The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-05-06
POOIsELLERS scORED.


Judge Knapp Recommends that the
Grand Jury Consider the Matter.
At the instigation OF number of cler.
gymen in the county, three men were
arrested several days ago for betting at
the Gutenberg race track. The men
were taken into custody by bench war
rants. Yesterday Judge Knapp. as The
NEWS published. explained to the Grand
Jury why this unusual course had been
pursued He said in part:-
.sGentlemen of the Grand Jury:-Since
you were in Court last. certain citizens of
the county have presented TO the Court OF
Over and TermiDer sffidavits respecting
the offence of pool selling, and have asked
that the Issue of warrants be made by the
Court, to the end that the offenders might
be brought In ana their cases presented to
the Grand Jury. Warrants were issued.
and the defendants are now under bail to
answer to the offence which these affi-
davits set forth.
AN UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE.
SIT is an unusual proceeding for the
Court to pursue, one that is seldom neces-
sary, aud only in a casesot necessity viii
the court step aside from the ordinary
duties that devolve upon it and pursu g
the Office of the magistrate. In this cas- e
"
all know, this violation of law has for d
number of years continued in this county,
and il has not met at the hands of the
Grand Jury such investigation and pre-
sentiment as it undoubtedly deserves. For
some undefinable reason there is carried
on in this county this plain, open VIOLA
tion of law NOBODY disputes that it is
so, nobody denies it, yet the Grand Jury,
whose duty it is TO present all violations
of public law, either do not investigate it.,
or on investigation do not present
81 think all communities have found by
experience that one OF the worst evils
that can gain prevalence is that OF gamb-
ling. Communities that stand in the van
of civilization have, by their enactments.
practically SO decided In our State it
would be impossible for the Legislature
to legalizs that sort OF offence, for we
have a constitutional provision which
prohibits il. In the State of New York
they have practically suppressed this
evil. Why? They found that the young
men of the community were being ruined
by il, they were tempted to gamble in a
small way, first with their own money,
then they would embezzle, then steal. un-
til finally they became robbers. Look at
the many defalcations that take place.
where hundreds of thousands Of dollars
are taken illegally, and you can almost
universally trace its origin to gambli ng.
SOURCES OF EVIL.
"You should indicL those who are TIA
source of this evil The affidavits are
specific and certain. The names of those e
who made them are within your reach"
After the charge was delivered the
Grand Jury retired to its room and the
Rev. John L. Scudder, the Rev. 1. W.
Hathaway, G. L. Thomas, Arthur 5.
Prentice and Herbert o. Prentice in
formed the body what they knew of the
alleged violation of the law. Beside these
men there were observed at the Court
House the Rev DR.. Mitchell, the Rev.
Mr.. EakiD, the Rev. Mr.. Crasto, the Rev.
Mr.. Fletcher, the Rev. 2. T. Barnes, the
Rev. !. w. Gowen. DR.. Chabert and Gar
ret ID. Van Reopen.