The evening times., 1895-11-08
HEATH CHANGES HEART
Across-the-River Gambler Re-
solves to Live Straight.
HE WILL GIVE HIMSELF UP
Promises TO Go 10 Alexandria With
out IL Warrant, to Stand Trial and
Take His Punishment Like "A Little
Mana fterward He VIII Quit
Sports for the BaIa nee of His Life.

II am out of the sporting line for good.
No more gambling houses or fighting clubs
for me-
This was the remark of Eddie Heath, the
wellknown gambler and sll-round sport,
to Times man to-day. 1t is doubtless
a determination brought about by the raid
made by Detective Baldwin on the famous
resort up the river few nights ago.
The announcement will no Goubt be
surprise to sports generally. For years
Heath has been one of the leading spirits
among the fast contingent. He has con
Quoted numerous gambling concerns. and
been mixed up in about all Of the boxing
and other events Of the kind that have
transpired here.
Besides being the head of the upthe-
river resort, Heath was until recently one
of the bright lights OF the Eureka Club.
He was looked upon as the moneyed man of
the concern. No steps were ever taken by
the club until his sanction had been given.
A MINT TO HEATH.
The house up the river that got Heath
| into trouble has been looked upon as one
OF the greatest evils in this community and
TO all of that part of Virginia around 1t. 1t
has been said that the place was n mint to
hedtU anu MS plTtfHTS, ifilt III tHHeS Tue
game was "A large one, and that ii yielded
big profits. Stories of many hundreds of
dollars changing hands in a night have fire.
quently been told. IL is givel oct that on the
night OF the raid several scores OF men We're
in the house and that great sums of money
were being shifted around.
Heath appears 10 take IL philusophically.
| In fact, he seems 10 be enjoying relief from
burden. He says there was little money
in the place and lie quits a poor man.
when the time ,omes,' he added, II
will go to court without being escorted
there. ! will accept pleasantly whatever
fine or other punishment is put upon me.
will stand IL like little man, and when 1
am through intend 10 settle down TO 4
law abiding, respectable life.
Il will draw the line sharply against
every Kind OF game of cha nee, and will go
into legitimate business. Just what will
engage in l have not Yet determined. l
have not had time To look around. But
whatever l chonse will be of kind about
which there will be no question as To hon
esty.
CHARACTER OF HIS CLIENTS.
There is one thing would like to have
said. 1t has often been charged that the
game in our place was crooked. That
charge is not true. 1t has also been said
that those who frequentcd the house were
I
guards. The men who patroniZed us were
the class of men that frequent such houses
everywhere. They were no better, NO
worse The most of them behaved them
selves like gentlemen and we treated them
as such"
Ed. Heath is n man about forty-seven
! years old. He is. among his companions. a
genial intelligent fellow, who has lived
! in Washington all of his life, knows nearly
everybody. and everybody knows him. He
| is a very game man. and a funny story OF
/ his coolness when Baldwin and his men
! tumbled in on him is told by one of the men
! who was in the place at the time.
LAS for myself said he. II thought the
| intruders were a lot of robbers. and that
their presence meant "a hold-up. TWO of
them approached Hcath-one on either side
and pointed a gun at him. Ed. looked up
calmly. and with a wave of his hand, quietly
renla rked to the detectives:
Put up your guns. There's nobody here
| who will hurt you"