The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-09
THOMPSON NOT HERE.
Leader of Gambler Quartette VIII
Stay in Hot Springs.

Three of Topeka's Big Four Gamblers,
81 Hurst, Wood Fowler and lobe To-
bias, according to the statement of the
latter made to the county Officers this
morning, viii return to the county jail
late this afternoon to serve the remain
der of their sentences for violating the
slot machine law Tobias called at the
Jail today and made arrangements with
Jailer Carl Lawson to furnish their
cells with beds and other convenient
and comfort-supplying furniture.
Mike thompson, the leader of the
quartette, will probably never serve out
his sentence. He is at Hot Springs,
and is reported to be in very poor
health Against him and his three part
nerS, the gambling charge under the
Cubbison law will be dismissed. and
simply the slot machine sentence main
tained- If Thompson never returns to
Topeka he win not have to pay the
penalty imposed upon him by the court
The county will not send for him.
County Attorney Otis Hungate is re-
sponsible for that statement.
Hurst Fowler and Tobias he said
this morning, came back and stated
that they would serve out the remain
der of their sentences if the gambling
charge is dismissed against them. To
this agreed They are here in the city
and are ready to go into jail The same
applies to Mike Thompson. He, how
ever, is not in the city. He will never
come back here again, and therefore
will probably never serve out his SEN
tence. But if he ever returns he will
be clapped into Jail at once. I am not
going to incur a lot of expense in send
ing after him. He is very sick, I know
from reliable sources. He Will remain
away from here. We are not going to
set him, and therefore i suppose that
he will never serve out his sentence.
His three partners viii complete their
term of Imprisonment and be dis
charged
That viii probably be the end of the
famous ga milling cases in Topeka. All
four were placed in Jail last year for
violating the slot machine law They
were also indicted under the Cubbison
gambling law. Thompson and Fowler
We're sentenced to four months each,
and Hurst and Tobias to TWO months
each. After serving a month, their at
torneys, Clemens and Magaws released
them on habeas corpus proceedings on
the grounds that the sentence was not
constitutional
Lately. however. the question has
been brought up that if they were i'm
properly sentenced, they should be pun
ished under the CubbisOn law which is
penalized with a penitentiary sentence.
The gamblers considered the matter
and decided to return and finish their
county Jail sentences, if the whole mat
ter would then be quashed This was
to finish the payment of their penalties.
According to newspaper reports
which emlnated from Hot Springs, the
gamblers lost all their money there 4
certain ring, it is said, controls the
gambling operations about the Springs.
and new corners are not tolerated The
story goes that the four We're feeced
and played for suckers to a Finish
Thompson, it is said, is now operating
a grocery store at that place, while
Hurst and Tobias worked for salaries
at other places
Tobias was asked this morning by
State Journal reporter to tell about
their losses.
mo, WON'T he said, you fellows
have been bawling us out by the col
umn- We don't want any more of
that"
well. did you fellows lose all that
money!
''Oh. no. he replied, softening down.
That's lot of talk"
He cut off the reporter and said: II
don't want to say anything and I
won't. We have enough newspaper
mention to do us