St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-06
SUED THE SYNDICATE.
R. 3. Forrest Wants Back Money Lost
at Gambling.
HIS FORMER PROMINENCE
He Employs a Prominent Attorney
Who Will Push the
Case Hard. q

During the campaign of 1886, few
men became better known in Hennepin
county political circles than r. b.
Forrest. He was member of the
Democratic county committee, and a
very jealous one, abandoning his law
practice completely to give his entire
time to committee work. AS natural
consequence he became very well
known and very popular with his party,
and was frequently spoken Eef
as the probable candidate Tor
county attorney. Since that
time, however, his social DIS
position and love of conviviality have
proved disastrous to him, and he has ac-
quired passion for play that he could
not control. His friends deeply regret
ted the course affairs were taking, but
even those most intimate with him were
surprised yesterday morning to learn
the developments that had taken place.
Forrest has retained Attorney John T.
Byrnes, and brought an action in the
municipal court against John Flanagan,
Pat Sullivan, Frank Shaw, WA. TOuner
and Carl E. Blake. He alleges that on
Jan. 1, 1888, he went to gambling
room over the Elite saloon, 3OS Nicollet
avenue, and at game of faro lost 5000;
that of this sum $40 was refunded him.
and he now seeks to recover the bal
ance, $3.50. The defendants have re-
tanned j. G. Worrall, and the case is set
for hearing this morning.
These facts were made public yeSter-
day morning, principally by the fact
that several prominent professional
men had been Subpenaed as witnesses
for the plaintiff. These men were
highly indignant and denounced the
suit in round terms. An effort was
made to suppress the whole affair, but
it became public property early in the
day and was discussed in every sporting
resort in the city. Mr.. Forrest de-
clined to make statement, but a
friend said he had gone far enough
and was determined to retrace
and lost large sums over the green
cloth, playing the game to the limit,
with feverish abandon. The sporting
fraternity was enraged and indignant
over the suit, and denounced the plain
tiff in unmeasured terms. Several
sporting men declared they had loaned
him money upon his representations
that he needed it imperatively; and
one man said he loaned him S125,
and that when he won out $1,000
Immediately afterwards, he refused to
repay the borrowed sum. A great many
stories of similar import are going the
rounds and, as all stories will, receiving
establishment as they 60. The case
will no doubt attract great attention on
both sides. Yesterday there was great
scattering of professional men who Oc-'
casionally buck the tiger and who
feared they too might be called upon to
tell what they know.
Forests friends are greatly grieved
over the matter. He is brilliant and
pleasant young man, with a great ca
pacity for making friends. Before COM
ing here he was prosecuting attorney at
Lincoln, Logan county, Illinois, and his
successful conduct of the famous Fora
Burns murder case, in securing the con-
victiOn of Carpenter, gained him a wide
reputation. A year ago no man had a
fairer political or professional future.
He was really the organizer of the AL
gOnquin club, and was member OF the
first board of trustees.
1t was learned last night that c. H.
Benton has charge of the case for For
rest, and intends carrying the war into
Africa. 1t is said a criminal prosecu-
ton will follow 1t was also learned
that a similar suit had been instituted
in St. Paul, to recover 81, 400, which For!
rest claimed to have lost at faro at the;
Astoria hotel. The defendants are the
same as here, with the addition of three
st. Paul sporting men.
LONG JOHN WENTWORTH.