The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-03
FIGHTING The MAUPlN LAW.
The Gamblers Garry Il 10 The Supreme
Court Of ippellS.
WRIT OF HsBEAS CORPUS FOR LACEY.
70 Was Granted and Made Kcturnablo
April 9th. when Argument VIII he sub
mittcd-A Lively Legal Contest,with
Great Interest i'm the Result.

NLNNN NNMM NIMIfININ flt'ifaA NNNttiNNA ttA
the session OF the Supreme Court yes
tciiay. ass it was understood that an effort
woUll Dc made to- secure bail fCr a fcl-
low who .s charged with having violated
tho Maupn aw. and inc compau.oa law
prohil .tng foreign pool-soilne. Tor sev-
oal days 30 has been rumo-ed around
about that Attorneys s. G.. Brent and
Edmund Burke. representing the -.
1ph anl O .u.uiln race tracks. in
Alexandria county. would Doe in tic city
soon t0 institute nabeas corpus proceed
inrs Boo the case of Richard Lacey. who is
a. present confined in the Alexandria
jail Caa,gei with violating tine M1upin
auii-camhIug law. ANA Dts companion
Jaw. nrohlnItug the receiving and trans
mission OK money Co Doe bet on races
outside the Commonwealth of Virginia.
lt VIII bee remembered that oul. very
short while after these laws Were passed
Che gamblers Interested ,n the racing
Ground Alexandria announced that tho
Maupiu Jaw was invalid. and that they
woull test 90 before the Supreme Court.
They went Go work ana opened pool
room 100 ST. Asaph's. whore pools were
rD.d ou races outside of the State. soon
arrests were made. and the man Lacey
wss confined in iaii TO await trial. This
was part OF tine piau az IL was decided TO
make q ttst OF the validity of the law
in this way.
TIE WRIT GRANTED.
Soon after the Supreme Court session
commenced yesterday Messrs. Brent and
Burke. who came down from Alexandria
late Wednesday night. presented a petit
tion for writ OF habeas corpus In the
case of Lacey
The petition sets forth that Lacey is
aimed frl ran Df f.N
andria county. having been committed
there hy a warrant of commitment dated
March "a, 1896.
The petitioner alleges that ne IS not in
tcrestcd in any way IN the management
ol the Virginia Jockey Club, or a stock
holder or cmploye thereof. That he
visited the grounds of the club for the
purp0se of having a certain sum Of money
forwarded 90 Wheeling. W. Va, there
10 Dee placed at the lest odds on a certain
horse called Hubert O'Neal, running at
race I'm ST. Louis, and that the placing OF
such money was not contrary TO the
laws OF West Virginia, and that while
thus engaged he was arrested 10y Sheriff
William u. Palmer. and in default OF
bail was committed to jail for a violation
OF the Maupin aEti-gambling law. The
petitioner alleges that the said act is IN
violation of article 5. section ID. Of the
Constitution of Virginia. ana is nun and
void The petitioner. therefore. prays for
writ Of habcas corpus. commanding
the sheriff 10 produce the body OF the
petitioner before the court in order thar
the case may Dee inquired into.
1he petition was submitted without
argument. and the writ was granted, re-
turnable on Thursday, April 9th.
AN INTERESTING CASE.
From what can be learned the race
track people have little doubt that they
Will win the case though it is under
stood they are quite curious TO know
something about the new evidence which
50 has been reported the prosecution will
introduce. Nothing Of special interest can
be asctrtained in connection with the
case until next Thursday, when it will
come up for argument before the Supreme
Court. IL is not known what tactics
either side will adopt, though it is
thought the legal battle will Doe one OF
more than usual interest. involving, as it
does, the consiitutonallty of a aw. which
80 required great deal of grit ard per-
seyeronce GA tho part of its champions 10
have passed by the Legislature. and
which prohibits the transmission Of money!
by telegraph or otherwise 10 be bet on
races outside of the State. 1t is under
stood that the Attorney-General OF the
State viii Doe connected with the prOsecu-
ton. and 10 is thought this viii be the
last resort of the race-traCk people If the
court decides against them. If the racing
people win preparations will be begun
at once for opening the St. Asaph track
and other similar concerns promotive of
gambling and general outlawry.
AT present the pOOl-roOm az 81. Asaph's
ST. closed. and viii remain so during the
pending decision Until the case is de-
cded the horses az both the tracks near
Alexandria Will bee shipped 10 Elkton TO
race there.
STAND BY THE MAUPIN LAW.
The Washington Times Of yesterday
says:
Judging from the efforts Of the gam
bling fraternity i'm Alexandria county 10
defeat the Maupin law there can be no
truce in the night against that species
OF laWlessness without danger 10 the
peace and good order Of the county. 1t
may bee possible that he law will be
pronounced defective, and that the out
law ring viii be given lease Of life un-
iii the case Will be appealed ana re-
oeivo the consideration OF the Supreme
Court. but sooner or later the outlaw
tracks Will be closed and Virginia racing
Will again become legitimate.
There should be an attempt made by
our trans-PotOmac neighbors 20 influence
the authorities TO act honestly and in
the interests OF iilt hFAitl tlflltlll IN TIE
question now before them. a decision in
behalf of the gamblers means a continue
ton Of outlaw rule and a further cOntin-
uatlon OF outlaw rule and a further sub
mission 10 the depredatiOns OF thieves,
thugs. and desperadOes. The history OF
Jackson city is I'm itself convincing ar
mmcnt in favor OF the Maupn law, and
were the pOOl-bOXcs of the outlaw tracks
converted into nickle-in-the-slot greenback
disgoreers they could not supply money
70 compensate for the crime OF that OBJ
Jcctionabic place.
Alexandra county. free from its law
lessncss, would soon become a favorite
residence place for WashingtOnians, and
especially VIII this Doe true when the Ne
mortal bridge is constructed. Property
there would almost double in value. and
would soon hc sought after by speculatcrs
10 subdlvi1c into lots for residence pur-
poses. But under existing conditions IL
will never Doc in demand, even at low
prices. People IN search Of homes do not
care 10 ontwst their belongings in COM
munity controlled by unscrupulous per-
SONS, and as a matter OF self-intorest. n
for no other reason. the better element OF
Alexandria county should now assert its
influence In behalf Of strict Interpretation
and enforcement Of the Maupin law"
VENIZUEL.tN COHHfSSION.