The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-08-26
A CRIME-RUINED CITY.


ruin and decay of some Od-fashioned
house given up by tradition to ghosts
and the sparrows that build nests in its
caves and twitter about its shattered
windows, or the desolate quiet that how
ers over some small settlement abar-
dOned by its people because of famine
and disease, is the little group of tum-
ble-dOWn houses at the southern end
of the Long Bridge, which masquerades
under the name of jackson City. For
nearly half century the name has
been there. During that period an ever
changingpOpulation, mostly of vicious
sort, has nodded the reputation and
varying fortunes of the place, but
within the past year it has been ever on
the downward course until now it is
passing shadow, soon. perhaps, to be
only a memory.
1t is about Is years since Andrew
jackson, the rugged president of the
United States accepted the invitation
of some Nirginians who had great
schemes in their heads for the develop
ment Of the property at the practical
head Of navigation Of the Potomac
river. He went across to the Virginia
side, accompanied by all the military
display then available, and amid ora
tory aud music of brass bands. the
name was given. To commemorate the
event a corner stone was laid some
where-where is not lnoWn-for the
shifting sands OF the river shore soou
hid the mark from view. But the city
was named and when the president
came back to his white house the Viz
ginians were satisfied.
For long time the corner stone was
the only thing to tell that the spot was
a city in embryo. Its first impetus
speedily famliariZpd it with the mier
of the monster vice. for it came in the
shape of race track. Jockeys of
disreputable sort, touts, even worse.
and professional crooks, followed the
track, and after one or two murders the
track was a thing of memory. Then
the city languished and was forgotten
Ten years ago, however, a spasm of
virtue struck the police department of
Washington, and the poolrooms, which
were then doing business openly in the
capital city, were driven out. First
they located on Seventh street. just
above the boundary, but legislation was
extended so as to cover the district and
they were again compelled to move.
What place so convenient as Jackson
City? Across the Long Bridge they
marched and soon the city was a city
of poolrooms. barring several saloons
which had started up
From then on its run of prosperity
was unbrollen. The poolrooms did Il
tlourishing business. The policy shops
established headquarters there, and
people who could not find money to buy
food for wives and children found tn"
wherewthal to buy policy slips and
pool tickets, Saloons multiplied,
brawIs We're af daily occurrence, and
fatalities were frequent. \ station was
established there, and the railroad
trains, which had formerly rushed
through the place, built platform. es-
tablished switches and sidings, and
stopped TO take on and let off passen-
gers.
Then came the outlaw tracks, which
gave the place more notoriety than ever.
Finally the district police had to take
matters in their own hands. From
their first decisive step dates the pass
ing of Jackson City.
The blowing open of safe belong
ing to the Washington Ferry company
and the stealing of several thousand
dollars furnished the occasion. The
booty was taken to jackson City to be
distributed. Desmond, Dempsey and
Others who had assisted the notorious
Billy Williams in the robbery were har-
bored there Williams himself made
the place his headquarters, and failing
to secure the cooperation of the Viz
ginia authorities, the local detective BIT
reau undertook bold step. \ patrol
wagon, full of detectives. all heavily
armed, left police headquarters in this
city shortly after midnight, while the
discussion of the safe robbery was at
its height At this end of the bridge the
wagon stopped. and the officers got out
and walked across. The notorious
Gamblers place was surrounded. Des-
mond was arrested, but Dempsey es-
capped. Satchels. with evidences of the
guilt of the people arrested, were found
in the place, and later after Williams
had been arrested, he made full con-
fession, duplicating the rest.
Following that came a raid by Vir-
ginia deputy sheritfs on the saloon kept
by Nelson and Foster, both noted gam
blers. during which one of the deputies
was shot and killed Other raids were
made. Gambler was arrested and con
fined in Jail on several charges. only re
Gently securing his release. His placa
was broken up and closed. Nelson was
driven out. Foster followed.
Gambler has been released from jail
IN Alexandria. and inhabits the upper
part of his place. The lights no longer
burn in the bar and gambling-rooms
downstairs. and the sounds of revelry
which once came from within are
hushed. The platform erected by the
railroad is not used, even the slOwest
trains going through without stopping
The sun beats down on the one deserted
street. which is thickly covered with
dust in dry weather and mud in wet.
Thomas saloon. Gamblers almost de.
serted house, one feed store. a StablH
1 I 4 1. /