Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-14
HOTEL GAMBLING.
Two Young Fellows Claim to
Have Been Fleeced.
Noah H. Godue, Proprietor of the Ex.
change Hotel, Arrested for Maintain
ing Common Nuisance.

Noah H. Godue proprietor of the Ex-
change Hotel, was arrested by Sergt.
Hill and Officer Knight Sunday forenoon,
on a warrant charging him with con-
ducting a common nuisance. The COM
plant is made by H. NJ. Couture, who
runs a feather dyeing establishment at
274 Main street, and alleges that his
sons, one of whom is but Is years of age,
have been gambling at the hotel and
have been swindled out of considerable
money.
Godue was seen by a Spy reporter
Sunday afternon, and said the first he
knew of the affair was when young
Couture came to him and wanted him to
refund $3S, which he claims he was
swindled out of by one of the boarders
in the house. Godue claims he was
sitting in the Office playing whist, when
the young man, who is a tailor, came
into the office and after some conversa-
ton with one of the boarders in re-
gard to cleaning suit of clothes, went
up stairs to the boarders room What
transpired he is unable to state further
than the fact that Couture claimed to
nave been buncoed out of his money.
He says Couture claimed to have lost
S3S at first, afterwards changing the
amount to $685. and later to $40. A few
days after, Mr. Couture, senior, called on
him and offered to settle the matter for
$50. He refused and the arrest fol-
lowed. While there might have been a
game of poker in one of the rooms, Mr..
Godue says he is of opinion that it is
not his place to question his boarders
when they go to their rooms as to what
they are going to DO However, when
the complaint was made, he ordered the
man in whose room the episode is al
legged t. have occurred, to leave the
house, and is holding his trunk at tine
present time, as the individual was un-
able to settle his board bill While he
realizes the fact that he would be
saved considerable publicity and eX-
pense by settling the matter, Mr.. Godue
says he will not settle in this case as he
does not consider himself responsible.
II. Nj. Couture, the father and Frank
and Alphonse, the two sons, who are
said to have been mixed up in the af-
fair tell a different story, which runs
as follows: Some time ago, Frank,
who is a tailor, carried back a suit of
clothes he had pressed for a boarder at
the hotel, named Smith, and was offered
a check for s35 in payment. Couture
claims he took the check to the office
and asked Godue if it was all right, and
received a reply IN the affirmative, but
when asked to endorse the check, the
proprietor declined. Smith asked him
to let the matter go for few days,
when he WoulC have another job for
him and he would pay both bills at the
same time Couture took the second
suit to the hotel a week ago Saturday,
and while in Smiths room, game of
poker was suggested. Couture says
Smith and a man whose name he thinks
is Perkins, were present at the time, as
well as the proprietor of the hotel and
that Godue went out of the room and
secured the poker chips.
The cards were dealt, Couture receiV-
ing four aces as his share, and the bet
ting began. He had $39 in money, and
within few minutes his roll was staked
against the checks of Mr.. Smith. When
his money was exhausted. some one
spoke of his watch. which went to swell
the pot, and finally his -overcoat Joined
It. At this stage Of the game his op-
ponent drew in the pot saying he had
a straight flush, and observing that
Couture was sucker and had better
get out of the place. The cards were
thrown face down. however, and when
Couture protested, a revolver was
drawn and he was told the least he had
to say about the matter the better it
would be for him.
MI. couture senior went TO une motel
and succeeded in getting the watch
back He offered to settle the matter
with f5odue for $40, but the offer was
refused.
Frank Couture is the young man
whose tailor shop was recently robbed
of two gold watches and about $1OO
worth of clothing The watch which
figured in the poker game belonged to
his father.
Young Couture is of the opinion that
luck is against him, and while he ad-
mits he was caught for a sucker, he
objects 20 being swindled out of his
property.
The younger son, Alphonse, claims to
have been led into a game by the same
people and swindled out of a small sum
of money.
The Coutures blame Godue, while the
latter says he has been told that young
Couture came to the hotel with the un-
derstanding that there was to be a skin
game but that he was TO be on the win
Ming side, and That it was a case Of
biter-being- bitten affair.