The evening world., 1888-08-18
NO BARGAIN WITH POLICY.
JUDGE MARITIME GIVES THE INDICTED
GAMBLERS A BAD SETBACK.
M. Conan, Their Counsel, OHers 90
Plead Guilty " They Are Let or with n
Pine-The Bargain SternIy Repudiated
by the Court-An Example II to he Made
and Sing Sing Threatens Them All.

ahu sung StnN ihFehteha tut" mis-
The policy gamblers had a bad sci. back'in
Judge Marines branch of the Court of Gen
eral Sessions yesterday, and now State prison
or the enitentiary stares them more closely
in the face than ever before.
The calendar contained the names Of Ave
men whose places were ra ded and whose in-
dictments we're secured through the untiring
efforts Of THE EVENING WORLD. They were
William McCurdy, Of Washington and Watts
streets Henry Smith, of 81 Greene street
Charles Siebert, of Canal street and West
Broadway Frank Collins, of 2s1 South
Fifth avenue. and George Brown, of A
Thompson street.
Each OF them was indicted for being com-
mon gambler, which Is q felony under Sec
ton 344 of the Penal Code. Vernon NJ. Davis,
the able Assistant District Attorney, was
ready for the prosecution. and The EVENING
WORLD reporters were present In court to
give their testimony.
The policy men, however. were not at all
anxious for o trial. They had a little scheme
on land which they felt sure would work
better than going before jury of their peers.
Recollecting that " Honest John " Conan,
had once been chief clerk in the District
Attorneys Office, they put their desperate
case in his hands and trooped into court
behind him with q great show of confidence.
Mr.. Conan had nothing to say in oven
court. He sided his way quietly inside the
bar, mounted the steps which lead to the
bench and coolly proposed TO make o bargain
with justice.
a small way :" he began, glibly, /" and there
are circumstances in their cases which call
for lenient treatment. They are men with
families, and peaceable citizens of this CON-
munity. They have no desire to break the
Now, if they should waive their right to q
trial by jury and plead guilty to these in
dictments, will Your Honor accept that plea
Of q misdemeanor and let them off with o
fine ?"
and / have not to do anything to
hamper those who are ~endeavoring to sup
press them" said Judge MARITIME decisively.
the man Stump, who came up in this court q
week ago. That defendant pleaded guilty to
misdemeanor, and was let off with a fine of
THAT was the first case of the term, and
there was some basis for the appeal for len
~iency." replied the Judge; but here we
have q whole batch of men engaged, as is
alleged, in a concerted and persistent attempt
to defy the law. and if they come before me
convicted of this crime they must be ade-
quately punished"
District-Attorney Davis here made a strong
and able plea in behalf of the people, saying
that he felt bound to urge a severe punish
| ment.
The evidence in his possession, gathered by
H EVENING WORLD reporters, was ample to
secure the conviction Of all the defendants,
and he did not see why the gamblers, in their
last extremity, should be allowed to come in
and make their own terms.
Judge MARITIME gave Mr.. Conan to under
stand that his plan would not work. He had
no objection to accepting q plea of guilty.
but it must be an unconditional surrender.
Honest job retired verv much abashed.
He belongs to the same district and is of the
same political faith as Judge MARITIME, and
the latter's frmness hurt him deeply.
The gamblers felt still more blue. They
were very much surprised that for once they
had not been able to work things their own
way.
They bent their utmost energies to the
task of staving off the fatal day of trial and
as there were prison cases on the calendar
they succeeded in getting a stay of two weeks
II they do not forfeit their bail and skip
out to Canada they are pretty sure of getting
two years in State prison and O fine of 81, 900
apiece.