The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-14
Great Interest Conferred I'm tho After
Trial In the Police
Court.
NOT MUCH EVIDENCE GIVEN
THE JURY LARGELY COMPOSED OF
BUSINESS MEN.
Dates Set for Trials of Other Men
Caught in the Raid on the
Cleveland Club.

Every seat in Police Court room was oc-
cupied yesterday afternoon when 'Bill'
Owsley, under the name Of William
Rogers" was tried for visiting the gam
bling house at No. 1873 West Washington
street, known as the Cleveland Club rooms.
The trial was before a jury and there
was great interest in the case, for the rea-
son that hard fight was expected on the
part OF the defendants. The prosecution
was not worrying much. 1t had conclusive
evidence. The only question was, What
will the fury do?" Several times in gam
bling. policy. saloon and other cases in the
court Juries had acquitted defendants, con-
trary to conclusive evidence.
The jury yesterday was secured without
much difficulty and was almost wholly
composed of representative business men.
Some OF them were Democrats and some
were Republicans.
The evidence introduced was rather brief.
consisting mostly OF the testimony of po-
licemen to the reputation Of the place
and the testimony Of Captain Kruger and
Sergeant Hagerman that they had found
the men In the clubrooms and under such
circumstances as to lead TO the conclusion
that gambling had been going 90 there.
over /, 100 poker chips which had been taken
from the rooms were exhibited. OF these
269 were taken from the players, who did
not at the time of the raid have chance
to cash in" young man giving the
name of Malone testified that he had
played there four times and lost $50. John
w. Hoffman, lawyer for Owsley. attempt
ed to destroy the effect of his evidence by
referring to criminal charges against him
and upon which no arrests had been made,
but was prevented from going far on that
line by a ruling by Judge Stubs that no
evidence except in cases where the witness
had been arrested would be considered.
The defense conducted but little cross
examination. Several members of the
Cleveland Club were called by the defense
as witnesses, and each OF them stated he
had seen no gambling there. They said
upon croSs-examination that they did not
know how the poker chips found in the
place got there. All said they had never
"kitties," or "take-off' boxes, in which
large number of chips were found on the
night of the raid, were used ticket boxes
when balls were given on the third floor
of the building. No one seemed TO know
for what purpose they stood beside the
gambling tables on the night of the raid.
Lawyer Hoffman relied much upon his
ability to convince the jury in argument
that the raid was part of a plan by the
Republican administration TO break up a
recognized political club-one of the pow
He forgot that Captain Kruger, who made
the raid so successfully. and Green Hager-
man, police sergeant, were Democrats. and
both formerly belonged to the club.
The jury retired shortly after o'clock,
and three-quarters OF hour later an
nounced that a verdict had been reached
Their finding was guilty and a fine of so
and costs.
Thirty men were arrested in the raid
All were released on bond signed by Fred
Heller. When the cases were called Monday
twenty-five failed TO respond. Yesterday
an effort was made by Hoffman to enter
appearance for the men in their absence,
but their bonds were declared forfeited
The gamblers also sought TO have the eight
other cases tried together, but this was
not permitted, and the cases will be tried
singly.
Lon Mcclellan, president of the club, who
was called by the State. denied upon the
stand that any part of the clubrooms had
been leased TO the gamblers. Most of his
statements were evasive.
The eighteen men arrested at the Cleve-
land Club rooms on Monday asked for jury
trials. and their cases were set for Feb. 20.