Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-23
POOL ROOM PROBLEM
THE ESTABLISHMENT AT KENu-
WORTH UNDIsTURBED.
Views Of Maryland Citizens For and
Against Permitting It to Con-
tinue Business.

Nothing has yet been done by Gov War
field or Judge Merrick in the matter OF re-
spending to the appeal of the citizens of
the county In the matter OF breaking up
the pool room at Kenilworth. People who
claim to be in position to know say that
nothing Is likely to be done by them this
summer. The counter petition Of citizens
who are against the county mourning the
additional expense of reconvening the grand
jury and having the matter investigated
has not yet been presented to Judge Mer-
rick. and. 1t is stated, will not be pre-
scented until the citizens present the pc
tition asking that such be done.
There Is no reason why the court should
be reconyened.' said resident of Prince
George county. to a Star reporter Let
the sheriff close the place and end the
business. and close the incident without the
additional expense"
In Missouri Gov. Folk Is having similar
trouble, and threatens to bring the struggle
to an end by calling out troops 1t was
stated this morning that the pool room at
Atlantic City had been closed, and that the
sports will have to go to Baltimore or come
to kenilworth to place their money unless
they want to patronize hand books Some
OF the people who are interested in the
pool room at kenilworth, 1t Is stated, were
also interested in the place in Atlantic City,
There is pool room at Wheeling. w. ".
where, 1t is stated AN annual license of
$1,000 Is paid. Some Washington people, 1t
Is said, are interested in that room.
Washingtonians are also interested 1t is
stated, in similar establishment in At
lanta. Ga.
Petitions Circulated.
A number of petitions have been clrcu-
lated throughout Prince George county
asking for expressions upon the pool room
problem. and several hundred signatures
have been obtained. 1t Is said the citizens
who are fighting the pool room made q
more thorough canvass than did the friends
or the hackers OF the horses. 1t was the in
tention of the protestants to file their pc
titions with Judge Merrick two weeks ago
but they have not yet been filed.
1t was Judge Merricks suggestion that
such petition be circulated in order that
he might have some ground upon which
to base his action should he reconyene
| the spring session of the court and the
delay. 1t Is stated. is due to the failure of
some of the canvassers to turn in their
petitions.
Some alterations have been made about
the pool room in order to satisfy the peo-
pie living in the neighborhood Of Kenil-
worth. The high fence about the property
has been moved back some feet. and the
place has been enlarged and otherwise
improved. 1t is known that some of the
people living about the neighborhood Of
the pool room are not SO anxious to get
rid of the gambling place as they were
shortly after the place was opened. One
| OF them told Star reporter today that he
favored imposing a license tax upon them
and applying the money to the school and
road fund.
Washingtonians the Patrons.
1.-THE money that Is bet in the pool room
Is bet by Washington people and not by
residents Of our county" he said. land the
closing Of the pool room will not prevent
the evil Intended. The people who want
to bet on the races will continue to put up
their money with the handbooks or gamble
| 1t in some other way and if our county can
get part Of 1t I'm in for getting it. Per-
sonaly l am opposed to gambling, and
would say that the pool room ought to be
crushed out. but it seems that the gamblers
are going to get their share of the money
and that they have to give up some of it in
order to be able to conduct business. 1t
is for this reason that I think the county
should get the benefit of 1t.
There Is no reason why Kenilworth
should not be incorporated and get tax
from the pool room promoters. This money.
say 5000 or $4,000 annually. would pro-
vide the incorporation with good roads and
lights within the course OF few years.
Understand" he concluded, II am lay
ing aside the moral side of the question and
giving my views of the case upon condi-
lions as they exist