Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-22
ST THE PLAYERS
Policy Writers Anxious to Make Deal
With Justice.
Course of the Efforts to Break Up the
Business-Further Talk of
City Firm.

There is panic in the camp OF the pol
ICY men, because Of the activity of tho
police and prosecuting attorney, but the
hackers of the games across The river are
making hay while the sun shines. With q
possibility Of Il heavy fine and a years i'm
prisonment, some of the alleged hackers
are becoming frightened. and although they
confidently expect to get arrested their
shops are running in full blast, and they
are using every endeavor to get a stake
before the crash comes Then If a jail SEN
tence follows they will be able TO provide
for their families, and perhaps the money
so received may go to the payment of the
fine.
Some OF the policy men are hurrying in
TO square themselves with the courts, but
thelr counsel is doing their business here,
SO lar as the legal part of it Is concerned.
The firm of Messrs. Gardner & Beveridge
seems to be the sole object of the attack
Just now, although it is said that the other
lrlns VIII have 20 take their doses later.
me evidence or more than dozen wit
nesseS mas been procured against this firm,
ana additional witnesses are being brought
forward every day.
In connection with the prosecution Of this
hrm an interesting feature is 20 be the
prosecution of Gacdler's wife and daugh-
ter The latter is the wife of John Travis,
who is now under $1,000 for his appear
game in this city
So far as the female members of the fam
lily are concerned it is said that the evidence
against them Will create surprise, mas
much as their books were not sent to be
played on the Gardner a Beveridge firm
but were sent to the Donnelly irm in Alex
andra.
Following the issuance of the warrants for
the arrest of Mrs. Gardner and Mrs. Travis
these individuals left the city and went
across the river temporarily, but it is said
that they have now left Jackson City and
are probably at some pleasant country or
| seaside resort
Want to Deal.
Gardner & Beveridge are now willing to
come in and square themselves If they can
| enter into a bargain for a short jail SEN
| tence and q fine of not more than $500 as
| to each of them. But unless such an agree
| ment can be entered into they are not so
| willing to surrender to the officers of the
| District and take the chances of a years
| Imprisonment AS heretofore stated, there
| is an indictment pending against these men
| in the Criminal Court and they are under
| bond in the sum of $1,000 for their appear
| ance. Should the prosecuting officer con-
| clude not to accept the offer of the men to
| come in and submit to the penalty men ton
/ ed $500 and sixty days Imprisonment, the
| old case may be put on the assignment in
order to bring them here and they may then
| be arrested on the new charge.
| Lawyer Siliers, counsel for the policy
| firm. made an offer to produce the men and
submit to the penalty Indicated but the
prosecuting officer was undecided about
| the matter He thought the hackers were
responsible for getting so many writers in
! Jail, and now. he told counsel. he thought
it about time for some Of the hackers 10
! go there.
! He has not yet decided what course he
will pursue in the case and 1t is possible
| that the offer will be accepted.
| Different Case.
| In the case of Travis the facts are some
| what different He was in court some
months ago and his piteous appeal for
mercy because of sickness in his family
| kept him out Of Jail. At that time he
II ade a promise to quit the business.
Now his counsel wants to pay fine Of
$500 and is willing that he should go down
| for sixty days.
| 1t is a notorious fact that most of the
persons now engaged as hackers of the
| game have figured in court and most OF
them have made promises TO quit the bust
ness.
In making the offer to pay the fines and
take the short term of Imprisonment the
| lawyer said he would guarantee that the
| defendants would quit the business for
| good, leave this jurisdiction and destroy
| their policy shops if n ecessary.
Policy writers anxious to give inform tor
are numerous, and the large number of
| them gives the police idea of the extent
| to which the business has been carried on.
That there Is money in the business is not
! denied, but IL is said by some OF the policy
| men that their profits have been greatly re-
| duced during recent years. because of The
| large amount of brides they have been pay
! ing at their shops in Virginia.
! Some interesting developments are prom
| ised in regard to a local policy shop men,
| toned in yesterdays Star. This place is tC
be broken UP if possible and the names OF
| some of the persons connected in SOME way
| with the business will create a surprise.