandria, but he had nc
proof of it. 1.-THE police" said he
"cannot raid house on suspicion. II
must be on raiding warrant, sworn out
by some disinterested party"
Have you, or do you intend to arrest
the indicted parties?"
1--WE have not vel"
1T strikes me- Lieutenant that this is Il
very accommodating city. Here are four
teen men indicted for gambling and We
no attempt is made to arrest them. Why
is that?'
eve cannot do it without an order
from the court. That meets Tuesday
and they will issue rule to arrest these
men. Until that time our hands arr
tied"
Then the Lieutenant once more took W
his beligerant and vituperative dis
course. 81 know the man who wrote
these articles for The Post and he has
got to settle with me. I'm not to blame
if my brother chooses to run gambling
house, and if get my hands on tn,
man who showed me up, whether Pm
in uniform or not, I'll take the chances
of losing my position to give him a good
drubbing"
Among other statements made by
Lieut.. Smith was one that he could poin
out twelve faro banks on Pennsylvania
avenue, you may not believe it," he
said, "but / know where they are and
can show them TO you"
Whether the police are in sympathy
with this movement against the gamb
ling houses, is "A mooted question, bu
Judge Stuart, backed by the health,
public sentiment of the community, will
undoubtedly succeed in driving them GU
of that hitherto gambler-ridden city.
The w. @. Il, u Incorporated.
| Articles of incorporation were place
on record yesterday for the Women