New-York tribune., 1902-06-24
WOMAN'S POOLROOM RAID.
HUSBANDS" LETTER LEADS TO AK
RESTS IN SIXTH-AVE.

POLICE AXE 1CIID JOE MEL " Io1C L
NOTE IN ORDER TO STOP COMPETITION.
In a letter received by Acting Captain Dillon
a few days ago the writer said his wife was
continually playing the races in a poolroom eX-
Clusively for women, where she lost her money.
at No J16 Sixth-ave. He signed himself "A
Victim"
Detectives Black and UnderhiIl yesterday
went to the place mentioned in the letter, and
on the second floor found the Herald Square
Employment Agency. Black told Mrs. Annie
Pause, said to be the proprietor of the agency,
that he would like to hire a colored servant
girl. Meanwhile the two detectives saw in the
back part of the room a number of women
gathered about a small platform. The detectives
talked and waited. and they say they heard
voice cry out Advance Guard wins Blues
second, Nones third"
Among the women, the detectives say, they
recognized a number whom they had surprised
In an alleged poolroom in West Twenty-fourth-
st. six weeks ago.
Black and Underhill went to the street and
posted Detectives Buckridge and Courtney at
the front door. Then they went to the roof OF
the adjacent house, where they could get fuii
view of the alleged poolroom.
For some time, they assert they saw women
after inspecting the eighteen or more racing
charts suspended from the walls make out
slips and hand them to the woman on the plat
form at the same time depositing money "lth
her.
Convinced that bets were being made on the
races the detectives returned to the street anu
with Buckridge re-entered the agency and an
nounced that everybody was under arrest
\ wild scramble to escape ensued among 'he
women They rushed to the door. but IL was
guarded 10y Buckridge. They pleaded anu
begged but the detectives were obdurate ana
kept them hemmed in until they singled out tiie
alleged proprietor, the woman at the telePilohe
and four of those whom they said they had seen
make bets. When the detectives returned tle
second time Mrs. Pause the proprietor Oh the
empIovment agency had taken her dog out Tor
airing.
The six women arrested were described as
Lizzie Fl. Gurst. the alleged proprietor of the
poolroom, of No. SO Sixth-ave.; Lottte Gibson
of No. 81 Montague-st. Brooklyn, the woman
found at the telephone: Minnie smith, Vi
No. 1856 East Thirty -second-st; Mary smith
Of No 2l,I West Twenty-sixth-st-: Mary Muir
ply of No 243 West Twenty-fourth-s ana
Katherine Kane of No. 222 Bainbridge-st.
Brooklyn, who were charged with placing bets.
Twenty-four dollars, taken from Lizzie cIuISt,
the telephone eighteen racing charts with the
names of the horses running at the st; LOUIS
Chicago and Sheepshead Bay tracks ana racing
slips were ConiiScated.
The patrol wagon had been called and after
sixteen of the women who were gathered apouI
he platform. but who ha0 not Deen Seeh pe'-
ting were allowed to go. the six prisoners were
led to the street placed in the wagon ana driNeh
TO the station A large crowd gathered on the
sidewalk and followed the patrol wagon
The woman who described herself as MARY
Smith while being led down the stairs. trled 10
escape by jumping over the baiustrade
III ere goes" she cried out. buI when she was
recaptured she exclaimed. Well. I'm a sport
and I'll play il out 4,
The women appeared TO he respectable Al
though all appreciated their predicament. none
became hvsterical As they were led 10 the
patrol wagon they covered their faces with their
hands and bowed their heads.
4 woman who said she was Miss Ladue called
at the station and asked the sergeant what
names the prisoners had given This was re-
fused whereupon she said:
oh wasn't | lucky, II II wasn't that l
stopped TO attend to my guinea pig would
have been caught playing the races there
Soon after the prisoners were locked up a
number of anxious looking men called at the
station and made inquiries about them They
got bondsmen for Mary Murphy. Mary Smith
and Minnie Smith.
A woman last night asked Acting Captain
Dillon If she could the prisoners. When he
replied that she could not she denounced the
police in round fashion.
Il know who it was that wrote the unsigned
letter" she said. 1T Joe Meyers. He told
me that no one could a woman's pooroom
but himself and that he would have any closed
that dared to do business. | will furnish you
with list of places captain, which are run by
Meyers and his friends