The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-22
INTO THE ENEMY's CAMP.
EIGHTY-FTvE GAMBLERS susIsEog-
ED BEFORE TFsE GRAND jury.


Their subpoenas Recite That They
Are to Appear as Witnesses
Against Various Fictitious Defend
ants, Charged With Various Ficti-
tious Crimes, But This Is n Gentle
Joke-Tbe Grand Jury Is After the
Gamblers ThemseIves-List of Wit
nesses Embraces All Glasses of tho
neutrality-suspicious.. Hartridse and
Sullivan Also Summoned - Lively
Time Expected.
The meeting of the grand jury at
o'clock this afternoon is more than likely
to prove interesting. Eighty-fve members
of the gambling fraternity of Savannah
have been urged to attend the session, the
Invitation having been conveyed through
thekdeputy sheriffs of the Superior Court.
Various crimes and various defendants,
both equally fictitious, have been named
IN the subpoenas as the compelling cause
for the attendance of the gamblers. The
real reason is that the gaming said to
have been INDUCED in by a number of
the fraternity is to be Investigated and,
If the proof warrants and time permits,
indictments will be returned.
The gamblers to be brought before the
grand jury in the. capacity Of witnesses
represent every stratum and sub-stratum
in the social scale of the gambling bust
ness in Savannah. from the proprietors
of the high-class and heightened resorts,
to the negro vendors for the policy shops,
catering to the gambling instinct of their
own race. This latter class, however, is
only thinly represented, as to get them
all would tax the capacity of the Superior
Court room. A conservative estimate from
the inside places their number here in ex-
cess of 300.
JUST how many indictments will be re-
turned also passes conjecture. 1t is said
that there are twenty-slx persons repre-
scented In the various white gambling
houses located in the city as principals
but it is not az all likely that all of them
will be presented to the court This is
on the supposltion that only principals
are to be gathered into the meshes of
the law and punished The difficulty in
finding indictments against all the prin-
cipals in any particular gambling house
lies in the fact that they believe in ro-
tation in being fined as devoutly as the
First Senatorial district of Georgia be-
lieves in county rotation in Office
The plan is for the partners in the
enterprise to lay aside from the profits
a certain weekly sum of money, in an
ticipation of possible fines, and when they
are called before the grand jury this fund
is relied upon to liquidate all damages
with which they can be charged.
One of their number, who has been
chosen to enact the role of the suffering
martyr, then presents himself makes a
contrite confession of his own guilt and
absolves all of his confreres. They are
all as innocent, he Is wont to say, as
the proverbial lamb of anything more
heinous than occasional attendance upon
the rooms that he alone conducts. They
pronounce this statement the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth,
and the grand jury is left helpless.
| When the gamblers are again indicted
the same procedure is gone over with
again, with one exception. Another OF
the partners comes up this time and con-
! fesses his guilt, the third time the third
| partner is the victim of the law, and so
on ad inhnltum.
About the only gambling businesses
| that have not been interfered with by
| the service of process upon their pro-
| prietors or employees to attend the session
| Of the grand jury are those conducted
| by negroes, for negroes. There are five
| of these that are said to attain the first
| rank and several others of less dstnc-
| ton and Importance. These are not the
|
most part by white men, but gaming
houses, where negroes congresate and in
| dulge in other games of chance.
| II Is said that the grand jury Is in pos
| session of much information on the sub
| ject Of gambling in Savannah. and its
| actions Of the last few days seem to indi-
| cate that this is true. The Est OF wit
| nesses summoned was furnished by the
| grand Jury and all of its actions be-
token the fact that 1t knows thoroughly
| what il Is about and the right methods
| TO follow to carry out its intentions. 1t
| is only the intentions that are matters of
| mystery and doubt These secrets the
members of the grand jury are zealously
| guarding.
Mr. Walter c. Hartridge and Mr.. John
| ]. Sullivan, with whatever witnesses they
know of who know anything about pub
lie gaming have also bsen summoned.
When he was before the grand jury at It's
| last meeting Mr.. Hartridge informed the
Jury that he was quite willing to furnish
| II with all the informant he lesitimately
could on the subject of public gambling.
| provided that he Is not to be ured to pull
chesnuts out of the fire for the benefit
of his political opponents. Such course
| of conduct, Mr.. Hartridge said, he did not
regard as either fair or right. IL 1t was
the intention of the grand jury to make
| an honest effort to suppress gambling
| and not merely to continue in force the
old time conditions he was not only will
ing, but, as a good citizen was anxious
TO lend II all The assistance In his power.
1t is probable that the session of the
grand Jury will be a lengthy one. and It's
results will be watched with interest 1t
has been predicted that only about ten
or dozen indictments would be found,
| hut this estimate may, of course, be an
| error and very far from the truth.