The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-09
POLICY PEOPLE PULLED.
SEVENTY INDICTED BY THE sUPE-
RIOR COURT GRAND JURY.

RIoR COURT GRAND JURY.
TlIe PrOprietOrs of Four Wheels I'M
der $1,000 bonds nnd over Forty
Agents Arrested and in JRil-Tho
Prosecution the Result of the Re-
tail GrOcers' ActiOn-The GAME
Interferred with Their Business.
1t Caused Dishonesty and Thiev-
ery-Housekeepcrs Suffered From
1t.
The proprietors and employees of Sa-
vannahs four policy lotteries had quite
a surprise yesterday, when the news
spread rapidly around the city after the
meeting of the superior court grand jury
that seventy true bills had been found di-
T rected against all of them.
A two-edged sword has been at work.
Saturday is always a big day with the
policy lotteries. as then they have three
drawings, so last Saturday witnesses were
put to work 10 gather evidence. Solicitor
General w. w. Osborne was at work on
the matter and so was Mr.. II. e. Wilson,
who has been employed by the retail gro
Gerry dealers of the city to secure evidence
and to prosecute the policy lottery men.
Between the two the result was the evil
dence was secured, and seventy true bills
were returned by the grand jury which
was called in special session yesterday
afternoon.
The proprietors of the lottery wheels in
dicted are G. A. Netter, who is said to run
the New York" wheel; f. A. Marcus,
who with others, is said to be interested
a n L HiTgPb.
who is put down as the proprietor of the
Savannah wheel and w. j. Odell and
c. j. Odel, who are charged with operat-
ing 1.-The Only Genuine" In addition to
these indictments against the proprietors
sixty-fve true bills were found against
the agents or writers for the policy lotter-
les who it Is said, have offices in almost
every lane in the city.
The bench warrants signed by Judge
Falligant were placed in the hands of the
sheriff as soon as the indictments were
returned, and were distributed among the
deputies to be served. All of those indict-
ed as propretors were arrested, and re-
quired to give bond in the sum of $1,000,
which they did
More than half of the negroes employed
as writers were also arrested, and a num-
Der of them spent the night in jail, being
unable 10 furnish bond. Only one of the
proprietors secured bonds for the men
WIN WOIklUS LOT nltls anu AiiS
majority of those arrested will, no doubt,
stay in Jail awhile before they produce
the required security. The bond fixed in
the case of the negroes is 500. 1t is eX-
pected that number of the negroes will
skip to South Carolina, and get out of
the way for awhile, If they have any idea
that they are among the number indicted.
Tho appearance of the retail grocery
dealers in the case is decidedly new
feature. While retail dealers have made
many complaints of policy lottery in the
past, they have never took an active part
In the prosecution of the cases as 1t APP
pears they intend to do this time. IL is
said there was testimony to the effect that
many of these negro agents or writers,
brought in from Sc to IS a day, all of
which was collected from negroes around
the city in sums of five cents to twenty
five cents, showing how large a number
of them are regular patrons of the game.
The result is these negroes never have
money with which to pay their little gro
Gerry bills, and they often steal to get
money to buy lottery tickets Many people
who employ servants have stated
they have caught them on various occa-
sions when sent out to purchase groceries
or some other article, getting an inferior
quality of goods, so that they could keep
s or 10 cents or more for the purpose of
buying policy tickets. Others have
caught their servants stealing clothing
and other articles, which were pawned or
sold to get money for the same purpose |
The fact is. many of the negroes seem to
be crazy on the subject, and put every
nickel they can get into this game of
chance.
Policy is what is known as one of the
sure thing gambling games, as is well
known to those who understand how il Is |
played. 1t consists in selecting three
numbers from l to rs, which must be
drawn out of the wheel in the order Sc
lected by the party purchasing the ticket |
In order for him to win. The numbers |
from to rs are put in the wheel, and If the |
three numbers chosen by the purchaser
Of ticket are drawn out in the same or |
der in which he chose them, he wins. 1t |
does not take a very high class mathema-
tician to see how often that occurs.
The last time the policy men were in |
diosed, it was In the city court, some |
months ago. They were then told by |
Judge Norwood If they ever came before |
him again they would not be fined. but |
sent to the chain-gang. This time they |
have been indicted in the superior court. |
For quite while after Judge Norwood's |
statement to them, the lotteries were |
shut down, but about Jan. J. they began |
operations again, and have been going il |
steadily ever since. with drawings twice |
a day and three times on Saturday IT is |
said there are several others concerned |
In the business but it is probable sufii- |
c.ent evidence has not been secured to in |
dict them.