Evening star., 1895-01-21
HAS SOME AFFlDAVITS
Judge Norton, However, May Be Unable to
Use Them.
They Are in Connection With the
Virginia Race Tracks and Cover
the Entire Field.

few days, when the state hopes to make
a showing which will convince the court
that winter racing Is a nuisance. This
fight is directed solely against the race
track and not against the low gambling
dens only a few hundred feet from the
race track fence. This information was
given Saturday. when Judge Norton of the
Alexandra corporation court came here to
get a number of affidavits to use in his
case against the race track.
He procured number Of af1ldavits. prin-
cipally from members of the detective
corps and newspaper reporters, but some
of the affdavits did not suit the judge, for
the reason that they covered the entire
stamping ground of alleged CROOKS" IN
cluding the notorious Jackson City, where
gambling dens are conducted openly and
without the slightest attempt at conceal
ment- When a request for the afidavits
vas received by the police it was at first
would attempt to remove all the places Of
attraction for the gamblers and others
who were not desired.
Some Of the officers. however, had an
idea that 1t was nothing more nor less
than fight between the st. Asaphs and
Alexander Island race tracks. and for this
reason they were careful to see that their
afhdavits covered the entire territory
where the racing and gambling is permit
ted.
Inspector H01linberger's Amdavft.
The affidavit of Inspector Hollinberger
reads: THAT he is the inspector Of detec-
tives Of the metropolitan police force of
the District of Columbia, that he Is ac-
quainted with the places in Virginia at the
south end OF the Long bridge, known as
Jackson City, Alexander Island and st.
Asaph's, where races are conducted; that
largely composed of thieves, confidence
men, bunco-SteererS and people OF that
class, and that by reason Of the existence
of said places large crowd Of such per-
sons is drawn to the city Of Washington
for the purpose of attending said races:
that when looking for pickpockets and
thieves the officers under his control are
generally sent first to the said race tracks
in order to locate them, with the intention
of arresting them when they return to the
city of Washington; that the crowd fire.
quenting said race course Is composed or
very rough element from all over the
country; that he considers the conducting
of races at the said places nuisance and
menace to law and good order to the whole
surrounding country; that since races nave
been broken up at the northern race tracks
the rough element seems to have centered
at the said race courses, and that, owing
to the character of the crowds frequenting
said places, the surroundings within mile
of said courses have become den of in
fauity; that the general idea seems to pre-
vail amongst the said crowds attending
the said race courses that there is no law
that the same will not be enforced"
Not Satisfactory.
The affldayits Of several Of the detectives
covered virtually the same ground. and
some of them recited the fact that rob-
berries had been committed in the vicinity
Of some of these places.
Judge Norton called for the afIidavfts
late Saturday afternoon. and when he read
the contents of Inspector HoihnDergers
affidavit printed above he frankly admitted
that he thought he could not use 1t In the
present case. .
"We are making this fight" he said.
against a particular race track. We think
winter racing is nuisance and ought 10
be stopped"
authorities here had stated the case ex-
actly as it affects this city. If the fight Is
factional one Of one race track against
the other, the inspector told him. the ofii-
GERS here would nave nothing to do with 1t.
Judge Norton denied that such was the
case.
He said that If these things were going
on within one mile of the city Of Alex
but the county authorities are powerless.
His attention was called TO the duings at
Jackson City, and that, he said. comes
under the sheriff of the county.
"But even in this he said, "the sheriff
is not particularly Interested. He is paid
only so cents for the service of a paper or
an arrest, and certainly he is not going to
risk being assaulted for that small amount
of money"
He said that the county authorities are
unable to cope with the matter. and, in
fact the sheriff has very little jurisdiction,
anyway.
Inspector Hollinberger told the judge that
his men would not be party to the fight
between the race tracks, and he positively
would not change his affidavit to fit the
one track and wink at the other violations
of law.
I'VE are against the whole evil" said the
Inspector. Summer racing attracts just
as bad crowd as winter racing, and if
Virginia can stand it the people here WILL
of course, have to stand it as best they
can"
The judge took the afidavits with him,
but said he feared they would be of no use
to him.