Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-03

WYATT USED MATCH.
AID GAMBLING DEVICES GO HEAy-
ESwARp IN SMOKE.
TWAS A MEMORABLE SCENE.
governor and Mrs. Montague and
Many Private Citizen. Were Eager
vssne..cs-rarapherna'ia A'iese"
10 Belong to sucso1s Not Destroy
ed Yet.
ENwARp IN SMOKE.
TWAS A MEMORABLE SCENE.
,aor md Mrs. Montague and

Tho vicinity OF tueVeh.h "''
..,ants was Yesterday converted NV az
altar of justice whe,-con was o!ie'
s-,orsIce 10 the blind goddess nearly al
she valuable parapher MALTA capt1'eo =.
tho recent raids OF gaming houses. !
.,as tho closing scene and wlthal ..'e
moe. sncc,acular and dramatic OF .no
,n.rv incident 10 the discovery ma. .n
law against gaming was belns fioi'tsN
"a. various places in the citE-
,,o;soo,,a,, WYATT. who has occupied t'e
,,epl-o of the stage d'arinE the Gnu
drama, was again conspicuous Ses.ei .ss
afternoon It was he VINO aPpi,eu i,t
torch TO the steadily growing pie, cum
20 -, no devices for gaming known to
,no craft. and which Was steadliy aooeu
=, ,s FIST as the jani:ors in the CITY Haii
.,a,,,a drag the valuable fuel from me
basement where it was. STORED. fh"'u. eoe
.tood nv and watched the preparations
md the rising flames as they oeNoufeo
sE,a pile ,o.,
i; was about five minutes OF two "iiei
she torch was applied to the oisi'ian , '.eu
,abIes wheels and other devices. Which
,rera n,,ed near the pavement nearest the
c,ni,n, square and between there ana
a-ora.s ho4el II had been determined by
Police Justice Crutchtield and common
wealthis Attorney Richardson and others
what would be burned, and they hao
fixed the hour.
STATE TREES SCoRCHED-
Handsome tables and chairs. or cosli!
materials available for other than IN
lawful uses were rutflessiy sacrificed in
the general destruction, and as the flames
leaned IN material was constantly added
until the trees in the capitol square over
head were scorchcd and damaged by the
heat and the circle of curious spectators
around the pyre constantly EXTENDED as
tire heat grew fiercer and forced them
back
The wood work burned readily, but
stacks and boxes OF celluloih poker chips
added fury to the flames and made them
lean higher and higher. Again and again
the fuel carriers piled on more broken
furniture. until the entire outfits de-
stroyed. aggregating a value estimated
at more than five thousand dollars, were
prey to the fire.
It was a memorable scene and one
which was viewed with interest by hun
6reds some of whom stayed until only
ashes and embers were left, while others
went away after brief view and ascer-
tanning the cause of the unusual assem-
blage wonder when Ricll1nond will
witness such a. scene again.? asked one
spectator. Not in ten years. replied an
other. Never again. answered still an
other. We'll. it will not be Tong before
the games Will be running again, pre-
Gicted another They are running now,
Clipped in a doubter. and III bet ten
dollars on it, He found no takers. how
ever. Many humorous comments were
heard. and there were good natured sal
lies. even from some Of these who had
spent hours around the pretty furniture
now being wrecked. fer there We're two
or more of those fined for aiming among
the spectators, present.
SOME OF THE WITNESSES
There were many notew orthy persons
in the circle around the fire. Governor
and Mrs Montague were attracted to the
pcrtico Of the mansion by the sight of
the crowd and the rising flames and
viewed the strange scene. Colonel John
w. Richardson, register Of the land
office. and the adjutant general of the
State. Mayor Richard NJ. Taylor, Com
monwealth's Attorney Richardson. Police
Justice Crutchfield, Rev. John r. Bos-
man. Alderman John 3. Minor, Council
man Harry c. Glenn. who was of coun-
sci for defendants in the gaming cases.
and many private citizens We're of the
crowd AS the flames rose and the crowd
increased number of ladies were at
tracted and dozen or more of them
viewed the sight from the Capitol Square
From the windows Of the New Ford
and from surrounding residences many
looked down on the last act in the chap
ter of the gambling raids which have
had such an important effect on the
status of the police department
NOW A PILE OF ASHES
Now d pile of ashes. which ere this has
been read will doubtless have been re-
moved by the street cleaning department
are all that remains of thousands of
dollars worth OF valuable furniture, ma
1erlals, paraphernala and cards. Rou-
lette. faro. crap and card outfits. tables
over which many thousands have ner-
maps been won. lost or wagered, were
smashed or torn TO pieces and fed to the
devouring heat.
Inc materials taken from the place al
legged to have been run by Pres N,,cl,ole
who is absent from the city and has not
yet peen tried, were spared and will he
used In future as hbits in court if
necessary. -
:. Wlth the fire ends the present asita-
aioh. but 1T cannot be said that it has
ended gaming. That cannot be claime6
by any one.