The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-21
LIE pEATH KNELL or POLICY.
THE NEXT MAN CAUGHT MAY GO
TO THE CHANGING.

of Henderson and Hirsch TO $500,
che minimum. and Told Them Next
Time They would be Indicted for
Every Day They Were Caught, and
for Each Day Would BE Given
Twelve Months on the Chaingang.
The Matter of Illegal ReEistra alton
Taken Before the Grand Jury.
Criminal business in the Courts.
There is little doubt now that the policy
lottery business will be discontinued in
Savannah. The policy men understand
fully the meaning Of Judge T. N. Nor
woods position. There is no ambiguity
about il. and the next man that comes
before him charged with running policy
lottery and Is convicted, may look out
for a chain-gang sentence.
This was the conclusion the policy men
came TO yesterday after hearing all Judge
Norwood had TO say on the subject. The
Morning News of yesterday gave a full
account Of the action of the court in
the case Of William Male Henderson, and
the statement made to him by Judge
Norwood with regard TO the offense Of
which he was convicted.
Julius Hirsch appeared before the court
yesterday morning and was given the
same sentence as that imposed on Hen
derson. namely $1,000 and costs Of court
or twelve months on the chain-gang.
Judge Norwood gave Hirsch the same
sort of a lecture that he gave Hender-
son, with the exception that he made 1t
even stronger. As in Henderson's case,
this was Hirsch's third conviction, or
rather, he was convicted twice by a
Jury and once he pleaded guilty. Judge
Norwood stated TO him that he eonsid-
cred the crime a greater one even than
, gambling rooms, OF other kindred eVlls'
As policy lottery was a chance game by
which young men and boys were seuuc-
ed into committing crime, anu . -, tb.sft
which they were indirectly leo 70 inert
and burglary. He gave MIN 70 unuet-
Stand that the next offense of the same
kind would mean sentence Oh Twelve
months on the chain-gang. -.
After this sentence HAD been passeu, D V'n
Henderson and Hirsch had a conversation
with Judge Norwood, IN whie 1I Iney e ted
that they had been on other occasions
brought before the court ana given Lns
minimum fine, which Is 500, AM tlis ~ Ina y
they had been led to look upon thls az "a
sort of tax or license put upon the DUST
ness. If the courts took the other view
OF it, however, they stated thes MOS S
Willingly act in accordance with their ue,,
cisions and quit the business. Ihey ASKED
judicial clemency, and salQ Vhey MOuiu
cease to operate the lotteries. -. -
Taking this view of the case INTO con-
sideration, and their promise to go out OF
the business at once, Judge NORWOOD
agreed to reduce the fines TO sou IN eacn
case. which is the minimum fine allowed
under the state laws against lotteries:
Both were pleased with the lehehcy OF
the court and agreed that they Woulo not
20 into the business again.
But" said Judge Norwood, Il want
YOU to understand clearly that am going
TO instruct the grand jury 10 lndict you
or anybody else that runs policy lottery,
for every day on which that lottery Is run
and for each day that you are convicted
of that crime there Will be no alternative
Of paying fine, but the sentence VIII De
twelve months on the chain-gang. For
each day that ii is shown you carried on
this business you will get twelve months
That statement OF the case left no doubt
whatever in the minds of the defendants
that the Jig was up. one OF them remark
ed to the Judge that there was sun one
policy lottery running in the city, though
he did not give any names, ana asked
him about that. - -
morning?' Judge Norwood asked.
Hirsch said no. he had not had an
We'll" said Judge Norwood. that ex-
plains the situation as fully as is neces-
THE defendants were told to advise the
other party, If he was friend of theirs,
TO shut up shop at once, as the same
course would be pursued in his case
should he be arrested and convicted OF
running policy lottery. one OF them
said yesterday that he had told this party
Of what the judge said, and it is prop
able that the lottery will be closed up
along with the others and without delay.
There is no misunderstanding of the
situation on the part of the policy lot
terry men. They have nothing to say with
regard to the action of the courts in the
matter, except, of course, they are some
what put out that their business has been
broken up. If ii had to come they pre-
ferred that il be cut short off. OF course,
none of them want to go to chain-gang,
and that being the case, they will not
again. ......-.-
The courts. have taken strong stand
against the gambling business generally
within the last few weeks, the last fines
for keeping gaming houses being $1,000
and costs or twelve months on the chain
gang. Charles. Dickens. the last man
sentenced for keeping gaming house,
was sentenced to pay a fine of $1,000 or
to spend twelve months in jail. He was
his sentence in Jail Judge Norwood gives
them all. to understand that the fine inn
posed is not a tax, but a punishment for
the commission of a crime and he holds
that they will hereafter have no excuse
for viewing it in any other light
The grand jury of the superior court
held a session yesterday afternoon, at
which some evidence with regard to the
alleged illegal registration of voters was
submitted to them. Among other wit
nesses who went before the grand Jury
was Mr.. Maurice A Buttimer, who has
been representing the anti-administrAtion
forces in the Office of the tax collector
where the registration is going on
1t has been claimed for some time that
illegal registration was being DONE and
the charges have been about as frequent
on one side as on the other The Morn
ing News has stated several times that
charges were being made to the effect
that non-residents of the county were
registering, besides many others who
have recently come here and who have
sworn they had paid all their taxes in
the communities from which they came
1t is understood that inquiries have been
made with regard to this latter class.
and information has been received with
regard to several who have registered
showing that they still owe unpaid taxes
in the counties in which they formerly
lived.
1t could only be learned yesterday that
such testimony was submitted to the
grand jury. AS yet nothing has been done
in the matter. and it may be some days
before the grand jury takes any action
with regard to it if it takes any at all
Whatever action is taken, of course, will
depend on the law. and whatever viola
tiOns of il are apparent.
The grand jury found the following true
bills of indictment.
John Scott and Serry Mitchell sinnle