The Saint Paul globe., 1900-02-06
WERE NOT CONVINCED
STOOD SIX TO SIX AND WE'RE
LET GO
WITNESSES WERE NOT SPORTS

WITNESSES WERE NOT SPORTS
One of Those Chiefly Relied on Did
Not Appear, and the One Who
Was to CorrOborate His Story Did
That Was Being Played Was Po-
ker or Not.
The trial of Freddy" Griffin, on the
charge Of conducting gambling resort
ended in the municipal court at o'clock
last night in a disagreement of the jury.
The courts rulings headed off attacks
upon Mayor Kiefer, and the testimony de-
veloped little or nothing in connection
with the case that has not already been
published. The prosecution introduced a
dozen witnesses whose stories were ma
terially the same and quite monotonous.
The defense put on the stand only one
witness, by whose testimony it was
sought to establish the fact that bail had
been refused the men captured In the
raid The case went to the jury shortly
before o'clock. AS soon as they got to-
gether sounds Of arguments reached the
court room, and continued for nearly
four hours
AT the opening of the case the prosecu-
tlon received severe set back when
Edward Miller, upon whom Detective
Christensen and License Inspector Nc
lntlre had relied as star witness, failed
to appear. Miller, it seems had been In
ouced to visit Griffins place and to take
part IN Whatever game there was run
ning the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 90,
the night of which day the raid was
made The only other witness to testify
70 anything that happened inside Of the
room, where 1t was alleged gambling was
conducted, was George Roper, who went
10 the place with Miller. Roper testified
20 having visited Griffin's room in the
fey motel, and said he saw several men
about table playing cards. Witness
SAID he had not played, but testified to
having seen Miller, the missing witness
play. Asked If the game being played
was poker, witness said he did not know.
DO you know anything about poker:
would you know @ poker game was run
nlng II you saw one?" Attorney Hall ask
ed Roper
No, sir, I would not don't know
anything about the game"
Witness testified to seeing cards and
chips on the table, but said he saw no
money change hands, nor any one pay
money for the chips
Detective Christensen testified to con-
ducting the raid and identified the table
with the kitty" in 1t, the cards and the
cf1ps in evidence as the property seized
when the police broke into the room. He
was asked If he had been directed to
make the raid by Mayor Kiefer but the
question was not allowed. Detective
Christensen could give no testimony
whatever regarding card PLAYING in the
room. He said he saw fourteen people in
the room when he got inside Some were
slttlng about the tables, while others
We're standing about the room There
We're chips and cards in sight, but witness
d1d not see any one playing He said
ne met Griffin in the hallway leading to
the room and told him he was under
arrest. After this the crowd found in the
room and the alleged gambling parapher-
mana were taken to the police station
On cross-examination Attorney Hall
sought to show up some of the moves
christensen had made in connection with
the case, and by whose direction, but this
question was not allowed
Did you give orders that none Of the
prisoners were to be released on bail?''
asked Mr.. Hail..
That question Is ruled out announc-
ed Judge Orr, ''if the witness did give
such an order he transcribed his au-
thority as a police officer. No one but
the court can fix BAIL"
Christensen admitted knowing Harry
Mech and Butcher Joe Brennan. and
the counsel intimated that witness had
been meeting Brennan every day at Nick
Thill's saloon
License Inspector McIntire gave testi-
mony, regarding the raid, substantially
the same as Christensen.
Jacob Stadtfield, Sergeant Malmouist
and Patrolmen Mckinley Smith and
Tschida testified to having assisted in the
raid, merely corrcborating the other wit
nesses as TO the presence of the fourteen
prisoners captured and the seizure of the
alleged gambling paraphernalia.
Jailer Stadtfield took a fling at the CEN
trail station authorities as he left the wit
ness stand He had testified to having
marked the cards seized when the raid
was made.
Il certainly know the cards. he said,
unless they were tampered with after
they reached the central station.
Charles Rysdale, proprietor of the Fey
hotel, testified that he rented the rooms
to Griffin He admitted that some time
ago he had played poker in the room.
Witness said he had not paid money for
chips nor cashed any chips in after the
game. Pressed hard by City Prosecutor
F1nehout Rysdale said he had offset the
price of the chips against the rent.
Philip Lynch, proprietor of the saloon
at 33 East Seventh street. testified that
he knew the rooms run by Griffin had the
reputation of being a gambling resort.
For the defense, George Gordon, who
claimed to be a bricklayer, was put on
the stand to testify to statements al
legged to have been made by Detective
Christensen at the time of the raid Wit
ness said he inquired about securing
bail as soon as he was placed under ar
rest. He said he told Christensen that
he wanted TO notify some of his friends.
Witness said Christensen told him he
need not bother his friends, as 1t would
do no good, because he had orders from
Mayor kiefer that no bail was to be ac-
cepted for any of those caught In the
room
In his address to the jury Attorney
Hall sought to 'scorch Mayor Kiefer, but
was cautioned by the court several times
to confine himself to the evidence in the
case. Said he, in part:
This case is being tried by a jury be-
cause the court in granting the request
for a jury realized its Importance. To
find Mr.. Griffin guilty of running a
gambling resort means finding all of
those arrested in the place guilty of vis-
iting gambling resort. Can you believe
this case was brought to vindicate jus
tice? Is it not plainly evident that this
defendant was made a scape goat to
punish some other person, or to secure
the removal of a chief of police or
chief of detectives? There are many other
like places in the city. Why was not one
of the dozen of other places raided?
TT Is not a crime to have cards, chips
and table with hole in it in ones
possession. like to play poker, whist