Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-05-29
GOVERNOR O'FERRALL AND THE
COUNTY.


A committee of the Board of Trade
of Washington called on Gov. O'Ferrall
Yesterday afternoon at the Executive
Mansion in Richmond. TIE committee
submitted o Communication from a
committee appointed by the board of
trade some time ago to address pro-
test to the Governor on gambling and
other crimes in Alexandria county, and
to ask his cooperation in the suppress
sion of them. The communication was
an abstract of the proceedings of the
mass meeting heretofore published.
Governor O'Ferrall, in the early part
of the conference, called attention to
the statement of a newspaper in Wash.
ington that he had been denounced at
the meeting of the board of trade, at
which the original resolutions were
passed.
This was denied by all the members
of the committee. They wished it un-
derstood that their visit was to be con-
sidered in no sense oflicious. but they
were simply DESTROYS of formulating
some plan whereby they might coop
crate with the executive in taking de-
termined steps TO bring to an end the
unlawful practices which have been
carried on for so long in the county.
The Governor expressed himself as sat-
isfied with the avowal. After pledging
his cooperation with the citizens of
Washington he proceeded to prove
from the laws of Virginia that he had
so far done all that'he could of his own
motion. He particularly explained the
passage of the Mushbacn law and how
it was signed, this fact having already
been explained to the public. Governor
O'Ferrall assured the committee thut
he would send the encouragement Of
the State, if need be, to prosecute any
violations of Virginia laws in Alexan-
dria county. He only asked the COM
mite to cooperate with him in secur-
ing the names of the offenders and of
credible witnesses.
In this connection he assured the
committee that he was prepared to
prosecuted any person making foreign
books at these tracks, for that was con-
trary to law, and he would also prose-
cute any other violations of the law at
the race tracks.
In their conference on the gambling
dens at Jackson City and Rosslyn,
Gov. O'Ferrall told the committee he
regretted their existence, which he had
known Of fully when he was member
in Congress. He said these places had
given him more concern and annoy
ance during his administration than
any other thing. He was also satisfied
that there had been laxity in the
enforcement of the law in Alexandria
county, but he had been powerless, be-
cause no complaints or charges of an
authoritative character had been
brought to him.
1t was said after the conference that
the committee and the governor had
agreed upon plan of procedure. As
to this no information of authority was
obtainable, but it leaked out somehow.
Gov. O'Ferrall, it is reported, has
had his agents at Jackson City, Ross
Ign and other places along the river to
secure evidence to send to the grand
jury. 1t was stated at the conference
by the governor that the outlaws at
jackson City and all along shore had
agreed upon a Sunday password, and
that since the meeting of the board of
trade it was impossible for any one, ex-
cept one known to the keepers of the
dens, to obtain entrance on Sunday.
This fact had embarrassed his detec-
tives. 1t was, however. not an impos-
sible task, and he would succeed
in getting concrete facts to send to the
grand jury. Cooperation in this is ex-
pected from the Washington side.
1t was understood that the first case
should not be made against the foreign
bookmakers, but of the Sunday gam
bling and violations of the liquor law.
Gov. O'Ferrall said that the fact that
officers, whose duty it was to prosecute,
did not act would not embarrass him.
He agreed to appoint special counsel
to conduct the cases, which are now in
hand, and in order not to take chances
on any "fxed" panel, he will summon
3 special grand jury to consider the
This is the substance
Of the plan agreed upon by the commit
lee and the governor.
The committee returnedito Washing
ION last night.
THE OHIO REPUBLIcANs.-At Zanes-
Vile last night the republicans of Ohio,
On the sixth ballot, nominated General