Evening journal., 1902-03-29
LOCAL GAMBLERS
FEAR ARREST
Effort to ImpIicate Them in
Chester Murder
THEY WERE IN GREEN'S HOUSE
Wide Open Pennsylvania Town IIa
Been Mecca for Wilmington
Gamblers for Months

Visions OF arrest Imprisonment and
endless trouble to say nothing of the
expense. are haunting two Whining
ton gamblers who played poker in the
rooms OF r. Harvey Green, the Chester
gambler. who was murdered sometime
on Tuesday morning.
They played poker in the room all
day on Sunday and Sunday night, but
were in Wilmington before midnight
on Monday. When they left the rooms
several Chester men were still there.
The Chester men. when questioned by
the authorities of that town, said
when they left Green's establishment
the Wilmington men wero still there
playing cards.
Chief Leary, of Chester, started to-
make an investigation at once II was
not until Thursday that the local men
knew they were suspected of knowing
anything about the crime. Then they
began to hunt evidence TO prove an
alibi. If arrested they say they could
soon show their whereabouts at the
time the murder is alleged to have
been committed.
Chief Leary has been in Whining
ton making a quiet investigation. It is
said he is about convinced that the
Wilmington men know nothing of the
Green murder
However. they are still worried.
For a long time Chester has been a
Mecca for Wilmington gamblers.
About the time the local poker rooms
gambling houses and slot machines
were cleared ont of this city about a
year ago gambling houses opened in
Chester and a bid was made for the
business of the men who live by games
of chance
AS there was nothing doing" in
Wilmington, Chester gambling resorts
We're crowded. New ones sprung up
all over that city. Wilmington men
were timid at first. but they were given
tip that the authorities would not
interfere. AS no arrests were made
the gamblers multiplied and became
prosperous.
The Wilmington men still kept their
residence in Wilmington. and Travelled
/ back and forth by train. Chesters
fame as a wide open" town soon
spread beyond the circle of profession
al gamblers and amateurs who liked
games Of chance soon found their way
TO the dens. No effort at secrecy was
made The gambling was carried on
/ under the noses of the police. and in
Philadelphia as we'll as in this city. it
was known that everything went
there.
The harvest was so good that a Will
mingtOn man opened gambling
house Chester did not want the
money to so outside the city. and af-
ter running for a short time he was
ordered to get out OF business.
saturday night and Sunday are al
ways big days The games start on
Saturday evening and continue with
out interruption all day Sunday. The
Saturday night crowd is swellod by
another crowd which leaves Whining
ton on Sunday afternoon.
Frequently a pool room is opened in
Lamokin, and the horse races on the
Southern tracks are played.
! When gambling becomes too tame. a
cock or dog fight is arranged. The
! former is more popular. The authori-
ties do not interfere with them. allow
ing the fights as much freedom as
gambling.
Some Of the Wilmington gamblers
are concerned about the future OF
Chester as gambling resort. as the
murder Of Green has called the atten-
tion Of the authorities to the fact that
gambling exists there. Policy men
also are concerned. as it was another
form of gambling allowed to go on un-
molestod. II is said, however, that
when the talk aroused by the Greer
murder ends. everything will go on as
formerly.