The Portland daily press., 1897-07-20
A SAD AND SORRY CROWD.
Lewiston Amatuer and Professional
Gamblers Before the Court.

| 1t was a sad and sorry crowd of amateur
gamblers and professionals that hung
about the door of the Lewiston Municipal
court on Monday morning. There We're
seventeen of them directly interested in
the days proceedings, and there were
others who took a sympathetic part in it.
The story is this: There has been good
deal of complaint about two gambling
places on Main street, one in Central
block and the other in Smalls block, SO
called over the little eating house. Satur-
day evening woman, young and hand
some, but with a sad face and an aching
heart asked to see Detective Odlin or
Captain Scannell. She told a story of
marred marriage. Her husband was
young and smart, earned good pay and
had the respect of the community, but
had developed dreadful passion for
gambling. He had always been lover
of cards, but when he began to play
penny-ante with a certain notorious Lew
iston gambler at Old Orchard, two years
ago, he suddenly conceiveda delight of
the risks of the game. He won and lost
recklessly. The young wife's pleadings
amounted to nothing and the advice of
his companions could not keep h i'm away
from the rooms of the gambling fraterni,
ty. She feared that he might lose his
position and that he would be ruined.
She asked the officers to drive the
gamblers out Of town. Both said that
they would see what could be done.
At twelve O'Clock Saturday night the
rattle of money, and the laughter of men
sounded from both places. In Central
block men were going in and coming out
using the simple blade of jacknife to
get in and out. The lock is in appearance
like a Yale lock, but knife blade opens
it. At half past one o'clock Sunday
morning the two officers raided both
places and found about seventeen men
some new gamblers and some old ones.
All were told to appear in court Monday
morning. One was a Boston man who
was locked up by Odlin. The city mar
shall took his personal word for his ap-
pearance and let him out Sunday. Odlin
saw him and took him to Auburn iail
and locked him up. He was there Mon
day morning.
In court Monday at $50 it was like a.
Sunday school class to see Odlin and
Scanned, couple of little books in their
hands, picking their witnesses out of the
crowd. Nine lawyers were present. and a
crowd beseiged the court room doors to
get in.
The gamblers occupied the witness seats
in court today.
The Central block crowd was arraigned
as follows: Isaac Jackson, George H.
Kicker, Tom Higgins, Fred Howe,
Jock Long, E. f. Donald and John
Irwin. Each pleaded guilty and was
fined $40 and costs, taxed at S1.5S each.
They paid and were discharged.
The Small block crowd were next
arraigned: o. E. Cassidy, John Mitchell,
Henry Jones, George Baker and E. P.
Wisdom. Two others didn't show up.
Cassidy pleaded not guilty, he having
evidence to show that he was not in the
game. His trial was set for three O'Clock
on Monday afternoon F. N. Saunders,
Esq, appeared for them and D. J. Nc
Gillicuddy, Esq, appeared for the Central
block crowd. Those arrested pleading
| guilty were fined $40 and costs, amount
| ing in all to S12.49. They paid and were
discharged