The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-07
SIRENS AND SPORTS A SNAP.
SCORES or FAT FINES sCOOPED IN
BN = SOLICITOR.

Tie Explains TO the Police Commis-
siOners That the Cases Were Not
brought Into Ills Court by the De-
tectiVes for Consideratfon-He
Denies That the fines Imposed ON
Fallen Women Yielded Him N
Fortune.
Atlanta. Ca, Feb. Elm the trial OF the
detectives to-day. Chairman English OF
the police board called upon all who knew
anything against the honesty OF any mem-
ber OF the police department to come for
ward and tell what they knew. The board.
he declared, wants TO go to bed rock in its
investigation. During a recess. Chair
man English said that he would persons
ally protect by bond or otherwise any per-
son who might be deferred from giving
testimony from consideration OF personal
safety.
G. w. Hall. proprietor of the old Ma
tional Hotel saloon in the time Of Its most
disreputable career. was kept on the stand
for a good while to-day. He repeated in
substance what he formerly stated. with
reference to Detective Looney afrordinE
him protection from police raids In his
blind tiger and other unlawful business.
A new witness. named Tom Grant. from
Charleston, told about being caught in a
poker game at the kimball house In 1882.
lie and the others put up $500 and some
jewelry with the detectives and were new
er troubled further than to appear in a
justice court. The defense, however,
proved that this transaction was perfectly
legitimate
J. b. McElveen. one OF the participants
In the Aragon hotel game, thought that
the detectives had not only done nothing
wrong In allowing him to 90 unpunished
for nearly two years, but that Il was per-
secution. when he was finally indicted, a.
he was not a gambler.
Bin Floyd, one OF the proprietors of
the Athletic Club, one OF the last big
gambling joints raided, said II was COM
mon report about the tables that money
was being paid the detectives for protcc-
ton. and he cited men who said that they
had paid money to Looney. 1t could not
be proven, however, that any money had
ever actually been paid to Looney, and
that officer was one Of those who helped
raid the place. Floyd told Of ladder
placed at the rear Of the place for the
use Of a certain gentleman, but refused to
give his name
Solicitor Lewis Thomas Of the city court
was the principal witness this afternoons
All sorts of charges had been made in
volving the city court and the detectives
on corruption. Solicitor Thomas. how
ever. swore that he had never paid the
detectives a dollar for bringing litigation
TO his court. He had on two dlfferenr
occasions paid $3.50 and $25 to the chief
Of police to reimburse the city treasury
for certain expenses incurred on account
OF prosecution in his court. Solicitor
Thomas said he considered the detectives
honest and efficient. He explained the
prosecution Of all gaming cases In his
court by them by saying the superior
court did not fine them enough to stop the
business, and because the detectives had
a quarrel with the Office of Solicitor Hill
on .cross-eyamina'ion solicitor Thomas
was subjected to a merciless volley OF ques-
tions by Attorney Rucker relating to his
prosecution of unfortunate women. Mr..
Thomas denied that he had made a for
tune out OF those women as alleged, but
admitted that he had them prosecuted.
some OF them several times year In orden
TO break up a certain bad neighborhood-
Attorney Rucker showed that after
Judge Westmoreland had announced thhs
he would send these women to jail in
stead OF fining them. Solicitor Thomas
held up a batch for several months and
then got Judge Van Epps to preside in
Judge Westmoreland's place. when the
women we're brought up and fined. thus
SdNlnk lHem from jail putting money
In the city court officers pockets. Tha
solicitor said that his sin was that he had
made money out Of his Office and compelled
offenders to pay COSTS whereas. other So
licitors had been begged out of their dues
Geoi ge b. Forbes was put up to-day ana
swore that when he was a deputy clerk.
he had paid to Solicitor Thomas to be paiG
to detectives prosecuting cases $225.
Solicitor Thomas replied to this by say
ing that Forbes had been drinking sd
much that he didn't know what he was
talking about.