Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-04-02
GOV. O'FERRALL TALKS.
How the Winter Races Gained n
EoothOld In virginia.

\ Richmond letter In the NdshiHs'oH
Star says:
Governor Charles T. O'Ferrall was
called upon by the star correspondent
and asked as to his authority over AMI
responsibility for the gambling dens on
the virginia shore of the Potomac in
fine Immediate vicinity OF Washington
city.
The Governor very readily consented TO
talk on this subject and gave the stars
reporter fun interview.
In reply to questions he said:
For wears jackson City has been pro-
perly STYLED "a curse spot Icing located
lust opposite Washington. at the end OF
the Long bridge. and easy of access, il
has been the resort OF the most vicious
classes Of the city, and. being only
small village with no police regulations,
if has been a matter of impossibilily TO
preserve order and suppress crime. The
most STRINGENT measures have been passed
bv the LEGISLATURE Of Virginia. ana the
most drastic laws enacted in reference
10 gambling. but. while the statutes were
strong enough. the arm Of the law seemed
10 he too weak to enforce them at this
place. on account of the desperate char
acter Of its habitucs, the easy means
Of escape across the Potomac into the Dis
trfti. ana OlUtI i'i~bii7s N'i--' INNS va
horse-racing all over the country had
become the faVorite mode of gambling
there. 50 last winter the legislature
uassed an act just in its closing hours pro-
hibiting in the broadcast terms the making
writing, or selling of books or pools or
mutuals on the results OF any trials or
epeed or power of endurance Of animals
or beasts. except upon the grounds owned
or controlled by any agricultural dsso-
citation or county or city fair. or any
drivlng-club or drivng-par already char
tered and fixing the punishment for any
violation at a fine Of not less than *20
nor more than 500 Zone fourth to in
former. and imprisonment not less than
thirty nor more than ninety days.
WHY HE SIGNED 1T
when the bill was laid before me I
did not like If. ] could see that il allowed
much latitude on agricultural grounds
ana driving parks. but believed 1t would
break up poOl-sellng at Jackson city
and relieve that community by removing
the attraction which supported its dens
Of vice. and | felt sure that the privilege
would not be abused nor carried
10 any great extent by the agrcul-
tural societies and driving associations
then chartered. rs they were managed.
as believed. by gentlemen who would
not tolerate horse-racing for the sake OF
gambling | was satisfied there would
only be agricultural fairs. as usual in the
fall. and, | believed meetings on the
driving parks for a few days only, spring
and fall Feeling the necessity OF break
iws up Jackson city. ana there being no
time for an amendment 10 the bill, l APP
proved il.
soon. much to my surprise, / learned
that an old charter. granted some years
since to the Grange Association of Nir-
gi1ia FOR the promotion Of agriculture,
etc. and whose grounds We're some miles
up in Fairfax county. had been pur-
chased by certain persons in Washing
ton city. and that they intended to es-
tabish a driving park at Jackson city
and run it under this old charter and