The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-17
Bonds for Good Behavior, and
Promise of Better Life.
SPEECH OF MR.. RICHARDSON
Made An Appeal for Leniency on Be
half Of Those Who Had Worn the
GRAY in Defence of the Confed-
eracy, and for An Opportunity
FOR Young Men to Change
Their Mode of Living.

After serving FIVE hours in jail, paying
fine of 500 each. and giving security Oh
,,oo for their good behavior for twelve
months. the seven men VINO We're yes
erday tried on charge of displaying
tanning devices. were set tree at ifiio-
light. They have promised to lead
letter life, and one. at least. has already
egun TO earn his bread by the sweat OF
rs brow. With tears in their eyes three
If the men thanked Commonwealths At
prney Richardson for his appeal for
rniency. and declared they would never
gain seek TO make a cent by gaming
The result of the trial was due TO
lesire to shield the witnesses. many Of
hem innocent. from publicity. The seven
nen plead guilty TO the charge OF dis
,laying gambling devices. throwing them
s!ves upon the mercy of the court. The
variants charging them with conducting
rambling places we're dismissed. and when
hey left the city Jail last midnight, they
Eft as free men.
he SSUItilCe HfS oIlt ICY IS''' 49,
egally the day ends at midnight and SO
I've hours was the actual time spent IN
Me prison. These hours passed pleasantly
rs the seven prisoners were rendered
,anquet and mad guests TO help them
rhIle away the time. They ate, drank
md made merry, and there was little TO
senind them nlat they We're serving
,entence for violating the laws OF the
md.
Attorneys Harry Glenn and Harry
tnith, representing II. Coles Jordan,
Walter Gathright. William Phelps. NJ.
eellesrini. Thomas Lyons, Hector Pun
,ear and Samuel Miller, entered a plea
# guilty to the charge of displaying
raining devices. One day was imposed
" Justice John. With this the most cele-
rated gambling cases, probably the most
toted criminal action ever brought in Po-
ice Court, cases which have held the
attention of the public more closely than
my event for years, came TO close yes
crday afternoon
And with this same plea Of guilty and
,entence by the court the death lnell Of
rambling in Richmond was sounded for
me year al least. Justice John Crutch-
teld placing each Of the convicted mon
under a bond of 500 TO abide by the or
finances of the city and the laws OF
Virginia for TIE next twelve months. In
zach instance the fine was paid and the
bond readily given by the six men, only
\ slight delay being occasioned by liec-
lor Puryear, who was compelled to await
The arrival of his bondsman and the par
ty who put up the necessary hundred
.or the fine.
Really each of the men was compelled
10 pay S10i.25, the court costs amounting
10 the odd dollars and cents, making a
erand total turned into the cotfers OF
The City Treasurer, as result OF the
crusade of Acting Sergeant William Wy
MI, Jr. no less than S729.75. And in ad-
eition some three or four thousand dollars
worth of gaming devices will go up in
smoke one day next week by order OF
Justice Crutchfeld in enforcing the law
pertaining TO gambling houses.
PRISONERS wEPT-
The feature of the brief hearing of the
cases was reached when Commonwealth S
ATTORNEY David C. Richardson in refer
ring 10 the accused men. spoke of the life
of shame they had been living, referring
TO their families and future prospects.
during which time Coles Jordan, Walter
Gathrisht, Thomas Lyons and William
PHELPS wept copiouSiy, the Two former
stating to the prosecuting attorney. after
the case had been closed ana sentence
pronounced, that they would never again
endeavor to operate a gaming house. haN-
ing had a lesson which will last them
the balance of their lives
While the sentence of the court cans
for the payment of a fine OF s1eV ana
sentence of one day In jail. the SIN men
were confined in prison only tfihe over
five hours. entering the temporary piace
lor Incarceration on Nineteenth Street at
Il a
at midnight. The general impression pre-
vailed at the time sentence was pro-
rounced that the day in jail would detan
the men in prison for twenty-four hours,
but such is not the case, inaSmuch as
the law does not recognize any portion OF
a day a legal day lasting from midnight
10 midnight, and TO detain the convicted
gamblers after the clock struck twelve
last night the City Sergeant would have
held them longer than the court in
structed holding them over into another
day.
WITNESSES PLEASED.
Another feature of the case was the
pleasant faces worn by those being prose-
;cuted and the hundred or more witnesses
who We're present To offer testimony in
the event Justice Crutchtield had refused
to accept the plea and entered into a
trial. and although hardly audible. sigh
o: relief escaped the lips of numbers of
these se!fsame witnesses. They fully
Irealized that they had escaped the hu-
initiation OF appearing in court as. Wit
inesses against gamblers. jeopardizing
their position beth socially and CONNER
lcially.
Despite the fact that 1t was announced
in the morning papers yesterday that the
ga amblerS, through their attorneys. would
ienter q plea OF guilty and thus explode
the hopes Of the people who were burning
Tor new sensation. the court room was
packed and jatnned with a seething mass