New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-05
THIRTY POOLROOMS OPEN
SO DECLARES JEROME.
Says He VIII Fight the "Outft'
That Permits Them.

Before Judge Cowing. in the Court of General
Sessions. yesterday. District Attorney Jerome
made the statement that poOlrooms had been
opened in this city recently at the OF three
day. 4 could furnish privately to your honor
the names and locations Of thirty poolrooms that
running in defiance OF the law to-day" he
added
Mr.. Jerome was moved to make the state
ment apparently because counsel for Edward
Graham and Annie Simmons. who had been con-
victed just before Christmas Of running pool
room for women in Eighth-st.. made an appeal
for clemency as the prisoners were up for SEN
tence Mr. Jerome said that far as there
had been any suppression OF the poolrooms II
due to the efforts Of the District Attorney.
II know Il is unusual for the District Attorney
TO appear when prisoners 10 be sentenced
and ask that no lenience be shown to them.
he said. but I understand that there is q plan
by poolroom keepers in this county to tie the
hands OF the District Attorney IN these cases
so that he cannot prosecute them"
1T IS not in my province TO make any COM
ment on the law, but TO enforce IT," Judge
Cowing said. This is the first time in
great many years that the District Attorney
has enforced n law that apparently has been
unenforceable"
Judge Cowing then sentenced Graham TO
pay a fine Of 500 and inflicted fine OF $50
in the woman's Later, Mr.. Jerome said
ne did not think ines had much effect IN fright
ening the booksellers. Terms of Imprisonment
might have a deterring effect
For two years." Dir. Jerome continued, "a
few pooIrooms have been doing business in this
city but they have been conducted quietly
and with barriers 10 the general public. There
has been a marked tendency the other way
however. during the last three or four months.
and many running openly now.
IF these fellows think they going TO
put this town back as it was in the fall of
1901 they must first get out of office
will use every power my office possesses TO
fight this cause
You know what open pool rooms mean.
They mean corrupt police. and l propose TO
fight the outfit that permits this condition Of
affairs to exist. What I do depends of course
on public sentiment and the judiciary
''T have no occasion to criticize the judiciary.
and l think public sentiment is with me. AS
chief law officer Of this county I think will
have the backing OF the judiciary. public senti-
1nent and the press combined"
When the statement Of District Attorney
Jerome that there were poorooms running in
open violation OF the law was shown to Police
Commissioner McAdoo ne looked surprised.
WELL weuw he calculated, IF that's the
case we will attend to them right away"
Have you heard from Mr.. Jerome in regard
TO these alleged pooroomsf" Mr.. McAdoo was
asked.
mo I have not" he replied
"Haye YOU had any communication with Mr..
Jerome since you took Officer
Not as vet" replied the Commissioner. II
am not very well acquainted with the District
Attorney but I know of him in a personal
wav and appreciate that he has done some ex
cellent work"
CoDtain Burfeind, OF the Tenderloin precinct
when he heard what Mr. Jerome had said. de-
clared that if there was any such number OF
Doolroons in his precinct he didn't know It, and
they were being conducted so secretly that there
was no way OF discovering their Whereabouts.
There were seven eight poOlrOor7s in the pre-
cinct that he knew of, but he was unable to get
evidence against them. although he was doing
his best to do so every day. In these places no
small bets were made. the WaGeTs running from
coterie of