The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-27
FOR PLAYING POLICY
AS THE RESULT OF A SEARCHING
INVESTIGATION
GRAND JURY INDICTED FOUR.
TWO INDICTMENTS AGAINST OWN
ERS OF POLICY LOTTERIES.

mOny of a Negro Named Mack
JOnes-TwO of the Negroes Caught
in the Raid Indicted-Three APP
peared Before the Grand Jury,
and Were Discharged.
Four indictments resulted from the
investigation which has been in prog
ress for some days before the grand
jury of the Superior Court in the
gambling cases. Two of these were
the outcome of the testimony obtained
in the raid made on the policy shops,
while as many were founded on the
testimony of a negro policy player,
who has for several days past been
engaged in drumming up evidence for
the grand jury.
On his testimony, which, it is said,
was substantiated by evidence which
he produced before the body, special
presentments for maintaining policy
shops were returned against Charles
j. Odell and Charles Levan. Present
ments were also returned against w.
Cuyler and Nancy Washington, two
negro policy writer's. who the officers
caught in the act of writing policy.
The negro who furnished the grand
jury with the information which re-
suited in the indictment of the two
white men is Mack c. Jones, who, ac-
cording to his own testimony, was I'M
til recently engaged in the business.
Both of the accused gave bond at
once.
Seven VIII BE Released
-
in the raid on Tuesday night have been
released on bond or discharged. Indict-
ments having been found against but
two of them. and those who are out
under bond will be released. The inves-
tigation developed the fact that there
was no evidence that the other seven
We're more than patrons and specta-
tors.
When the grand jury met there were
but three of the nine who were still
in Jail. These three, James Garnett,
John Randall and Ben Greene, We're
called as witnesses. Their explanation
of their presence, coupled with the alb
sence of evidence against them and
their general appearance, combined to
convince the grand jury of their limo
cence.
"UncIe Ben" Testified.
A feeling of intermingled mirth and
pity was occasioned in the grand jury
room when Ben Greene, an aged ne
gro, whose clothing, with the excep-
ton of a greasy blue jumper, were
mere rags, was called to testify. His
appearance itself would have justified
his release on a charge of policy writ
ing. Ben explained that he had never
played policy, and didn't know how the
thing was run He said that he was
on his way home from work and had
stopped in to buy some grits and bacon
for his next mornings breakfast when
he heard of the drawing that was 60
ing on in the policy joint. He had just
entered when the officers put in their
appearance
Did you break and run, uncle?" he
was asked.
mo, sab: I was perfectly charmed,
so soon as l seen the officer" came
the reply.
"Hft EN- Right" Sometimes.
Garnett and Randall did not deny
that they had ever played policy; in
fact, Garrett said that he hit 'em
right" now and then. They explained
that they were employed by the Cen
trail of Georgia and by the Cudahy
Packing Company, respectively, and
had just dropped in to see how the
drawing was coming on when the off,
GERS made their raid. All three of the
men fully expected to have to return
to the Jail under indictment, and the
announcement from the grand jury
room that they could go their way re-
joicing seemed too good to them to be
true. The officer was obliged to ex-
plain to them a second time that by
the grand jury's direction they were
discharged
Outside of the indictment of the four
men named nothing of Importance
: TRANSFERRED, except that each witness
was questioned particularly as to the
| ~. tho 1n1i -k,0 NH
six officers who conducted the raid on
Tuesday night were called as wit
nesses. Each one told of his particu-
lar part in the raid. 1t was upon their
testimony that the indictments against
the two negroes We're returned. The
witness against Cuyler is Deputy Sher-
iff Nose Lilienthal, while the indict-
, ment against Washington was found
on the testimony of Deputy Sherifs
Hartigan, Mccartney Meldrim and
FenneIl.
. Other Matters Probed.
There were several matters to which
the attention of the grand Jury was
: addressed, but there was not sufficient
} testimony to warrant the return of
more indictments When the body adj
: journed it was until Friday, April /
The return of the indictments against
the policy players who were caught in
the raid had been expected, and was
discussed among the members of the
sporting fraternity very freely. The
general belief was that the investiga-
ton by the grand jury would termi-
nate with the return of the indictments
against those caught in the raid
mode of punishment for the offenders.
differing widely from that prescribed
by Rev. A. NJ. Williams and that OBJ
served by the courts in the past. was
suggested by one of the sports in n
discussion of the probable outcome of
) the cases.
What the Sports Say.
why they will all get off. There's
nothing to it. All their lawyer has got
TO do is to plead lunacy You don't
tell me that any jury in Chatham
county won't return a verdict recon-
mending that the defendants be sent
to a funny factory. A guy who would
a kept his shop open in spite of all the
warning that was being blown, is all
bad above the ears. You can't tell
me-" This position was shared by
many of the sporting fraternity.
snort Sea Route to Eastern Cite.
Is via Merchants apd As,-o..