The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-31
A YOUNG MANS DOWNFALL
He Sati in Many Poker Games Backed by
Money from the BOOnville POStOfice.
His Fellow-Players Cognizant Of His Resour-
ces Likely to BE Prosecuted and Sent to
PriSon-Items from the Several Courts.

on $1,000 bail yesterday afternoon, Mayor
Denny becoming surety for his appearance
to answer grand jury action. Before his
release the prisoner was in conference with
Assistant District Attorney Cockrum for an
hour or more, and all the circumstances of
the shortage were rehearsed in detail. If
his own statement is to be credited, he did
not lead the fast, dissolnte life that has
been attributed to him, but gave way, in
January last, to a propensity for gambling,
and, within six months, squandered $4,000
of the money belonging to the money-order
department Of the postoffice of which he
was i'll charge. 1t was then that he sought
refuge in flight, but was arrested in Kansas
City and brought here to answer TO the
law for the crime of embeZZlement.
In q written confession made yesterday,
and now IN possession of the assistant dis
trict attorney. Denny states that he lost
all the money at pokeri in the city of Evans
vile. He gave the names of sixty persons,
each of whom got some part of the money
cnbezzled from the government. He saws
that the entire sum was lost between Janu-
ary last and the time of his fight from
Boonville, and that all the money, except
about Sl25. which was lost at the Boom
Vile races, was squant,ered at cards in
Evansville. He denies the newspaper
charges that he gambled IL Cincinnati.
and says that he never played a game OF
cards in that city in his life.
The loss of the governments money at
the gambling table constitutes a somewhat
novel case in this instance, as
each person who played with ta
Denny and won any part OF ihs
money is a party to his embezzlement, and
may be made to suffer the same penalty
that the law attaches to his crime. The
only condition under which the parties
would not be held liable is proof that the
money was not thai which was taken from
the money-order department. AS Denny
had 10 means outside of his stealings, there
is little doubt but the parties are ali liable
under the law. Section 4O46, Revised Stat
utes of the United States, defines the crime
in explicit terms as follows: Every post
master, assistant, clerk. or other person
employed in or connected with the business
operations OF any mOney-order department.,
who converts to his W use IN any manner
except as authorized by its title, or eX-
changes for other funds any portion
of the money-order funds, shall
be deemed guilty of embezzlement, and any
such person, as well as any other person
advising or participating therein, SHALL Tor
every such otfense be imprisoned. for not
less than six months nor more than ten
years. and be fined in q sum equal to Inc
amount embezzled."
Speaking of this statute, and its relation
w IN CdSC VI 1OunA III VIZ ~ 'A
said: IF the parties with whom he played,
and to whom he lost the money. knew that
he did not have money; that is, was not
able to have it except 1t came from the
trust funds of the office, they were par,
Elephants in bis crime, for they were bound
to know that he was using the money be-
longing to some one else. This fact renders
them liable under the law. The whole mat,
every guilty person brought to AN account
ing before the court"
When asked for the list of names given
by Denny as those with whom he had
played and lost. Mr.. Cochran SAID: Some
of the men did not know Denny's position.
and the amounts lost to them were insight
icant. They engaged in social games, and,
III all such cases. the loss was trffilng. 1t
would be an injustice to them to publish
their names. They would have acorned to
play with him had they known Where the
money he risked, even in q social game,
came from. He was received inho their
houses as a gentleman, and was surronhded
by gentlemen, not one of whom suspected
that he was using money not his OWL"
The rumOr that Denny attributed his
downfall to ill luck at cards in Evanevllie
seems to have created something of a stir
in 1.-The Pocket" and the Evansville jour
nal has interviewed several OF those who
are thought to be ION the list" These MEL
ridicule the idea of Denny having lost tue
money in Evansville, and all agree that he
was a very successful player. Says the
journal: "A prominent young man, VINO Is
on the list said to a reporter yesterday
afternoon: This thing about Denny losing
almost 1900 in this city is all bOsh. l am
not a gambler, although / occasionally try
my luck with the pasteboards: but 1 have
frequently been in games where Denny has
been playing, and Ill give you my word
and honor / never saw him lose
a dollar. He was one of the luckiest play
ers / ever ran across, and in this manner L
supposed he acquired his seemingly mex
haustible supply of money. | do know.
however. that he won S225 from me one
evening before time to go to tie opera
house. If he lost all the money gambling
that he claims lie did it was in some other
place. Denny has gotten into trouble,
and, like the old adage, misery loves COM
pany,' he is trumping up this story of losing
all his money IN Evansville. | understand
that the money he lost has TO be made up
or prosecutions will follow; but I'm rather
inclined to think the people here will fight
the matter in the courts. Of course there
are some men who would pay any reason
able sum rather than have their names con-
nected with the affair, but that will not
save them if the matter is pushed. The
rich and poor man alike will have to face
the music. j never won a cent Off Denny
in my life, and / will not help square up
his losses. / would go to the penitentiary
before | would be bluffed into doing a
wrong or be black-mailed."