The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-05-21
Law AND ORDER LEAGUE.

Immoral Houses snow Free From This
Corrupting Infiuence"-The Annual
Election.
Hartford, May 20.-The annual meet
ing of the Connecticut State Law and
Order league was held this afternoon
here. The order was we'll represented
by delegates from all over the state.
Secretary Thrasher left the court house
at Willimantic in order to be present
at the meeting. At . o'clock a meet
ing of the directors was held with
President George Austin Bowen of
Woodstock in the chair. All the old
officers We're reelected excepting James
Cheney. In his place Mr.. Palmer of
Norwich was chosen. AT 4 o'clock the
general meeting took place, at which
the following report was read by Sec
rotary Thrasher:
SECRETARY THRASHER'S REPORT
The report of the secretary, s. P.
Thrasher of this city, was read as fol-
lows:
On May 10, 1895, Governor Coffin ap-
proved the leagues charter. The char
ter specifies three lines of operation,
namely: Chastity, gaming and intoxi-
eating liquors.
CHASTITY.
Early in the year complaints came
to us that certain newsdealers were
vending vile literature.
On June 80, 1895, the shop of a news
dealer in New Haven was raided and a
large quantity of Objectionable matter
seized; the proprietor and his clerk
were arrested and after long contest
in the city court both parties We're
bound over to the superior court under
bonds of $500 each, and there the case
remains. 1t is through no fault of ours
that it has not been tried.
An effort is now being made to have
the case settled by the payment of q
small sum, against which / have pro-
tested and shall continue to protest,
for in my opinion, the vending of such
matter is one of the worst offenses in
the whole category of crime.
Thirty-eight keepers and inmates of
disorderly houses have been brought
to court upon information furnished
by the league all of whom have been
convicted, except in New London,
where the cases against the inmates
were continued on their promise to
leave town. In many places these in
stitutions have been broken UP and
communities hitherto infested by them
are now free from their corrupting in
fluence.
GAMBLING.
The opportunity for aggressive and
successful warfare against gamblers
has been somewhat lessened. on ac-
count of our previous prosecutions. In
stitutional gambling in this state has
already been driven to very narrow
limits. 1t has been acknowledged by
professional gamblers that the bust
ness is no longer profitable in Con-
necticut.
During the early summer our agents
located a gambling joint in full blast
in the city of Norwich. A raid result
ed in the capture of eight men and all
the paraphernalia, which was valued
at about $1,000 All this was destroyed
by order OF the court, and the men
convicted. Recently, a similar joint
was discovered in New London. The
proprietor was convicted and fined and
the gambling implements are now in
the hands of the authorities.
Three policy shops have been success
fully raided on information furnished
by the league. In all, five gambling
joints have been raided and the
gamblers convicted. I have no hesita-
ton In saying that gambling in Con-
| necticut has been practically broken up.
I know there are poker clubs. policy
shops and other places where gambling
| is carried on to some extent, but insti-
tutional gambling in this state is nc
/ L., 1r.;rJ 40,
| the fact that four years ago the annual
money handled in this business was
| over $10,000,000, the significance of my
| remarks can be appreciated.
| ILLEGAL LIQUOR SELLING.
| The laws relating to the sale of in
| toxicating liquors were violated with
| impunity The law breakers seemed tc
| understand that they were not going tc
| be prosecuted. Seventy persons have
| been prosecuted for violating this law
and but three have been discharged
/ Our work has resulted in putting g
stop to illegal liquor selling in many
| towns So much has been said about
| the now famous Scott case that further
| comment is unnecessary. AS is wei
known, Scott sued me for libel. THAI
case has not come to trial, and is moi
likely to-. On a demurrer the court ha.
| decided that my words are not libellous
as alleged.
The result of our work for the pas
year may be summarized as follows:
SUMMARY.
| Number of suspected places investi
| gated, 376; persons arrested, 1872; per
sons convicted, So; cases polled, 8; per
sons discharged 9; cases not disposed
of, 90; raids, AZ.
OF the raids mentioned 20 were for in
toxicating liquor 13 on houses of il
fame, and five on gambling dens. AL
were successful except six of the liquor
raids.
7 think it but fair to say that more
work would have been done but for m!
illness, which confined me to the hous'
for nearly three months
Nov, having gone thus far and dem
onstrated our ability to do certain
things that need doing,I believe that W.
should so on until recognized lawless
ness shall find no resting place in Con
/ necticut"