New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-22
DELAVARE'S SNAKE" BILL.
EFFORT TO LICENSE GAMBLING IN THE STATE
DISCOVERED BY GOvERNoR-GRAND
TT


DISCOVERED BY GovERNoR-GRAND
JURY TO INVESTIGATE.
Wilmington. Del. April 81 (SpeciaD.-The Grand
Jury of Kent County. which meets in Dover on
Monday will be asked by the Attorney-General
TO indict one and possibly more persons charged
with trying to get a snake" bill through the Del
aware Legislature in relation to gambling. the
Attorney General and his deputy have been WORK
ing on the case ever since the bill was discovered
and assert they have a strong case. NO warrants
have been sworn out for the arrest or any one
in connection with the matter. but II Is known
that the name Of prominent person. VINO was
connected in a way with the Legislature VIII We
presented 10 the Grand Jury when 1t meets Inc
State officials have summoned a number oil WIZ
nesses. among them being almost every men,oe'
of the Legislature who will testify TO what the!
know concerning the snake" bill.
The discovery OF the measure by the 1o'e'"o "
he was about 10 sign it prevented Dela"a'e
becoming a Mecca for gamblers from al oNe' ~
country The new Constitution. which was No.
two wears ago prohibits gambling in all us lo' ms
o,d nrovides that the Legislature shall nix pen
altv A. this session of the Legislature Dill was
presented drawn by Walter II. Hayes, one OF the
attorneys for the Legislature, providing Una, eSoH
nerson convicted of gambling should De SUBJECT "
a fine of 500 This bill was introduced III ',ie
senate and passed that body. Near the end OF the
present in the House He did not present the Dill
when asked saying he wished TO read 1t over On
tho las, dav of the session E. @. Hegaman, VINO
was assisting the Clerk c. w. Kenney' came 10
Mr. Donahoe and asked for the bill The General
Assembly was in uproar over the senatoriaI
fight and he handed the bill 10 Hegaman suppos-
ing that the Clerk had sent for IT,
After the Legislature adjourned nothing was
heard Of the bill for weeks. when In going over
the bills which awaited his signature Governor
Tunnel found the snake" bill. He read H. ana
found that II provided that man who was con-
victed Of any kind OF gambling should be fined
xa0 but not more than once in any one year. II
had been enrolled and bore the signatures OF the
clerks of both houses as having been passed.
The Governor did not sign the BILL but turned 1t
over TO Attorney General White. who at once began
an investigation. He learned that the original bill
presented In the Senate did not contain the clause
mot more than once in any one year" He FUR
Their discovered that the bill did not pass me
House as II had never been presented, and IL was
discovered that the signature OF the Clerk or the
House was forged. -
4 number of persons summoned before the
Attorney General. The attorney who drew the PHI
said he did not put the snake clause In II. and 1t
was learned that the bill did not contain this clause
when IT passed the Senate. Among the witnesses
summoned the clerks and their assistants and
writing experts, who win compare the SIGNATURES res
Of the clerks with specimens OF the writng OF the
person IT is sought 10 indict A.,
A crowd of gamblers from Philadelphia and New
York were only waiting for the Governor 10 sign
the bill before they moved into Delaware. II was
proposed TO build large racetrack near winning,
ton and gambling houses would have been opened
ali over the city. The fine of 300 would nave Deen
Quoting gambling places. Several attempts have
t Hee' at uiSn were as bold as this one.
The offence in relation to the bill is punishaole
by fine and imprisonment and at the S,npnS o.
post and pilory.