Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-19

party Of New Workers. who thought they
were going to make big stake out of the poo
sellers here by tapping the Western Union
wires leading to the pool rooms near 7th and
boundary streets, came here q few DAYS ago
but yesterday the intended swindle was nipped
in the bud More than a week ago telegraph
officials in New York notified the Washington
Office Of the intended wire-tapriny A patrol
OF linemen was detailed to watch the wires
connecting Monte Carlo with the main Office of
the telegraph company, and Wednesday morn
ing Lineman Newman discovered that
THE WIRE HAD BEEN TAPPED
and connected with house No. Iii1 7th street
The work Of tapping The wire and inserting the
'Ioop" was clever Job. Chief Operator
Bender and his assistant, Mr Bugbee, were
notified of the result of the linen ans investi-
cation, and yesterday afternoon Detective Raft,
with several policemen from the second pre-
cinct, went to house No. II4I 18th street and
found that the wire was run into the room on
the second floor of the house. The officers
surrounded the premises and made the attack
from the front and rear.
THREE MEN AND A WOMAN ARRESTED.
Some of the persons interested in the mat
ter were in the room and they came down
stairs to see what the officers wanted, and they
soon learned. There were three men and q
woman and they were all arrested. They gave
their names rs William johnson, William Wade,
Frank Edmunds and Mary Rayson. There
were two or three other persons interested
but they were not captured. The back room
on the second floor Of the house mentioned
was searched and in it we're found five teie-
graph instruments, fifty-four battery jars and
everything that goes to make up an operating
room. Had the tappers got their work under
way without detection the bookmakers would
have suffered.
HOW 1T IS DONE.
Tho manner in which such schemes are
worked Is this: The messages are received into
the room of the tappers and cannot get any
further. When the names OF tho winners are
learned the message il withheld long enough
to give a confederate time enough to reach tho
rooms of the booknakers and stake q good
sum OF money on the winner. Then the result
is sent through to the bookmakers and the
money is received on the winner. The wire
tappers do not pretend to beat every race,
but select such as pay good money. Edmunds
and Wade. 1t is alleged were the operators and
Johnson is the mau who did the tapping He
was to get S125 for his work and the operators
were to get SIS per day and a percentage of
the profits.
ALLOWED 10 60 on PROMISE TO LEAVE THE
CITE
The four persons arrested were taken to the
Police Court this morning and charged with
being suspicious persons. Their counsel, Mr..
c. Maurice Smith, plead guilty for them and
said that his clients were going to Leave the
city.
Judge Miller explained the charge to them
and one of them said he would leave on the
first train for New York. The others said
they would also go aud with that understand
ing their personal bonds were accepted Mr..
Smith was given an order ON the property clerk
for the return OF the property, including the
woman's trunk, which also contained telegraph
instruments.