Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-17
A JAIL SENTENCE.
An Old Man Sent There and Fined 70
Policy Playing.

An Old Man Sent There and Fined for
Policy Playing.
This morning in Judge Miller's court Lawyer
Shillington appeared counsel for Ezekiel
Cade, one of the best known policy men here
and in Alexandria, against whom Detective
Block had charge Of writing policy.
The prisoner, a man nearly seventy years
| old, with gray hair and mustache, stood in
the dock, where all prisoners stand when ar
raigned. The clerk did not have to read the
charge, as his counsel said that he desired to
| enter plea Of guilty in the case. In doing SO
Mr. Shillington asked for the imposition of a
fine instead of Jail sentence. as the latter, he
said. would fall as punishment upon the chill
/ dren dependen. upon the prisoner for support.
Judge Miller said it sad that the sending
! of the defe adant to Jail would cause his family
to suffer. II the offense was OF any other ma
| ture it would be different and the sentence sug-
gested would no doubt answer. but when the
| offcnse is n part of the gigantic system oil
| policy Jail sentence is absolutely necessary.
| The object of the law the judge said, was NOT
so much for the purpose OF Furnishing the indi-
vidual it was to stop the business.
SOME INFORMATION FURNISHED.
| Mr.. Mullowney. the prosecuting officer, in
quired il the court wanted some information
concerning the prisoner and the judge said he
| did.
Detective Block said he had known the
| prisoner for about fifteen years and he knew
him to be an inveterate policy writer. He has
! served one term in Jail. Il arrested him in the
kitchen Of a colored womans house, said the
officer, land he was surrounded by about
| twenty colored women. Since his incarcera-
ton mere for writing policy he has been deal
ing faro across the river"
Mr.. Shillington said that when Cade came
out of jail he made an honest effort to secure
work that was legitimate, but failing in this he
had to fall back in the policy business.
How old are you?' inquired the judge of
the prisoner.
sixty seven years" he replied. He then ad-
mitted to the judge that he had been in the
policy business a number of years, and when
he explained about his daily book and how peo-
pie played and lost the court wanted to know
what good that did the players
They consider it loss and play again, he
replied He then assured tho court that he
conducted an honest business and paid all the
hits. Among the colored people he said most
of his players were women, while with the
white, they were mostly men.
EVILS OF POLICY PLAYING.
The court then spoke at length about SER
WIT girls getting 50 la month and playing 81 of
it in policy. The prisoner said he had never
kept accounts 30 as to be able to tell how much
any one person played, and the judge added
that the amount stated was his calculation.
Cade said that he had a widowed daughter
and four children to support and he was forced
to return to the policy business because of
their wants.
1T is q sad thing indeed, said the judge,
that their wants induced you to go INTO a
business that makes beggars, loaters and
scoundrels of about one-third Of the commun-
ity, and it is also a sad duty that the court has
| TO perform III sending man OF Your age and
appearance to jail but 1t must be done"
MIR. Shillingion again plead for his client and
the latter spoke OF the time, as he said, when
the business was punishable by fine and not
imprisonment and that remark. the judge
said. showed that there was use in imposing
fine without imprisonment The hackers
would pay the fine and charge it to the profit
and loss account.
Il am determined" concluded the Judge.
"that everybody interested in the business
shall personally bear punishment and shall not
be set free upon tie payment of tine by the
hackers
A sentence Of thirty days in Jail and a fine
of 800 was imposed.
The penalty was made light in consideration
OF the prisoner age and surroundings.