The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-14
GAMBLING
IMPLEMENTS
Question Of Forfeiture
Before the Court.
~.
ANTI-GAMBLING CRUSADE
Aired In Common Pleas Division
Before Judge Wilbur.
FRANK SLAvIN THE CLAIMANT.

The question of whether or not certain
gambling implements should be declared
forfeited to the state and ordered destroy
ed. or whether they should be returned
to Frank Slavin. was the question sub
mitted to jury In Judge Wiibur's court
today. The taking OF testimony as to
whom the goods belonged was begun yes
terday, and 1t was shown that the stuff
was seized by Chief OF Police holbrook OF
Johnston last November. as result Of
the efforts OF the Law and Order League
TO suppress gambling in Johnston.
There was testimony Of en- interesting
nature given during the trial.
George W. Calder. whoswas sandbageed
q short time ago, as his friends claim,
on account of his prominent opposition
to the gam bling element in Johnston, &C.
scribei to the Jury his visits to the place
at "a Plainfield street, corner OF Latham
street, where the implements were taken
from. He said he visited the place first
on Novem ber 20. and walked deliberately
thro ugh the rooms, and in reply to ques-
tions by Attorney a. j. Cushing, stated
that he could not tell how many men
were in the room playing cards. but, ac-
cording to mis- recollection, there were a
good many.
There was some objection on the part
OF Assistant Attorney General Stearns
when Mr.. Cushing asked Calder II, as
the result of his visit to this place, ne did
cause tho arrest of Charles Anderson as
common gambler, and Mr.. Calder
answered there was such warrant sworn
out.
Judge Wilbur asked the purpose of the
question, saying he understood Mr..
Cushing to say yesterday that the only
thing he desired to prove was that the
ownership of the property was in his
client. Mr.. Cushing replied that bis
question led to one Of the vital points In
the case, as to wheth the property was
used for illegal Purposes or not, and the
fully as to what was going on in the room
and as TO whether money was passed.
Mr. Calder would not swear that money
was passed, but would swear he saw
chips passed.
George W. Emerson. who accompanied
MIR. Calder on his first visit and the rest
of the company On the occasion OF the
official visit, said on the first occasion Re
saw men earnestly engaged about q
table playing games. One of the tables
was a double roulette table, another
shorter roulette. table and the third faro
tuDle. WltnosS ulu not KNOW auytuluR
about cards anu could not tell whether
the men playing cards were playing old
maid or a more complicated game. On
the Tuesday following his first visit wit
ness saw two roulette tables and faro
table taken out. Ons wheel was missing,
but witness could not swear positively
the property taken out on Tuesday was
the same property he saw in the place on
the previous Saturday. Did not know
Frank Slavin or what his business was.
On cross-examination, witness recalled
to the jurors minds that he did not
know anything about cards. but said he
believed the men were playing some
game.
Hiram Kimball testified to visiting the
place With Chief of Police Holbrook and
others TO seiz, the implements. The
party had broken into the place with u
search warrant. Witness said Slavin
was a contractor and kept horses to haul
stone.
Attorney A. J. Cushing. In behalf Of
Mr. Slavin. argued to the jury that there
Was no evidence to prove that the prop
erty taken on November 23 by the police
authorities was the same property that
was used-for gambling purposes on No
vember 20. ana that no evidence was in
troduced on the part of the state to show
that the property was not Slavin's.
The jury found q verdict for the state
and the implements were ordered de-
stroved.