Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1905-01-01
SAYS POKER IS
NOT CHANCE GAME
GERMAN JUDGE THINKS IT IS
NOT GAMBLING
Asserts That Highest Courts Have
Left II an open Question
Whether Science Prevails
In This Psstime
Special Cable to The Herald.

Special Cable to The Herald.
BERLIN, Dec s1.--A case has Just
been tried at oldenburg which is In
many aspects sensational. Herr
Schwetznert editor of the Oldenburg
Residensbote, has been sent to jail for
twelve months for writing articles ae-
cusing Herr Ruhstrat, minister of JUS
tice, education and religion in the
grand duchy, OF perjury. Some
months ago the Residenzbote published
a series of articles, in which the min
lister was accused OF high play at
games Of chance, and various other
revelations were made rejecting on
this gentleman.
Herr Ruhstrat brought an action
against Schwertznert, and, as witness
in the trial point-blank swore that
since he became minister he had never
played games Of chance. The result
of the trial was that Schwetznert was
sentenced to six months imprisonment.
Before he was called to undergo his
term in jail, the editor wrote the arti-
cles which were the subject of the
second trial, which has just concluded.
In these articles Schwertznert said that
Ruhstrat had sworn to an untruth.
knowing it to be untrue. The trial re-
vealed the existence of an extraordi-
nary state of affairs in the little capital.
The minister, Herr Ruhstrat, when
examined as a witness, adhered to his
statement that in the restaurant where
he and his friends played he had in
obliged in no games of chance since his
elevation to his present post. He
sometimes played poker, among other
games, that was all. Asked If poker
was not game of chance, he said 1t
was not, and that courts of Justice had
left it an open question. A waiter,
named Laturnus, deposed to the heavy
playing which went on with Ruhstrat
as one of the players. He said that
the minister was the maddest gambler
among the company. The gentleman
often borrowed money from witness
and from landlord. Once, when the
landlord declined to advance any
money, Ruhstrat took the key of the
safe out of the landlords pocket and
went with him to get money. Another
witness swore that the company, as
rule, only left off play at daylight.
The officers who were engaged in play
went straight from the tables to their
morning duties in barracks.
A waiter named Meyer swore that he
also lent the players money. When
he happened to come near the table
they used to throw thalers and five
mark pieces at his head. He made 1t
his business, he said, to come as often
as possible in the vicinity of the play
ers, as it was an easy method of OBJ
tanning considerable sums of money
The players were also in the habit of
brushing silver off the tables and
leaving it for the walters to pick up
When the maids came in the morning
to tidy the room the players were still
at work. He overheard a young lieu
tenant say to friend Of his. to whom
he had lost 5000 marks, and who in
sisted on being paid next day, IF that
is your last word, you will find me to-
morrow In the river"
AS matter of fact, this officers
body was shortly afterwards taken
from the river Hunt tie.
It may be addei that the editor,
Herr Schwetznert, alleges that he is
very badly treated in prison. He is
compelled to work at STRENGTHENING
for eleven hours daily. The trial, with
all Its accessories, has cast terribly
Iurid light on the administration OF
justice in Oldenburg, and on what is
going on behind the scenes.