The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-16
THIRTEEN INDICTED
ARRESTED ON BENCH WAR
RANTS.
"A VICTIM TOLD THE TALE.
HOW THE EVIDENCE THAT LED TO
INDICTMENTS WAS SECURED.

tors of Three of the City's Gaming
Bouses-They Are Nine in Number.
The Landlords Arc the Other Four
Presented by Grand Jury for
TriaI-TvvO of the Former Glass
and One of the Latter Not in Town
and Warrants Went UnserVed.
The Story of the witness Who
Gave the Evidence.
The grand jury of the Superior Court
frowned sternly yesterday afternoon and
the shadow of its frown enveloped Ill
gloom the entire gambling fraternity in
Savannah Not all had direct cause to
mourn but every one felt sad.
Acting upon evidence furnished by Hor-
ace r. Hunter, a young man well known
in Savannah. and said 10 have been drawn
from the sad depths of his own expert
ence, the grand jury returned thirteen
indictments for violations of the laws
against gaming Nine were against pro
prietors or alleged proprietors of gam
bling houses and four against the owners
of the houses in which the gambling
rooms are located
But three gambling houses are compre-
nSLQeQ OF represented III tiAC iiNANSAhNiAtS
returned by the grand jury. Charles
oDeH T. o. Mcbride and John Mcbride
represent one; Julius Rosenthal, Jack
Monahan and Male Henderson, a second;
Cad Bryan, Simon Sternberg and James
L. Doss. the third C. r. Mcbride and
John He Hayes are indicted for knowingly
renting a room rooms to the parties
Savannah lady for renting rooms
for a similar purpose to the men,
bers of the second group; Thomas Daniels
for renting the rooms, in which the MEM
bers of the last group are said to preside
over rites in honor of the Goddess For
tune
For some days vague and indistinct
mutterings and rumblings have been max
ing themselves heard in Savannah; there
has been the smell of lightning in the air
and everybody who felt himself anything
of a mark for the form of lightning. be-
iieved 20 be lowering somewhere in the
heavens, gave an involuntary shiver and
lodged an imaginary bolt. Yesterday aft
ernoon the bolt descended, but it devei-
oped at the same time that it had been
lowering around since the last meeting of
the grand jury. Then Mr.. Hunter had
made his appea rance and told his story.
He had secured evidence aginst the pro-
prietors OF three gambling rooms only,
but as to these there was no missing link
in the chain. No matter what questions
were asked by grand jurymen, Mr.. Hunter
was on deck every time Not only did
he know who the proprietors of
the three places were, but he
knew also the persons who own
ed or leased the rooms or houses
in which they have been conducted. On
his evidence all the indictments re-
turned by the grand jury are based.
The witness explained further that his
appearance before the grand jury was
designed TO protect the young men of Sa-
vananh against evil influences to which
he had succumbed and which had brought
him misery and deep nhappiness and
been the occasion of constant self-re-
proach. For this reason, and for this
reason only, Mr.. Hunter told the grand
jury, he had determined to request a
hearing and unfold his story. He did I'M
fold it, with earnestness and even with
pathos, and for the grand jury II sufficed.
For some reason, however, the indiet-
ments were not returned at that former
meeting of the grand jury. A second oath
of secrecy was added to that the grand
jurors took when they commenced the
discharge of their duties and the matter
was suffered to remain in suspense until
yesterday
The indictments were returned at $50
O'Clock and within a few hours thereafter
all OF the defendants who are now in the
city had been arrested and given bond for
their appearance in the Superior Court,
TO answer the charges against them. One
of the exceptional cases in which arrests
were not made was that of the owner of
the house in which Rosenthal Monahan
and Henderson are charged with conduct
ing a gambling game; the two other ex-
ceptions are Monahan and Henderson, of
whom the former left a few days since
and the latter at noon yesterday, to fol-
low their string Of race horses over the
Northern tracks. Each of those arrested
gave bond in the sum of $1,000
During the later hours of the evening
disconsolate groups of those principally
affected by the indictments that had been
returned, and their friends and sympa-
thizers, discussed the matter on every
street corner in the principal business sec
ton of the city. Most of those who thus
compared notes and opinions were inclined
TO be a trifie wrathy. but the sports par
excellence, the gamblers of the upper
crust spoke of the matter with every
outward sign of overpowering inward has
sftude. To them 1t was just turn of
the wheel of fortune which had caused il
TO slip cog.
Judge Falligant has imposed Jail
sentences in addition to fines in
every recent case where man.
charged with keeping gaming
house. has made a second appearance pc
fore him. In every case, it is true, the
defendants have had their sentences sus-
pended, pending an appeal to the pardon
board. after spending week or a little
more in jail, and in every case the par
don board has granted a pardon.
1t may not be so i'm the future: indeed
IT Is very likely that no such leniency
viii be exhibited The consciousness OF
this Is abroad among those whom II pri-
Fnarily affects, and It is creating uneasi-
ness ana apprehension. The indications
All are that this uneaslness and appre-
hension are but too well founded.
The indictments returned against the
owners OF the houses in which gambling
rooms have been located have had but
one recent precedent in Savannah. one
OF those indicted was indicted by the
last grand jury, but the indictment be-
cause OF special circumstances connected
with the case. was mol pressed This one
will IN all likelihood be permitted "a
stand and the case VIII be tried. Il is
this case In which the defendant be-
cause Of absence from the city, was not
arrested.