Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-06-07
HIRE WE HAVE
AN INNOVATION.
His Honor the Mayor Holds Special
Session of Police Court
AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING,
To Try Gamblers Arrested During
the Night.
CONSULTS THE SOLICITOR AT4A. N.
And Offers Chief McNichOl His Per-
SOnal Surety for the Offenders.
Joseph Webb B 4. Mallory and Joseph Curly Kept
in the Lookup All Night-Ihs Mayor Thinks
That Wasn't Fair, Because Other Gamblers
Were Relsassd-This Was Done in
Defiance Of Chief Nc
Nichols Orders
To Try Gamblers Arrested During
the Night.
CONSULTS THE SOLICITORAT4A.M.
And Offers Chief McNichOl His Per-
sonal Surety for the Offenders.

There were nnmOer OF very uhusuoi
incidents at the City Hall, between the
hours Of two and six o'clock yesterday
morning.
They arose out OF the raids on two
gambling houses, the night before,
which raids were made by order Of Chief
of Police McNicol. because certain gam
blers persisted in running poker rooms
in defiance Of the Chiefs orders to close
up and remain closed.
Before the arrests were made, CHIEF
NcNichol issued peremptory orders 10
lock up all gamblers arrested and keep
them Ia cells until Court met, at nine
o'clock. In defiance Of these orders, the
first parties were released from their
cells. in the absence Of the Chief, at the
solicitation Of officer Watson, money be-
ing deposited to cover their lines.
When the Chief heard Of this, be was
naturally wrathy, aud while he was
discussing the matter the second batch
ofgamblers were brought In. The Chief
ordered that they should be locked up
and kept until Court met, and out OF
this order the ensuing complications re-
suited.
The first arrests were those OF Henry
McNamara, George Muldoon and a. j.
Dundon, who were playing cards for
money on Water street The second
party consisted OF Joseph Webb, b. ID.
Mallory and Joseph Curly, who were
gambling at Webb's place, on Market
street. The first party were released
in the manner above set forth, accord
ing 10 Chief McNichols statements,
made Yesterday, and the Chief was dis
eussipQ the matter with the officers on
duty when Webb and his party were
brought IN. They wanted TO put up
money for their appearance, but the
Chief said his orders had TO be carried
out, because fair warning TO stop
gambling had been given and he
had been defed, and the men were &C
cordingly locked up, after a good deal
of discussion. Later Thomas Duff and
other friends of Webb appeared at the
City Hall, and renewed the effort TO
have Webb released, but the at
tempts were unavaillng, and about
three o'clock Duff and DR.. L.
o. Edwards jumped into hack and
went TO Mayor CaldwelPs residence
Chief McNichol having gone home
In the meantime. The matter was
laid before the Mayor, and all three
gentlemen went to City Solicitor
Whites residence and got that
gentleman out Of bed. The Solicitor
listened TO the statements, and then
gave IL as his opinion that the matter
rested entirely with the Chief, who
could not De compelled TO accept bail ii
he didn't want TO. Then the party
went back to the City Hall, and the
Chief was called up by telephone. The
Mayor requested and demanded that the
partIes should be released, and even OF.
iered. according to Chief McNlchol, to
90 their bail himself, but the Chief
was firm, and said the prisoners should
ramain 10 the cells until Court
met. There was a good deal OF CONVEX
sation over the wire between the Mayor
and the Chief but II resulted In no
change in the circumstances, and final
lv. at the suggestion Of Lieutenant
Gaus, the Chief came over TO the city.
On his arrival at the City Hall the whole
matter was gone over again, but the
Chief still refused 70 release the men.
while the Mayor insisted that they
shouId be released, aud said he would
find the authority 10 accomplish that
result. The Chief told him to 90 ahead
and II be found the necessary authority,
IL would be all right, bat that in the
- a n vi ar
they were.
After a good deal Of talk, much Of it
of a somewhat excited nature, the
Mayor decided that he would hold an
immediate aud extraordinary session Of
the Police Court, and ordered Lieut.
Gaus TO make out the processes.
The Lieutenant had no authority
10 do so, and Clerk Fee was
sent for. That gentleman was aroused
from a sweet sleep, at hali-past four
o'clock, by an officer, and ABOUT five
o'clock he appeared at the City Hall.
Meanwhile the Mayor had written out
and handed to the Chief call for the
session OF Court, of which the following
is q true copy
ar. T. lIcNichOl, Chief Of Police
"DEAR SIR:-Deeming it necessary
that there should be a session OF the PO-
lice Court OF the city Of Wheeling held
at the usual place on Wednesday, the
9Th, this a. m, at six o'clock, hereby
notify you that such a session OF our
Court will be held at that hour, and
that you there and then bring and pro-
duce before me such persons as are now
in your custody chan ged with otenses
against the city of Wheeling, under any
ordinance thereof.
"witnsss my hand, this 9th Of June,
1892.
''B. +. CALDWELL,
mayor and Judge Of Police Court"
Clerk Fee at once began TO make out
the processes for Messrs. Webb, Nal
Tory and Curly, and this work being I'm
ished Court was formally convened just
as the clock was striking six.
The first stroke OF six on the City
Hall clock bell had hardly died away
when the procession from the Chiefs
private Office was formed, and headed
By Clerk Fee whose eyes still looked
little heavy through his double thick
glasses marched TO the Police Court
room 10 the basement. Clerk Fee was
followed by ten or dozen policemen,
some OF whom had dropped IN at the
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