The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-05-15
Raid on Racing Game.

Wildwood poolroom, just over the Dis
trict line in Prince Georges County, yes
day afternoon 10y Sheriff B. N. Hardesty
of Prince Georges County; Constable
Wallace Raybold, of Bladensburg Ed
ward I. Benton, Jr., and Mr. Richard
Hardisty, the sheriff's son, who have
been procuring evidence against thu
place. Armed with warrant from Jus
tice of the Peace Cross, of Seabrook, they
swooped down on the resort with posse
before it's proprietors could be warned by
an outrider on the road, and arreste
three men-Benjamin Andrews and Rob
ert Turner, the reputed proprietors, ane
Jack Farrell, said to be one of the en-
ployes.
The three were bundled into the big
wagon that had brought the party and
taken before Justice Of the Peace Cross,
at Seabrook. They were each held in
$1,000 bail for the grand jury.
1t is said that the resort will open a.
usual to-day, and that Messrs. Turner
and Andrews do not seem to mind their
arrest in the least. The meeting of the
grand jury is long way off, and nothing
can be done until it meets. Sher-
if Hardisty and Mr.. Benton assert that if
the place is opened to-day it will be raid
ed again, and that it will be raided every
day.
An effort will be made also to secure a
special meeting of the grand jury imme-
diately. 1t is asserted by those interested
in the prosecution of the proprietors OF
the place that the case is of sufficient i'm
portance to warrant the special meeting
Another eff 1rt is to be made to close the
place permanently by driving its proprie
tors out of the resort by dispossession
proceedings.
The raiding party consisted of Sheriff
B. N Hardesty, Constable Raybold, Ed
ward T. Benton, w. II. Benton, and John
G. Benton, of Hyattsville; Richard Har-
desty, Mr.. Carrick, of Bowie, and Mr.
Thomas Beale and Mr. E. L. Houseman
of Bladensburg
The raiders say that on the way out to
Wildwood they met a ''spotter" on fast
horse, who turned back and rode furious
ly for the resort. They galloped theil
team all the way, and arrived only mo-
ment after the man, who had not time to
get the gamblers out of the place before
they arrived.
The posse met with no resistance when
it showed its warrant from Justice of the
Peace Cross. The three men placed un-
der arrest made no comment, but clam
bored into the wagon with jokes about
the pretty ride ahead Of them.
After they had given bond they disap-
peared, only making the comment that
business would be quite as good today as
it was yesterday.
Mr.. Edward T. Benton, Jr., was largely
instrumental in securing the raid on the
place. He is working to have the pro.
prietors dispossessed also. MIR. Benton is
a candidate for the legislature from the
Bladensburg district on the Republican
ticket. He has been working on the case
for several days, and has had two OF
three exciting experiences in gathering
evidence. He asserts that be was assault
ed last Wednesday, and that he has been
approached on several occasions with Of
fers of hush money. Mr.. Benton said
last night after he returned from the
raid:
II heard of the poolroom last Monday
from Detective Horl, of Washington. I
set about seeing what could be done to
close the place. The next morning a
Bladensburg politician informed me that
l had been put on the payroll of the re-
sort. 1 told him that my name might as
well be scratched off the roll. That day
l went to Marlboro and saw Sheriff Har-
desty. On Wednesday I went to Wild
wood to get evidence against the place.
Andrews knew me. He accosted me
at once, and told me that he had paid for
protection in Prince Georges county,
and that if wished TO get the nomina-
ton for the Legislature I would better
drop my case against him at once. I told
him that did not want his support. He
then ordered his people to put me out of
the place. was hit several times, and
left, but not until I had got all the evil
denceI needed"
Mayor Kinnear, of Takoma Park, on
made an investigation tour to
the Wildwood resort. Mayor Kinnear
did not 60 disguised, and he did not go
to risk any of his or the towns
money on the ponies. Whether it was
for this reason or not that he did not en-
counter any exciting adventures caunot
be said. Mayor Kinnear said yesterday
his visit:
Il went all over the place except that
| could not penetrate the poolroom. 1t
may be also that there were some other
places in the resort that were not shown
me. noticed no disorder or drunken
ness. | saw no roulette or other games
of chance. l had long interview with
one Of the proprietors, and he assured me
that things were quite what they seemed.
He said that it would be impossible to
let me inspect the poolroom, as there
were formalties of some kind, regarding
club membership, which l could not
comply with.
I'VE have all the evidence we need,
however, and promise you the place is
to be closed up, and that without doubt
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