Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-23
A ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Harry Gambler and His Queer Jail Sen
tence.
Sometime In Jail and Sometimes Out
Man Escapes From the
Chain Gang.

To be county prisoner in the Alex
andria jail Is evidently dead soft snap"
at least the experience OF Harry Gambler.
the Jackson City gambler. would prove
this to be the case. 1t Is said that Gambler
takes an airing whenever he desires so to
do. and Is at present walking around at
large. although. according to the records
In the Alexandra county court, he Is sup
posed to be serving year in the Jail, hav-
ing been sentenced by that court on the
18th of February last Gambler was taken
to the Alexandria JAIL which is also used
for county prisoners. Today he is "out on
leave 1T is said, with the permission of
Sheriff Palmer.
~ Story is an amusing one. and COM
mentary on Alexandria county justice
Sheriff Palmer is said to be an ardent
admirer Of Gambler, and Tuesday last he
went to the Jail to call on him. After they
to Turnkey Hayes and said that he would
take Gambler out for a little exercise. This
request sort Of queered" the turnkey. and
he refused to accede to 1t. Sheriff Palmer
insisted. however, and Sheriff Smith was
called up over tie "'phone" and told of
the request. Sheriff Smith told Hayes that
as Gambler was a county prisoner the sher-
if Of the county could do as he pleased
with him. On this Sheriff Palmer WAS al
lowed to depart with the prisoner. and they
went away together smiling.
1t is said that they went to the electric
train. where Palmer left Gambler. who pro-
ceeded on to Washington alone.
Tuesday night there was a minstrel per-
Torrance at Dan Henry's saloon, and
Gambler was prominent figure down there.
where he greeted his old friends and asso-
ciates cordially. His whereabouts now can
not be learned, and whether he has re-
NAMED away from the jail all this time or
has been granted another leave Of absence
will not be told by the county officials.
10 ri oil <nSP f-lv lnn md
he was sentenced to one year In jail and to
pay fine of 500 for conducting ga milling
establishment in Alexandra couuty. He
went into the Jail on the 2Sth of last Feb
ruary to serve his time. and, as can be seen.
only about half of it Is behind HIM, and
how much Of this time has been spent be-
hind the bars is a matter Of speculation
1t Is said that the Citizens Law and
Order League of the county will take the
matter up for investigation.
Escaped From Police Station.
Harry McDevitt is a tramp who about
tree weeks ago came to this city and fell
in love with it, and begged the police to
lock him up. and was refused. but sue
ceeded in getting his request granted later
by getting drunk. He was sent to jail
subject to the chain gang for ten days Az
ter he had served his tine ne az am pro-
ceeded to get drunk and went to the sta
ton house and cured the officer Oh duty
there and as arrested ard received
sentence OF thirty days. When taken out
On the street to work with the gang he re-
fused to work and Was locked up on the
bread and water Diet. After three days of
this punishment he concluded he preferred
10 work and did 50 up to Saturday even
ing, when Overseer of Chain Gang Trav-
els, It is said. for some unknown reason
released him. although he had about TWEEN
~ days more to serve He again got drunk
and went to the station house and was
ssaln locked up. Yesterday morning about
o'clock McDev:tt called Officer AK rso l.
WHO was on duty, TO his cell end requested
the ofncer to let him out TO: a few min
ltes. which the officer d d. Hardly had the
cell door been opened when McDey.tt |, gan
cursing the officer roundly. The officer
turned his back 20 speak 10 Chef Webster.
wren McDevitt took advantage of the op-
portunity and made his escape through q
front window. How he succeeded In rails
ing the window and opening the blinds
without the officers hearing him is mys-
terry. As soon as the escape was noticed a
ger erai alarm vas sent out and officer
Atkinson secured the entire country for
miles Ground. ard today captured the pris-
on: about mile from town.