Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-04
KNIGHTS OF JERUSALEM
The Police Got In, Even Without the Pass
Word
Another Little Quiet Game Also Raid
ed-POker Played for Buckets
of Beer.

Colored poker players and crap-shooters
turned out in full force this morning and
took possession of Judge Millers court.
Some of them were hard working men,
while others were nothing but professional
crap-shooterS and followers of the races
The latter, being deprived of their oppor-
tunitieS on the race track, were trying to
earn money enough to support them during
the month while the race track is idle
These men and boys were engaged in a
game in Rechabite Hall about l o'clock
yesterday morning when the game was
raided by the police.
Not until yesterday morning did the po-
lice suspect that this hall was being used
for any such purpose. Then there was a
noise in the hall which was heard by Po-
liceman Hartigan. There was not ray OF
light to be seen from the street, but the
suspicious noises aroused the officers curl
osity and he proceeded up the dark stair
way to investigate.
who's there?" asked a colored man in
the hail. when the officer raped on the
door,
"A police officer" the officer responded.
''You can't come in here" the man in the
hall said.
'.Why?'
1.-The knights of Jerusalem are holding a
secret session and you can't come in
The Officer did not feel entirely satisfied
about the man, and he went off and saw
Sergt. Lombardy before taking action. To-
gether they went to the hall, after tele-
phoning for assistance, and again the in
side sentry and the police officer conversed
through the hole in the door.
The former insisted that no one other
than members of the Knights of Jerusalem
would be admitted, but, seeing the officers
were in earnest, the sentry opened the
door and the officers entered.
The knights Arrested.
Then there was not rattle of the
bones" - be heard. but the eighteen
young colored men were seated about the
hall. Some of them pretended they We're
asleep, and there was scarcely a sound to
be heard.
One man in the party who pretended he
was the holder of the highest office in the
lodge volunteered to do the talking, but
he was unable to explain away the pres
ence of gambling paraphernalia in the hail.
Cards and dice were found by the police.
and the entire crowd was marched to the
police station, where the men admitted
that they belonged to no organization
John Burke. the janitor. it was stated,
was supposed to be on the outside to watch
for the police, but he was not there when
the officers first visited the place.
A colored man named Charles Woods
''cut" the game, and in this. 1t Is alleged.
he was ably assisted by Charles Harris.
These two men and the janitor were
charged with having violated the law, and
when Judge Miller heard the case this
morning he held them for the grand jury.
a Quiet Game.
Saturday afternoon, about o'clock, John
Williams. a colored cook, who lives at No.
423 Washington street. had several friends
at his house, and they were playing quiet
game of poker when Sergeant Lombardy
and officers Payne and Brennan surprised
them. These men who indulge In the little
game have not banded themselves together
as a regularly Incorporated club, but they
have been meeting about once week and
enjoying game. They use chips and cards
such as are used in first-class gambling
places, but the amount OF cash capital IN
the crowd was not enough TO Duy many
packs Of cards.
When the raid was made the men made
no effort to escape. They were not VIC
lating the law. so they thought. and for
ing out the back window and probably in
Turing themselves.
At the police station the man who occu-
pies the house was charged with having
violated the law, while his guests were
summoned to appear as witnesses.
In court they explained how they had
met and played poker and five up.
mo money passed" said one OF the play
:.Then it was a game of honor?" queried
the court.
Yes, sir"
I'VE only played for buckets Of beer"
said another land one Of the men in the
place there was known as the beer rum
ner.'"
Ibid you ever win anything?' the court
asked.
Nothing but beer"
1T was a game of freeze-out." remarked
counsel, land when q man 'frizZed OUT as
they call it, he had to pay for the beer"
The defendant, in bis own behalf, said
that he was cook, as were the other men
in the party, and they had been in the
habit of meeting and playing for beer.
I'VE have a tin bucket that We send over
to Browns to get the beer in"
Mr.. Mullowney admitted that this was
not serious violation of law. and sug
gested that the imposition Of a small fine
would correct the evil
MIR. Darlington thought the law had not
been violated, but Judge Miller said he
thought 1t was just such games as this that
the law contemplated.
This game" the judge said, will have
to be stopped. These men can lose more
in one hour in game of poker than they
can earn in three weeks.
In conclusion, the judge said he would
suspend sentence in the case. The gam
bling paraphernalia was confiScated.
Transfers of Real Estate.