The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-30
POOL SELLERS RAIDHD.
Collins Said He Had Been
Told to Go Ahead 1t
Was All Right
HIS CAPPER'S BAD MISTAKE
Deputy Sheriff Erwin Nails the
Business End Of the Har-
rison Gambling Den.

Since Judge Hudspeth's announcement
last week of the Courts firm determine
ton to suppress pool rooms and keep
them suppressed, C~onstables and Deputy
sheriffs have been assigned every after
noon to watch the pool rooms n see
that no business was done. The Off
GERS were assigned to different places
each day.
On Saturday afternoon Under Sheriff
John j. Erwin and Constable George
Henry were assigned to Harrison, where
John B. Collins had been reported as
running a room and doing a large BUSH
ness. About an hour before the officers
left. Mr.. Collins, who was hanging
News reporter that he had not been
in the business for two years. Collins
was in the court room on the day Judge
Hudspeth denounced the pool sellers, but
disappeared before the Judge began to
speak on the subject
Deputy Sheriff Erwin and Constable
Adams boarded a turnpike trolley car
and went to Harrison. They lounged
around near the place where Collins was
said to have kept his pool room, but
there was no crowd there and evidently
no business was going on. In a little
while, a man, who afterward proved to
be William Duffy, approached and after
passing some comments IN the weather,
asked them if they would like to place
a bet ON a horse race.
seThat's just what were looking for"
replied Deputy Sheriff Erwin. I'VE
thought there was a pool room some
where around here, but we can't find
it,"
That's all right" said Duffy. '.I,l fix
you up"
With that he took a caro- out of his
pocket and handed it to Erwin. 1t was
a business card of Joseph Scott, a saloon
keeper in West Newark avenue, this
city.
go down there. said Duffy, "and
hand in that card and you will be taken
care Of"
The officers were about to start when
Duffy exclaimed:-"Hold on a minute.
IN GO down with you myself"
The trio boarded the first trolley car
that came along and in a few minutes
they We're at Scott's saloon. There were
no W indications that anything but
the regular saloon business was being
carried on, although the large number
in and about the premises indicated that
Scott must either have a sudden rush or
was doing a thriving trade for such an
out of the way place. Duffy's presence
ensured the admission of the officers to
a rear room and there they found a
crowd of sporting men and all the para
puerHaHd LOT DGttlHS On morse races. OHe
man was at a telephone getting Informal
ton about the post odds and giving it
to another man who was posting 1t up
OF bulletins.
Erwi and Henry watched t~he4opera-
lions for a few minutes and then placed
the man at the telephone, the man at the
bulletin board and their guide, Duffy.
under arrest. The man at the telephone
was George Wilson. The man at the
bulletin board gave his names as James
Watson, but he was Collins.
The crowd of sporting men made a
break for the front door when they
realized what was going on and escaped.
The prisoners were taken before JUS
tice of the Peace Macs and held in 5000
bail for examination. Collins was evil
IDENTIFY surprised. He protested against
the action of the officers and more than
intimated that he had been told to go on
and it would be all right. He said the
officers had no business to go there, as
they had been specially assigned to Har-
rison.
Deputy Sheriff Erwin told him tina
they had a rowing commission and could
go anywhere.