The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-07
A BIG POOL ROOM RAID
Law AND ORDER LEAGUE MAKES
ITS MOST NOTABLE RAID.

1t Was in Stamford neutrality-suspicious.
Men Arrested Given Bail at $4,000
Each-wboIe ParapherneIia, Weighing
Over Half Ton, Enthusiastically
Thrasher Makes the Raid.
Stamford, Jan. Cone of the biggest
raids that the Connecticut Law and
Order league has ever figured in was
successfully made in this city this af-
ternoon, in which the managers of the
two pool rooms in the city, located near
the depot, and about nineteen men who
were playing the races in both places,
were scooped in.
The pool rooms have been in opera
ton here for several months, despite
the objections made by citizens and
complaints to the police. Raids were
made by the police and the managers
arrested and fined. Appeals were TAX
en- in all cases, and eventually they
dropped out of sight, The pool rooms
continued to do business. One OF the
pool rooms, doing business under the
name of the Eastern News and Money
Transfer company, which was driven
out of Greenwich by the authorities,
came to this city and located near the
old pool room.
nunbeY Of the citizens of the town
appealed to Governor Coffin, and on
Monday the governor, through Chief
Justice Andrews, had special session
of the superior court ordered to be held
in Bridgeport to-day, when it was ar
ranged to make the raid on the rooms
here. Judge George w. Wheeler OF
this city was assigned to preside The
usual Formally of bringing the &C
rused before the town justice was omit
ted. and instead a bench warrant was
issued by Judge Wheeler. The papers
were handed over to Samuel P. Thrash
er Of the Connecticut Law and Order
league, who was to make the raid and
to obtain the evidence.
Thrasher and ten of the league de-
tectiyes left New Haven on the steam
er Richard Rack from New Haven on
Tuesday night and went to New York,
so that they would not be detected
passing through this vicinity In New
York Thrasher's men met corps of
fifteen detectives from Cant's Detective
bureau of New York city, and at one
O'Clock this afternoon the detectives
started from the Grand Central station
for this city. They arrived here at 2:So
o'clock this afternoon, and details went
to each pool room. The presence of the
detectives was not discovered in either
of the pool rooms until the detectives
dove over the desks in search OF BOOKS
and other available articles to be USED
as evidence against the pool rooms. IN
both places trouble was experienced.
The employees of the pool rooms raised
chairs to assault the Law and Order
detectives, but the latter drew pistols
and this had the effect of quieting the
crowd of excited frequenters in the pool
rooms.
The detectives seized all the para
phernalia of both places, weighing in
all more than half a ton. The eight
cen principals were arrested, and other
arrests will take place to-day.
Thrasher and his men left for Bridge
port at 80 this afternoon, and his pris-
oners were taken before Judge Wheeler
at a special session of the superior
court Here they were held in $4,000
bail EACH John III. Lee went bonds for
a larger portion of the amount, and
they all obtained bail They will ap-
near before the superior court on jan
uary Is.
All praise and the greatest credit
must be given Ex-Governor Coffin for
his firm stand and his voluntary action
In the matter. The chief of police and
the mayor of Stamford also should re-
ceive honorable mention for the aid
they gave Mr. Thrasher and his men;
the mayor especially, as he appeared
on the scene and helped in the arrests.
The agents helping Secretary Thrasher
were S. Mcclure, George w. Ledyard
and Charles I. Curtiss.
Manager Leslie of the Eastern News
and Money Transfer company claims
that the interstate commerce act makes
the Connecticut pool law invalid He
says that his company only receives
money the bets are made in New York
on races in New Jersey. This. how
ever, is thought to be only a subter-
fuge of the pool-room men.
About two weeks ago many COM
plants were made by the citizens OF
Greenwich concerning the pool rooms,
which were in full running order there.
although the complaints were OF a
very serious nature, they did not seem
to have much effect. Governor Coffin
requested Mr.. Thrasher to see what
could be done in the way Of obtaining
evidence. Within forty-eight hours he
reported to the governor that he had
sufficient evidence to convict twenty
one men.
The governor at once sent special
letter to Judge James F. Walsh of the
borough court, urging him to take i'm
mediate action in order to bring the
parties to justice upon the evidence
ready to be furnished But instead OF
at once signing the complaints he
sought an interview with Mr.. Thrashe1
and stated that he had made an agree
ment with the attorney for the poo
men that no warrant should be issued
till January 1. But the pool men hao
agreed to leave town on that very day