Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-10-03
PAM Elk sAMHLss AG4IK.
For sweat and stud Poker HAe !
Held in $4,000 lSnii az City COtlri


Held in $4,000 Hail AT City Court.
John A. Parker, the leading oulored
gambler and policy player, was convicted
of gambling at city court on Monday
with overwhelming evidence and held in
$4,000 bail for the higher court.
At IL o'clock Saturday night Sergeants
Stetster and Tucker, with Policemen
Smith, Evans, Updyke and Hanna, raidsd
the gambling den situate two doors from
the northwest corner of Ninth and Will
son streets. Eight colored men were
captured, including Alfred Fountain,
John A. Parker, John Fisher, Major
Fisher, John w. Huston, Stephen Smith,
Perry Cooper and Howard Rice. The
gamblers were taken by complete sur
prise.
Sergeant Stetster accompanied by two
other officers made an entrance through
Parkez's ''reel estate Office" and passing
through an intermediate room came upon
the players who were comfortably seated
Mt work quite unsuspicious of raid. The
other policemen were stationed at points
surrounding the building. AS the police
burst in the gamblers leaped to their
feet, upset the table throwing the csEds
and money around the floor. Three or
four Of them made break for the rear
entrance and attempted to Chamber over
@ 7.foot fence. Frank Ford who held the
| drawboard escaped, but the others hear.
ing the click of the officers pistols from
behind the fence threw up their hands
and walked meekly back to the gambling
room. The police then escorted the cap
| tives to the station.
The news of the capture of o gang of
gamblers including The notorious gamblers
named quickly spread around town. 1t
resulted in the presence of an immense
colored representation in the city hall
this morning.
ihe trial on Monday was unique in
various respects, chiefly, however, in the
fact Of the public prosecutor centriug all
his efforts in the conviction of John A.
Parker, who is the king of thu negro
gamesters. This was accomplished with
signal success this morning and the
notorious gambler vas held in 81 900 fol
his interests in stud poker and in g
similar for presiding at the sweat board
Walter Bacon, Esq, appeared for Johr
A. Parker. ALI the police officers gave
testimony detailing the facts of the ar
rest. 1t was ascertained that Parker il
the tsnant Of the premises. He was 90
in the den at the time of the arrest bu
had been there and held the drawboard
that evening. This was testified to by
six of the witnesses while two of then
swore that he handled the sweat board
The men were playing five cents ante AM
''five to come in"
City Solicitor Turner explained to Mr.
Bacon that the 'Kitty," a term frequentl
used by the colored witnesses, is th
drawboard. II goes to the person VIII
runs the game for the use and rent of tn
room.
John w. Huston, one of the prisoners
who was placed in the witness stand
stated that the game played was stu
poker no limit, rs cents ante or go
: blind" BY this time it was clear tina
! ! the pSoseoution's course was TO place q
the prisoners in the Witness stand. Mi
Bacon demurIed against the making
/; acapegoat of Parker claiming that all til
? prisoners Ind been placed in tho dock q
: codefendants.
/ Howard Rice said that Parker shoe
y the sweat box. Ee "heRrd the box ra
I, Ting and the mon Q playing while he WI
engaged at poker In another Fart of Il
l room.n John Fisher saw Parker shakin
I. dice box.
J, The notorious Allied Fountain gave b
!, testimony in superior sort OF way
y After volunteering the assertion that l
!, always kept the best sort of wine at h
! house and hes 40 gallons of Soup srnor
and also that Parker's crowd didn't lii
II him to gamble at their place, his luc
was so great he always busted the BAN
Fountnin said he told Frank Ford wi
;! held the drawboard for Parker she
J. better keep his fingers out of the pot Il
q fear he'd be told on" Then Jof
3 (Psrker) drove his hand in and toe
D. come money out
City Solicitor Turner then invited NJ
q Bacon to take the helm. The latter
:. addressing the court asked for the di
a charge of his client otherwise to fix Il
i, bail ct as low point as possible. I
considered that, bearing the act in min
there was neither table nor paraphern
lie to show gambling as indicated in 4
text. He referred to the fact of all I
- oo-detendants turning States eviden
against his client.
ie Mr.. Turner paid tribute to l
~ friends sang frcid and ICY nerve in as
q ing for Parker's discharge. He (the ci
81 solicitor) had never heard anything
N his life like the counsers request.
a. believed that il there's anything at all
to the testimony it is of overwhelming e.
denoe against Parker.
n In giving sentence Judge Ball REFER
a to the fact that six men had sworn pc
IS lively that Parker took the drswbos
and two saw him shaking sweat. I
m court added that there exists STRONG pre-
1; ability of six indictments being dra'
N against the prisoner.
!. Parker was ordered held in 81 900
i: playing stud poker and 81 900 additic
ally for holding the sweat board.
re Mr. Bacon demurred, thinking the
Mt excessive end beyond the act.
Oourt-"You know your remedy"
n Mr.. Turner-"His remedy is hab,
y corpus"