Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-05
Causes That Led to State Interven-
ton in Alexandria County.
GOVERNOR O'FERRALL'S Wise COURSE
For Months He Has Been Prepar-
ing for the Present Crusade.
IT'S CONTINUAN CERTAIN

The well-directed raid made Saturday
night by Detective Baldwin and his assist
ants upon the notorious gambling den of
Jack Heath and his sons across the river
marked in an emphatic manner the graft
flying fact that the great commonwealth of
Virginia has determined to intervene in the
affairs of Alexandria county and rid that
section of the state of the demorailzing
resorts that have fourshed there without
hindrance for a number of years. The ap-
plaudable action of Gov. O'Ferrall in taking
such decided and determined step is a
direct recognition Of the argument per-
sistently advanced by The Evening Star
that the publication of Alexandria county
could never be accomplished so long as the
county authorities themselves were ex-
clusively depended upon for the purpose.
1t was shown in the columns of this pa
per time after time that open gambling
houses were conducted across the river
with the full knowledge Of the sheriff, the
county attorney and the other officials of
Alexandria county, who excused them
selves for permitting this impudent viola
ton of the statutes by shifting the re-
sporsibility from one to the other.
Raids That Were Ridiculous.
During Sheriff Veitch's malodorous ca
reer number Of farcical raids were made
by that official. proprietors of and players
in gambling places arrested. the parapher-
MALTA seized and great publicity given to
these alleged movements in the direction Of
reform. When the cases would be called.
as they sometimes were, there would be
no evidence Forthcoming, and meantime
the gamblers were working away, fleeing
the public with the same paraphernalia
that had been seized by the sheriff. The
county attorney. himself an owner Of race
horses and a frequenter of the race tracks,
in in
he would do If the cases were properly pre-
scented to him. and so the responsibility was
whipped around from pillar to post and the
gamblers paid tribute for the license they
thus enjoyed to pursue their nefarious
work.
The Effects Upon Washington.
The pollution that arose from this cess
pool of iniquity. situated right at the side
of the city of Washington. naturally affect
ed the community on this side of the river.
1t was a notorious fact that ninety-nine
out of every hundred of the players who
were attracted by the games in Alexandria
nty were residents of this city, and
were. for the most part. men with respon-
sibilitieS testing upon them, both OF do
nestle and a commercial nature. Young
men Occupying responsible positions went
swiftly to their ruin in the dens of Jack
son City and RoSSlyn and their vicinity.
Parents were robbed by youths who had
gotten under the influence of the gambling
rooms. Day after day and night after night
a stream of men and boys went across the
Aqueduct and Long bridges to give their
earrings to the scoundreis who spread
their nets in seeming safety for the human
Sudgeons on the other side.
The Course of The Evening Star.
The Evening Star, in it's determination to
bring the public both of Washington and
| of Virginia to a proper realization of the
col ditions existing cross the river, fire.
| quently described them just as they were,
without favor of fancy or romance In it's
! issue of Saturday. March 80, 1898. The Star
published one Of a series of such articles
devoting several columns to comprehen-
slve consideration of these facts. The ar
ticle began with this expressive sentence:
'LaWleSSneSS exists in Alexandria county,
Virgil ia, to such degree as to call from
county judge recently declaration from
| the bench that there was more defiance of
the Law , in Alexandria county than in any
area CT like dimensions in the state" Fur
| Their on it was pointed out that the vice
| that had been elected from the District of
Columbia had found place safe from IN
| reference on the Virginia shore and that
| the faro dealer, the pool seller, the policy
| shark. the thimble-rigger and all the brood
| OF blacklegs had gathered there under the
| protection, seemingly, Of the county Of
! ficers, and had formed colonies at every
pelnt easy of access from Washington,
| ready for business
| The Vice Described in Detail.
The article then proceeded to describe in
detail the conditions existing at Jackson
City. Rosslyn. Alexander Island, and thei,
vicinfties. and showed the appalling state Of
affairs with plain directness An interview
was published with Judge Chichester, the
| judge OF the county court in which he
spoke of his many attempts to remedy TIL:
| evil and his failure to secure the necessary
| assistance from the county authorities anG
| interview nIhliShnS vii
monwealth Attorney r. w. Johnson, who
| took refuge, for the time behind his well
worn declaration that he could not proceed
| against the offenders against the law unless
the evidence was brought to him in proper
way In the same issue of The Evening
Star an Interview was published with Gov
ernor o'Ferrali of Virginia; in which he re
piled to many inquiries of The Star cores
pendent at Richmond. 1t Is PARTICULAR!
timely to reproduce this interview now IL
| connection with the recent Intervention o
the state.
Gov. O'Ferrall's Strong Language.
For years Jackson City has been proper
ly styled a curse spot" said Governo
O'Ferrall Being located just opposit
Washington, at the end Of the Long bridge
and easy of access, 1t has been the resor
Of the most vicious classes Of the city, an
Icing only a small village, with no polio
regulations, 1t has been a matter of in,
crime The most stringent measures hav
been passed by the legislature of Virginia
and the most drastic laws enacted in refer
cree to gambling, but, while the statute
were strong enough. the arm Of the lav
seemed to be too weak to enforce them a
this place, on account of the desperate char
acter of it's habitues, the easy means of es
| cape across the Potomac into the District
and other reasons.
Pool selling on horse racing all over tn
country had become the favorite mode o
gambling there, so last winter the legis
lature passed an act just In It's closin
hours prohibiting in the broadcast terms tn
making. writing or selling of books o
pools or mutuals on the results OF an
trials of speed or power of endurance Q
animals or beasts, except upon the ground
owned or controlled by any agricultural as
ISOLATION or county or city fair or an
driving club or driving park already char
tered, and fixing the punishment for an
violation at a line not less than 500 no
more than $500 (one-fourtn to informer) an
Imprisonment not less than thirty nor NOR
than ninety days.
Why He Signed 1t.
when the bill was laid before me I di
not like it." continued the governor. g
could see that it allowed much latitude o
agricultural grounds and driving parks, bu