Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-06-22

ia, as second-class matter.
CAPTAIN MUSHBACH ON THE
MUSHBACH LAW.
Captain c. A. Mushbach, of this city,
has sent the following letter to the Ma
nassas Journal in answer to an editorial
that appeared in the last issue OF that
paper:
ALEXANDRIA, Va, June 10.
Editor Manassas Journal:
Inever object to criticism of my pub
lie acts or of my legislative conduct,
provided such criticism is fair, and is
not based upon misrepresentation or a
lamentable ignorance on the part of my
critic of what he is talking about
Every man in this senatorial district,
editors included, has the privilege OF
supporting or opposing any candidate
he chooses to fix upon, but l insist that
newpaper writers, posing as public ed
ucators, shall follow the Davy Crockett
idea, and be sure they are right before
going ahead. The editorial in your last
issue demonstrates three things-the
first being that the writer never un
derstandingly or possibly otherwise,
read the Mushbach law, nor is he fa-
miliar with what has been going on in
Alexandria county for more than ten
years, nor is he acquainted with the
criminal laws of Virginia. Had he
been correctly informed as to these
matters, he could not have been, /
would fain believe, induced to combine
in one article so many misleading state
ments, extraordinary errors and stupid
ly incorrect conclusions. Prominent
among them is one which states that
under the fostering care of this social
ed Mushbach law the games of crap,
roulette, bookmaking and sWeat have
grown green and glorious as tropical
exotic, sc. How did the absolutely
unimpeachable fact escape the atten-
tion of the editor, that for many years
before the Mushbach law was passed,
and long before Alexandria county race
tracks were organized, contemplated
or dreamed of, every form of gambling
above mentioned, with faro, policy,
lottery, keno, thimble-rigging added,
were conducted in that county to a
greater degree and in a more vicious
way, than since the law was enacted !?
Is he really unaware of the fact that
from the Chain bridge to and including
Jackson City, there were long prior to
that law, three times as many estab-
lishments of that character in actual
operation as there are now? If such be
the case how is it that an act not then in
being is to be written up as the cause or
source of condition which antedated
it's birth by ten years, and which condl-
ton is at present much improved?
Alexandria county is in that unfor-
tunate situation as respects the stopping
over into it of the vicious element OF
humanity, in which all rural commune
ties adjacent to large cities find them
selves. when such element is driven
from those cities by large and well
organized police force. But the county
could easily protect itself if the officers
charged with the execution of the laws
of the State would do their duty, or
could procure evidence upon which to do
it; in which connection it is worth
while to remark that Alexandria coun-
ty is now and for many years has been
provided with full complement of Off
GERS whose province it is to enforce the
laws, including judges, magistrates,
constables, commonwealth attorneys,
sheriffs, and divers and sundry grand
and petit juries.
The statutes found in the code (begin-
ming at sec. 3S15 and running through
to sec. 3S2S) would, if pursued, be found
to be ample to prevent and punish faro
bank, keno, sweat, craps, policy, rou-
lette, lottery and Kindred games, and the
Musbach law is no obstacle in the way
of such prosecutions; nor does it foster,
encourage or permit such games. Most
of these statutes have been in force and
effect for nearly fifty years prior to my
arrival on earth, and are still in full
operation-only needing enforcement
by the persons selected and sworn so
to do.
1t now occurs to me that, at this point,
to put you, your readers and myself
Alright in this matter, it would be well
to quote the first section Of the Mush-
bach bill of March 8, 1894. The anxi-
GUS inquirer may find the entire bill on
DID. 646-64S of the acts of 1851. 1t Is
as follows:
"That it shall be unlawful for any person
or sersons, or association of persons, corpora
tion or corporations Except upon the grounds
owned or controlled by any agricultural asso-
ciation or county or city fair heretofore chart.
cred under chapter forty-seven of the code OF
Virginia, or by the General Assembly OF VII
ginia, and except, also, upon any ouuos
owned or controlled by any driving club or
driving park heretofore chartered under chap.
ter forty seven of the code OF Virginia or by
tho General Assembly of Virginia. to occupy
any room, shed, tenement or building, or any
part thereof. OF to occupy any place upon any
grounds, other than above spec,fied, with
books, apparatus or paraphernaila lot the pur-
pose of recording or registering bets or wagers,
or of selling or making books, pools or mu-
tuals upon the result of any trial of speed or
power of endurance of animals or beasts, or
being the owner or lessee or occupant of any
room, tent, tenement, she'd booth or building,
or part thereof, at any place other than above
specified, knowingly TO permit the same to be
used or occupied for any such purpose, or
therein to keep, exhibit or employ any de-
vice or apparatus for the purpose of recording
or registering such bets or wagers, or thu sell
ing or making Of such books, pools or mu-
tuals or to become the custodian or deposi.
tory for gain, hire or reward of any money,
property or thing of value bet or wagered,
or to be wagered or bet, contrary to the pro-
visions of this act, or to receive, register or
record, forward or purport or pretend to for
ward TO, or for any race course other than