Evening star., 1897-01-15
Alexandria Surprised by Its Own
Police.
SIX POLICY PLACES OVERHAULED
Several Propretors and Many Wit
nesses Captured.
A M ETING TONIC
Evening Star Bureau,
No. 12l North Washington street.
Alexandria, Va January TX 1907

war which has been going on quietly in
| this city for several days past came to a
startling climax yesterday afternoon. At
| 4:30 o'clock Sergeant Smith and his squad
| of officers raided six of the most notorious
| policy dives in the city and made captures
| Of such importance as will, for while at
| least, 1t is believed, put a stop to this form
Of gambling.
For some days past Sergeant Smith has
been working on these cases, and from
| past experiences in such matters concluded
| that it would be wise for him to keep his
information to himself until the time came
| to act. Yesterday afternoon he got
squad of eleven officers in readiness, his
| own squad and Officers Belts and Knight
| Of the squad "off duty" and made known
| to them his intention of making a raid.
but even then did not tell them where or
| when. When all was in readiness he went
| to Mayor Thompson about five minutes be-
fore o'clock with the warrants which he
had previously prepared. These warrants
| charged that the policy men did unlaw-
| fully sell chances and tickets in a lottery
| for money, supposing and intending to
| guarantee and assure to persons and en-
title them to prize, share of and interest
| in prize to be drawn in a lottery for
| money. and sell certificates, bills tok ,ns
| and other devices in lottery for money.
and sell chances and shares Of tickets in a
| lottery for money
These warrants were not prepared at the
| station house, and Mayor Thompson was
| the first city Official to see them. On re-
ceiving explanations of the circumstances
| in the and being assured that no
slight was intended to superior officers in
| the matter, Mayor Thompson put his sig
| nature to the warrants, which, in few
| minutes thereafter, caused sensation.
| Sergeant Smith Immediately gave his men
their orders and simultaneous raid was
| made a 4:30 O'Clock.
| Th1 so11o
| made:
Frank McLaren's place, 216 South Henry
| street. raided by Officers Knight and Ticer.
| Proprietor captured, II. l.. Smith, Bryan
| Doran, VIM. Netherland and Moses Solo
| mon captured witnesses. In this build
| ing were found hazard table, faro table.
roulette table. poker chips. card tables and
| cards, and policy drawings.
| James Banks policy place. on Princess
| street rear Fairfax, by officers Beach and
Hall, captured James Banks, Ad Madella
ana Rcsson. writer's: Chase, runner, and
| Whitney. witness This is a branch of
the Swamp, run by the Hills.
Ed Green's, Henry street. between Cam
eron and Queen streets, policy joint. by
| Officers Belts and Arlington. George Sow
| mill, writer, captured. This is branch.
| Nelson's policy place. on West street, be-
tween King and Prince. by Officers Proc
| tor and Sherwood. Captured Thos Nelson,
manager and Ed Jamison, writer.
Sergt. Smith reserved to himself the most
| important of these places. So with Officer
| Ferguson he raided John Donnelly's place
! in the alley between Lee and Union streets
| and Walter Donnelly, with all his para
| phernalia, was captured. Bernard Donnel-
| ly, who. 1t is said, was in the room as
| sisting his brother. made his escape, and
| Walter was captured while trying to crawl
into barrel
That somebody played Sergt Smith false
| even In the few minutes he had allowed
himself to make the raid is evident from
| the fact that Hill S place, in the same alley
| as Donnelly's, was closed up when the
| officers arrived, though it is claimed that it
had been running all day up to 3 pm and
| they had quietly received the tip from
| one of the knowing ones" When Officers
| Young and Dean knocked at the door of
| this place they could not get in, and in
| stead Of forcing entrance as the others
| did, they reported their action at police
| headquarters. Sergt. Smith, who had ar
| rived at the station house with his prison.
| ers, hastened to Hills place and forced an
entrance, but he was too late. The occu-
| pants had flown and taken with them the
| paraphernalia. except a printing press with
a chase containing the type set up for the
days drawings. This was taken to the
station house. and 1t Is said Sergt. Smith
has enough evidence to convict.
The cell room at the station house pre-
| sented the appearance Of an ''up-to-date"
gambling house, except that the para
phernalia was not set up in running order
The following Is complete list of those
under arrest: Walter Donnelly Frank Nc
Laren, James Banks, Ed Green, John Nell
lam Payne, George Sourmill, Frank Parker
Robt. Foller, H. L. Smith, Frank Chase
IAd' Madella, F. r: Ross. Bryan Doran,
James Lee, Charles Whitney, Roda Wilson,
Chas. Grady. Silas Madella, VIM. Neither
land, Thomas Nelson, Ed Jameson, Ed
Shock, Stephen Blue, Moses Solomon and
Charles Parker.
Walter Donnelly, Frank McLaren, Banks
Green and Nelson were released in 800
bond. All the others were released on 500,
the mayor taking their personal bond.
AS Officers Belts and Knight were walk
ing up King, near Royal street, they caught
Adolphus Woodward, who is a Washington
policy runner. On his person was found
$GS and number of policy slips and draw
| ings On his way to the police station he
tried to rid himself of this evidence. but
was detected and the slips taken in charge
to be used when the cases come up for
trial, Monday night
Despite the fact of the raids at 4:3O
o'clock the Donnelly policy shop put out it's
drawings yesterday afternoon. as usual.
The drawings for the Donnelly place,
which is known as the Frankfort" are
results being received by cipher kilograms
at and o'clock pm. each day.
Sergeant Smiths action is commended
on all sides. and while it is hinted that it
will cause his head to be cut off in the end,
it is thought that the backing of those who
are jealous In their support of law and
order will prevent any such action being
taken.
The penalty for such offenses as running
a policy shop under the code of Virginia
is confinement for not more than one year
in jail and a fine not exceeding $500. A
Star reporter had a talk with Sergeant
Smith this morning. and he said:
II have been working on this policy busf-
ness for the past ten days. and think that
1 have such a net of evidence against these
men that it will be impossible not to con-
vict Them 30,
When asked If he was not afraid lest his
head might be cut Off. he said that he was
not, as he had the backing of some of the
best men in the city.
why did you make the raids?" was
then asked, and he replied:
Several ministers and responsible citi-
zens came to me and made complaint and
asked me to assist them In breaking up
this vice. I have about 200 names Of wit
nesses in these cases who will appear be-
fore the mayor on Monday night at the
trial. l got the ministers to give me eight
trustworthy young men from their congre-
cations to assist in getting evidence, and
they will testify at the trial.
The Star reporter called on Rev. L. j.
McDougle this morning. and found him very
much elated over the raids of yesterday
Mr.. McDougle said that he had sent out
notices for a big meeting tonight at the M
E. Church to express approval of the ac-
ton of Sergt. Smith.
An Investigatfon.