Sunday morning globe., 1901-12-01
A PLUCAY Wife.
Now That Her Husband Has Been
Ruined by Gamblers,
DETERMINES TO EXPOSE THEM
And Indiana SoOleJ Is all Broke
Up Oyer tho Expected Exposures, as the
Aforesaid Gamblers are Among The Church
Deaoons SwelI8 and Other High Society
Folk.

eral Lew Wallace might touch with MS
golden pen and make as immortal as
Ben Hur or the Prince Of India.
Richard c. Davis was for years the
trusted cashier Of the Peoples Nation
al Bank Of Washington and moved IN
Tire best society Of the place. He had
had a beautiful home, gave entertain
ments on a large scale, and he and his
wife stood at the head Of select social
circles. One day he fell sick and the
assistant cashier was assigned to his
duties. IL was soon discovered that
there was something radically wrong
with the books, and an investigation
showed that Davis was an embezzler
TO the extent of S7l, ,946.22. He turned
over what property he had and the dl.
rectors made up the deficiency, ana
wer disposed to drop the matter.
In the meantime Davis had recover
ed. but despite the fact that his steal
ings had been Of the boldest possible
character. no movement was made to-
ward his arrest. He refused to state to
the directors what had become Of the
large amount Of money taken from
the bank and the social circles in
which he moved were completely non,
plused by the developments for 1t was
regarded as impossible for him to have
hvedup to so much money i'm so short
time
Mrs. Davis was the only person in
Washington that knew that her hus-
band had kept late hours and that he
often came home I'm an intoxicated
condition. She finally eXtorted a con-
fession from him and was soon in pos
session Of the names of the men who
had won his stealings, the places where
the losse had occurred. and the con-
mtions under which the games had
been played Davis, it seems. had
kept an exact account Of his losses. and
this was placed I'm the hands of his
wife. Then she consulted a lawyer
and a few days later the attorney
went among the gambling houses pre-
sented bills for the amount of Davis
losses an dthreatened suit in the name
OF the wife If the sums were not paid.
That night the house Of Davis was
the scene Of an animated meeting. A
number of society young men. who had
played with Davis, and several of the
gamblers and gambling house keeprs
called upon Mrs Davis and appealed
TO her-pot TO sue. saying, i'm effect. that
the contemplated suits would compro-
MISE many persons with whom she
had been on terms of intimacy for
years.
A long list of prominent business !
men, including some church members
and Sundav-schOol teachers. was pre-. /
sented as the names of those who had |
been with her husband, or at least |
had witnessed the games I'm which he |
played and she was asked not TO ey. |
pose these people by a trial in court.
The plea was refused and then the |
assembled company resorted to threats. |.
iney declared they would lay the case |
before the federal grand Jury and !
would have the husband sent to the
penitentary If she persisted, but, If |
she would drop the contemplated suits !
they would guarantee him immunity |
from arrests Davis himself was in |
duced to plead for his old friends, but |
neither threats nor appeals for mercy |
availed with the wife,
She replied that they had robbed her
husband at cards and other games, and |
that unless the ill-gotten gains were
restored at once, she would file the |
suits and collect the amount at law. |
She charged the gamblers with enter. |
ing into a conspiracy to rob her hus- |
band by first making him drunk and |
declared that they were a party TO his |
wrong-doing because they must have |
known that he did not come honestly |
by the money which he lost. The |
gamblers either could not or would not |
settle, and suits were Immediately filed |
In Mrs. Davis name to recover a total |
Of 100000, and then Davis himself |
filed suits to recover $4,000,
The defendants are well-known |
gamblers OF gambling-house keepers, |
and the bondsmen Of the latter are also |
made defendants I'm the several cases. |
The men who are thus made defend |
ants are Matthew Kelly. Dallas Tyler. |
Addie Dillard, John Brennan, Charles !
Hart, Charles Roberts and several !
others. The law holds the bondsmen !
of saloon keepers liable for any dam
age that may result in saloons, and !
Mrs. Davis thus makes a number Of !
responsible men co-defendants. because !
they are on the bonds Of the men who |
won the embezzled money. Her at !
toneys say there Is no question about
ANNDfHlAAb lAe AADutgu ADl inc lOhbto !
can be proved by men Of unimpeach- !
able character who witnessed game
after game in which Davis played and
that he was often so intoxicated that
he could not possibly have known what
he was doing.
They also claim that they will prove
by habitues Of the saloon where Davis
gambled that there was an understand
ing among the gamblers that Davis
was always to be got drunk before a
game was suggested, and that the men
who treated at the bar and those who
Induced him TO go to the saloons re-
ceivea a part OF the money that he lost
in the games. IL is said that some Of
the "cappers' for the gamblers we're
men OF means as fell as character IN
the community and this phase OF the
testimony promises 10 be highly sen.
sational as it will bring men into court
whom no one has ever suspected Of be.
ing anything but the quiet sober bust
ness man. which he professed to be I'm
daylight
Davis had a mania for gambling
which is rarely equaled, and he played
anything which promised excitement.
NHur0 rprH1aFNn