Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-11
SHERIFF DECLIN Els
REFUSED TO SERVE WARRANTS
AT POOL ROOM.

81 won't serve the warrant today" said
Sheriff T. b. Middleton this morning, when
asked by the people from the vicinity of
Kenilworth to raid the pool room at that
place this afternoon.
Mr. Allan w. Mallery Mr. Francis Car
mody and Mr.. T. N Mohler composed the
party making the request.
The sheriffs statement so thoroughly dis
gusted the members of the committee that
they asked States Attorney Hampton Ma
gIuder II he could not assist them in bring
ing about the raid today
Can make the sheriff do his duty?
the states attorney was asked.
The attorney admitted that he was pow
erless in the premises and that the only
redress the citizens would have in the mat
ter, so far as the sheriff was concerned,
was to make an effort to have him indicted
for malfeasance in office. After a spirited
controversy in which the sheriff defended
himself against the rumors referred to by
Judge Merrick two days ago and the sheriff
had repeated his statement, II won't serve
the warrant today" the committee called
upon Judge Merrick and asked him If he
could render them airy assistance.
Il did not think the sheriff would balk so
soon," Judge Merrick remarked, when told
OF the sheriff's positive refusal to serve the
writ today. IF had any authority in the
matter l would not let the sun go down to-
day without closing the pool room and
bringing the proper persons to the h~r of
justice"
The Sheriff Admonished.
Mr.. Mohler and Mr.. Mallery explained to
Judge Merrics the amount of trouble and
expense to which they had been put in their
efforts to rid the county of what they term
ed an "intOerable nuisance" They ex-
planned that they We're acting in this mat
ter for the projection Of their homes and
families. and asserted they would not cease
the work until their efforts had been crown
ed with success.
Later in the day Judge Merrck called
Sheriff Middleton and advised him that he
should not shirk his duty. He told him
that in view of the many rumors that had
been floating around the state it would be
well for him to take prompt measures to
suppress any violations of law that may
be going on at the Kenilworth pool room.
The sheriff told the judge that he was
willing and ready to do his duty in the
matter.
After this consultation had been held the
sheriff repeated to members of the COM
mittee his original declaration that he
would not serve the warrant today.
Mr. Mohler called upon the states attor-
ney later in the afternoon, and the latter
prepared a warrant against one of the al
ieged proprietors of the pool room.
Suspicious Aroused.
The sports who have been attending the
pOOl IOOil at henllWOrtn were somewhat
uneasy yesterday because of rumors that a
raid was to take place. Some of them
manned away that account, as they
feared arrest and repetition of the expert
ence of the patrons of the resort at Wild
wood. a dozen of the players who were
caught in that raid We're driven across the
country in the night and had most I'M
comfortable experience. Many of those
who went to the pool room yesterday were
really disappointed at the failure of the
sheriff to appear The members of the
citizens associations had not completed
their work of obtaining the evidence
wanted by States Attorney Magruder,
however, and there was nothing to show
that either the sheriff or the constable in
that district taking an interest in the
investigation. The days work in the pool
room ended about the usual hour and the
usual number of disappointed faces were
seen returning to the city late in the
afternoon.
View of States Attorney.
Monday when the members of the COM
mlttees of the three citizens associations
called at Upper Marlboro and consulted
the states attorney, they were told by the
latter that the method employed by the
persons who were operating the pool room
did not relieve them of the penalties of the
gambling law. He cited the provisions OF
the law to the citizens and pointed out to
them how easy it would be to make a case.
While he was certain that the mere trans
fer of the money to be played upon the
races would constitute Il violation of the
law, he desired that every point in the
game should be covered.
Additional Information Secured.
Those who engineered the against
the gambling element, had met every
proposition suggested by the attorney at
the first interview, and "a soon as they re-
turned from Upper Marlboro they set at
work to get the additional information
All day yesterday was spent upon this
task and ii was nearly midnight when the
work completed. A citizen of Kenil-
worth went to Harper's Ferry, w. Va, to
investigate that end of the business of the
so-called Maryland Telegraph Company.
The printed money transfers or orders, as
they are called, contain information which
shows that the company purports 10 trans
port the money wagered upon horses to
Harpers Ferry, and it was for the purpose
of ascertaining If the bets were actually
transmitted to that place was 1t visited
yesterday Star reporter went to Har-
per's Ferry with them, and enough was
learned to satisfy the party that there is
but little in the claim that the bets are
actually wired TO the West Virginia town.
There were two messages in the telegraph
office addressed to r. T.. Lee & Co.. the
name of the firm designated the money
transfer blanks, but they were received be-
fore more than one-half the races had been
run.
10 you KNOW MT H. L. Lee. Il TtSlutHt
of Harpers Ferry was asked by a member
of the party.
Dick Lee do you mean?" he asked
Certainly know him. l expect he will be
here tonight. He came up two or three
days ago and wanted to me, but l was
out"
He explained that Mr.. Lee has summer
home not far from the town and said he
visits there occasionally now.
And he's fine man, too" said the resi-
dent of the town.
kilograms Await Claimants.
At the telegraph office the two kilograms
rested upon the operators table awaiting
claimant. 1t was explained by the operator
that when Mr.. Lee does not call at the
office for the messages they are sent over
10 the hotel and kept for him. The two
messages referred to were actually taken