The evening times., 1895-11-27
GRAND SWEET SOM"
Gamblers Happy Days in the
County Jail at Alexandria.
FOSTER GIVES HIMSELF UP
Thugs in Confinement Indulge In
Drinks, Cards and Other Sport.
PrOfane Jailer Hays-Cftizens Sup
port The Times s'AssertiOns--Wh hat
the State Has Lost by Compromise.

George Foster, the partner OF Nelson,
who was convicted of gambling in Alexan-
dria County and sentenced to pay a fine OF
$50 and serve ten days in jail by Judge
Chichester yesterday, came into the county
courtroom In Alexandria and gave himself
up. He was given the same alleged pun
ishnent inflicted upon Nelson.
The fact that he came IN and gave HIM
self up shows exactly how the gamblers of
the county feel about the punishment in
slore for them. They can well afford to pay
tine paltry fines given them and serve the
short sentences imposed.
Life In the Alexandria Jail to people
with money is lone grand sweet song"
Yesterday afternoon Times reporter vis-
tied the Jail in which the Heath crowd is
confined, and from the general appearance
OF all of them they were evidently having
very nice time.
New blankets had been put on the beds
cigars were In abundance, and setting over
in one corner of the cell was a bucket full
OF bottled beer. Upon being asked how
they liked their quarters Jim La EoDtaine
replied thai he had seen worse.
The gamblers are allowed everything
they wish for. Their meals are prepared
III neigiiboring restaurant and sent in.
The only punishment inflicted upon them is
that they are not all'wed TO go where they
please. The whole party were put in one
of the big risonis on the second floor of the
Jail, AID I'm the ROM are benches, tables
aud citaiF-in fact, they have every con-
venienfe 3hey can wish for.
KEEPER HAYS PROFANE.
when a Times reporter visited the jail
and asked Keeper Hays to aIluw him to
go upIanc See the men the following col
loquy t'Os place:
Il d4nt know whether l viii let you in,"
said the jailer.
eH- etter say yes OF nv.
Il wont let you inside the Jail unless
you haze a permit frain Capt. Smith. If be
gives youane then will let you in;. other
wise you viii have to stay out. You people
have becn raising IL up in Washington
In the papers. and we don't want any inter-
ference 3niour affairs. 1 don't ike such
- talk was in 1ae Times this
After c,osirg his nuw OF cEclce pro-
family Mr.. HAYS exhibited 10 Tie reporter
copy nf This Mornings TIMES, in which
it was stated that tie prisoners were al
lowed drinks in the sail. Capt. Smith
IL should lie stated could not he found.
Mr. Hays is d i4picai 1aiier. He is about
six i.ct gb has a GaTE, brown mustache,
and wears corduroy trousers. Mr. Hays
is evidently very much in love with his
mustache, rs during the conversation he
kept strokinG and brushing ii. He even
brushed and caressed the hair on his upper
lip while he WIS trying TO pick out the
article which he thought reflected upon
linn and his management of the tail.
To the most casual observer 1t was plain
ly evident that Mr. Hays wou dlhaye been
very glad to have smashed the reporter
L.,
was handling when not stroking his mus
tache.
1t is said that Judge Chichester and Spe-
cial Prosecuting Attorney Marbury are
quite indignant that The Times should crit
icise thefr action in the gambling cases.
They seem to be of the opinion that they
are above reproac ch in the matter, and either
cannot see where convictions could have
been made. or they were afraid to enforce
the law, according to the wishes of Gov.
O'Fcrrall. 1t is extremely hard to tell
which.
Detective Baldwin says he had evidence
against the men TO convict them on at least
thisiy-five cases If the prosecuting attor-
ney had called for it. The gamblers before
tie trial each offered to pay 81 900 II not
prosecuted. Why this evidence was not
called for is a mystery, and will probably
remain so until the special appointee of the
governor, Mr.. Marbury, makes a statement.
That the gamblers were elated over the
light fines and sentences was clearly Illus
trated in this instance. When Mr.. Aent, the
attorney orthe Heaths went TO ack Heath,
sr., to get the money to settle the cases he
told him how much it was, and the old man
exclaimed:
"Whati Is that ALL Why I thought It
would be ten times that much.''
WILLING TO PAY $4,000.
The Heaths were willing, and even
anxious, to compromise the cases by the
Of $4,000, if there was not q
Jail sentence attached to it, yet when the
cases came up before Judge Chichester a
compr Omise was effected whereby the
largest fine to be paid was S10O.
Mr.. Brent, the counsel for the gamblers,
openly said Oh the street of Alexandria yes
terday that If he had taken the case to
trial before a jury he would very likely have
gotten each OF them fined 81 900 and twelve
months In jail.
The position taken by The Times has the
support OF every good citizen of Alexandria
County. When several of the citizens of
the county were approached this morning
at the county courthouse, they all expressed
as highly delighted a the stand
taken by The Times, and said also that the |
whole affair was one of the most disgrace
full that haserfr taken place in the county.
Detective baldwin is receiving warm |
praise from every law-abidiug citizen of |
thecounty. and they say that it was through |
no fault of his that there was such a dis |
gustiug miscarriage of justice.
GOV. O'Eerraal has not as yet been heard |
from as 70 what he thinks OF the affair. |
1t is expected that he viii make a state
meut Of some sprt tonight.