Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-29
POOL ROOM DESERTED
NOTHING DOING AT JACKSON
CITY YESTERDAY.

No effort was made to conduct business
at the Jackson City pool room or commits
sion house, it is called. yesterday after
noon. John C. Nelson and James LaFon-
taine. who were convicted before a magis-
trate for conducting gambling establish
ment contrary to law, and the five men
who were fined and sent to Jail as alleged
Migrants, because they were in the pool
room to back the horses or were there as
employees of the establishment as stated in
yesterdays Star. gave appeal bonds yester-
day afternoon and were released from the
county Jail. Nelson and LaFontaine gave
bond in the sum of 81 500 each, the amount
of the fine imposed upon them, and the
others gave security in the sum of 500
each.
The breaking up of the pool room busi-
ness at the resort across the river leaves
this section without place where money
can be placed on the races and where re-
turns may be received from the tracks.
There are hundreds of people in the city
VINO play the races almost every day, and
these people Will now be forced to patronize
the men who stand about the street cor
ners or other places and make the so-called
hand books. There are number of such
men in business, 1t Is said, despite the ef-
forts of the police to break up the practice.
The appeals noted in the Jackson City
cases will take the cases before the circuit
facts Will follow. 1t is the contention OF
the defendants that the manner in which
they conducted business on commission is
not violation of the statutes of the state.
1T is said there has not been a decision upon
the points that are to be raised. and Nelson
and his associates feel confident that after
the trial they will be able to open the room
and conduct business Conmonwealth's At
torney Crandal Mackey is equally confident
that the decision of the court will be ad-
verse to the defendants
Regarded as Pool Room.
The business conducted there was that of
a regular pool room, he says and the TAX
Ing of bets on the races and the paying off
OF the winners constitutes gambling A
surprise was sprung upon the defendants
by prosecuting them under the general
gambling laws of the state and not for an
alleged violation of the book making law.
Inc prosecution of the players and en-
ployes OF the place for alleged vagrancy
caused the alleged gamblers more concern
than did the filing of the charges against
two of the proprietors
Mr.. Mackey realized that the evil could
be better cured by roping in the players
than by the mere prosecution of the men
who are backing the business He con-
slders 1t unfortunate that his plans were
given away and that there was not a big
attendance In the room at the time he and
the officers reached there. The day before
the raid was made, it is stated, there were
more than a hundred men in the place.
mostly from this city, but the crowd was
composed of a class of men entirely differ
ent from the Jackson City element of sew
eral years ago. Before the room was
opened the word was passed along the line
that the color line would be drawn and
that no touts or hangers-on would be per-
mitted in the building. 1t was also given
out that no liquor would be dispensed upon
the premises, and the result was that the
crowd was orderly and no trouble was ex-
perienced during the three days business
was conducted.
Prosecutor Determined.
Mr.. Mackey is determined, however, that
no such business shall be conducted in
Alexandria county unless the court decides
that it is lawful. 1t is his intention to
raid all places where gambling is permitted
and to charge all the players, whether they
are from this city or the state of Virginia.
Inc experience of some of those who
We're arrested during the raid and charged
with Vagrancy, as stated yesterday, will be
the means of keeping them away from
Alexandria county in the future.
1T was the first time 1 had ever been
In Jackson City," one of the victims re-
marked to Star reporter land it will be
the last. am not a vagrant In any sense
of the word, but 1 narrowly escaped being
convicted. Once is enough for me-