Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-27
AFFAIRS IN ALEXANDRIA
Citizens Oppose Gambling at the Race
Tracks
Large Mass Meeting Takes Action
Other Local Notes of General
Interest to Residents.

The most enthusiastic mass meeting held
in this city for years was held yesterday
afternoon in the Southern Methodist
Church. The church was crowded with
some Of the best citizens, who were there
to protest against the present system of
gambling at the race tracks in Alexandria
county. 1t may be stated that the men
present were not opposed to horse racing.
They were all Virginians and liked a genu-
Inc horse race. but were opposed to the
gambling.
The meeting was called to order prompt
ly at 3 o'clock by Rev. Theron H. Rice,
who nominated Mr.. Geo. r. Hill as chair
man of the meeting, and he was unani-
mously ele0ed, and upon taking the chair
Mr.. Hill in few and well-chosen remarks
stated the object of the meeting. He then
called upon Mr.. K. Kemper. who, in very
plain language expressed his opinion on
the race tracks and the way they are now
being conducted. He referred to the char
lot race in Lew Wallace's Ben Hur," and
said that racing of that age could be look
ed upon with admira ton, but that the rae
Ing of today was not Of that kind and
should not be tolerated. He was followed
by Mr.. F. ]. Pollard, one of the most
prominent feed dealers in this city, who
tracks had upon the young men Of the
community.
Mr.. J. E. supplee Of Del Ray was the
next speaker. He said, as he lived near the
race track, he was in a position to see
great many more evils than those who live
in the city. He had seen the old man and
the young and heads of families who were
members of the church going to the race
track regularly. He closed his remarks by
saying that the meeting would end in Great
ing a permanent organization 10 fight
the race tracks and gambling in all
its forms. Rev. ]. H. Butler was next
called upon, and in a few well-timed re-
marks outlined the Maupin bill, and said
that the men who gambled at the race
track were just as guilty as the negro who
shoots his crap for few paltry pennies in
the alleys of the city. He further said that
a great many of the business men lad been
intimidated by the race track people into
signing their petition. He strongly ap-
pealed to the people of this old common
wealth to stand by the gentlemen who had
inaugurated this move against the race
tracks.
Mr.. A. H. Thompson followed Mr.. Butler,
and said he hoped the meeting would come
down to rock bottom business" and APP
point three good men to go to Richmond
and appear before the COMMITTEES. Mir.
Lawrence Washington thought that thirty
gentlemen should go, instead of three, for,
ne said, lin numbers there is strength"
Mr.. A. G. Uhler was next called, and
spoke of the i'll effects the race track had
upon the young man, and cited an instance
of young man in Washington who had
been employed in a bank and had robbed
his employers to play the races, and would
have gone to the penitentiary but for the
fact that his father had made the amount
of his shortage good.
Rev. Clarence E. Ball, chairman of the
committee to draft resolutions, was the next
to take the platform, and said that the race
track people claimed that they had spent
100000 in this city. He laughed at the idea
and wanted to know where that amount
was if it had been spent for, he said, he
knew of no one who had received one dime
of 1t that had not been almost given back
to him in the pool room. He then presented
a long resolution, which was adopted by
unanimous vote. Rev. Frank T. Benson
read the following petition, which was sign
ed by almost every person in the vast audi
ence, which numbered about LOCO:
ITO the Honorable Legislature of Virginia.
I'VE. the undersigned, citizens of Alexan-
dria, announce ourselves as Internationally
opposed to race track gambling.
I'VE regard the race tracks of Alexandria
county as licensed gambling in its most per-
Eicious form.
1--WE most respectfully and urgently petit
ton your honorable body to exercise the
right vested in you by the suffrage of the
PEOPLE to expel this evil from the borders of
cur state"
The following committee was then named
to go to Richmond and present this petition
to the committee on cities and towns, which
meets this afternoon: Messrs. ]. Clinton
Smoot, Geo. r. Hill, G.Wm. Ramsay, Theron
H. Rice, J. r. Zimmerman, c. E. Ball. Law
renee Washington, Geo. s. French, H. r.
Burke, j. T. Williams, j. T. Beckham, J. c.
Milburn, Henry Fields j. R. Chapman, f. ].
Pollard, Henry F. Robertson, Geo. H. Hin
ken, H. Trimyer, J. E. Supplee, John W.
May, Oscar F. Carter, E. b. Kemp and
Douglas Stuart.
A Small Fire.
The alarm of fire about 2 o'clock Sunday
NV ho h,,rp or
old frame structure at the corner of Royal
and Orinoco streets. The entire fire de-
partment responded, and in a short while
succeeded in extinguishing the flames. The
fire was evidently of an incendiary origin
as the steps and floors had been saturated
with oil. The house was formerly occupied
by AlphonSo Arlington as a bar room, and
had been the scene of many bloody fight
It was owned by Mr.. Charles Strangmau
ard was fully insured. The property was
damaged to the amount Of about $50.
Police Court.
The police on duty last night report the
night as being clear and cool, with two
prisoners and seventeen dodgers at the sta
ton house. Mayor Thompson this morning
disposed of the following cases: TOTE
Dixon. colored, arrested by Officer TIGER,
charge drunk and disorderly fined 81 or
ten days on the gang; Joseph Leavell, col
sen, charge, assault and beating Thomas
Arlington, colored, fined 81, in default of
which he will serve thirty days.
City Council Meeting.
The regular meeting of the city council
will be held tomorrow night in the council
chambers in the market building The bill
adding four extra police to the present
fierce has been made the special order for
the meeting, and it is expected that final
action will be taken upon it. 1t is a hard
matter to predict whether it will be passed
or not, though the general opinion seems
to be that it will, although the opponents Of
the bill have for some time past been gath
ering data to show that Alexandria has in
proportion to its population as large a po-
lice force as any city in the state.
Corporation Court.
Owing to the absence of Judge J. K NJ.
Norton, who is in Richmond on business.
the corporation court will not be in session
until Thursday next, when the Sunday
liquor sellers have been summoned to ap-
pear to answer the indictments found
against them. There are also a large num-
Der of criminal cases to be disposed of.
Notes.
Rev Mr. IT Har,omotar ,P D;tt.,,,,,x