The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-26
RICHM0ND'S GAMBLERS.
TIMES REPRRsENTATIVEs AREi TO
90 BEFORE a GRAND JURY.
The Acting Commonwealth Attorney 4.
Actively Working on the Case, and the
Men of Cards Are TO BE Indicted.

| Among everybody except those citizens
/ known as sporting men The Times in
formation published in yesterdays and
/ Sundays papers about the gambling dens
OF Richmond has given very general salts
/ faction, and The Times has received most
! generous commentator from all useful
and law-abidlng citizens for the stand this
| paper has taken in reference to such
| pernicious places Of iniquity. AS a con-
sequence Of the articles, all Of the gam
bling places in Richmond have been
closed. and some Of the knights Of the
green cloth have already left the city.
Captain A. Il. Guigon, acting Common
wealth's Attorney. is actively engaged
preparing papers and other evidence for
the consideration OF the grand jury, and
on yesterday called at The Times Office
! and secured the names Of the city editor
and the two reporters who have been
engaged in the exposure. The three news
paper men win be summoned before the
grand jury. and their evidence with such
other facts as can be procured will be
heard and the gamblers indicted.
In this matter and discussion among
the officers Of the law and The Times
representatives. the phrase mot officially
notified" has often been used to the re-
pOrters the guardians OF the peace claim
ing that they did not know Officially
that gambling was being carried on In
Richmond. They claim that 10 know any
thing officially somebody has to come
before them and swear that the law has
been violated. and then, OF course, they
do their duty.
Such twaddle as this 10 all very well
a.. hut 10 oil
and nonsense compared with n common
sense view Of the case. Gambling dens
existed. The officers. from the highest 10
the lowest, knew those establishments TO
exist. The officers were aware that GER
tain men who made q practice Of louneing
about the corners Of Seventh and Broad
dld not earn a legitimate livelihood. They
knew that certain doors OF certain en-
frances were always partially open al
night with the exception OF Sundays, and
they knew that gambling took place with
I'm those entrances. Policemen knew all
Of these facts. from the chief 10 the
private. and they needed no official
notification to apprise the grand jury.
That they did not inform the grand
jury is another question.
II gambling is TO be broken up in
Richmond the only way that II can be
done is TO raid the places, and those raids
should be made by the police. Let few
negro dray drivers assemble over on
Byrd Island and play a game Of craps
or poker i'm the second story Of some
shanty and before midnight the police
reporter is on his way 10 the station
house TO get the names Of the offenders.
That same night the palatial gambling
dens carry on business. and the negro
born equal before the LAWS forced 10
exist I'm a cell.
The Times does not criticise the police
men. for there seemed 20 have been
some kind Of tacit understanding with
somebody else that gambling dens were
not 10 be disturbed. and the gamblers.
choosing the cards and roulette tables as
a means OF livelihood, also appeared 10
have a tacit understanding with some
body that they could carry on their "busi-
ness" Thus the dens were allowed 10
exist. and no man was fool enough 10 20
before a grand jury and state that he
had lost money at a roulette table or
faro bank. The man who usually bucks
the tiger" IS the individual that hopes
that on some night the goddess Fortune
Will smile uDon him. and with no gam
bling establishment Doe has a poor chance
Of getting back his salary. He will also
criminate himself and he would be the
greatest OF fools 20 do any such thing
Inc young man VINO puts MS cash on the
roulette numbers knows fun well that If
his employer knew that he gambled, he
would lose his position, and OF course he
never says anything about the matter.
Thus 70 is. The policemen pass by and
wink the other eye The players never
say a word about their losses. The high
officials claim that they have not been
Officially" notified. and the general pub
lie never heard of the facts until some
young man, esteemed by respectable peo-
pie and loved by his friends is discovered
TO be short I'm his accounts and has gone
West 10 begin his life anew