Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-09
CITIZENS ORGANIZE
Association Formed to Fight
the Pool Room.
OFFICERS ELECTE D
EXPERIENCE OF THOSE WHO
VISITED KENILWoRTH.
Strong Condemnation of the Manage
ment of the Resort-the Appeal
to County Officials.

Mr. IT N Mohler near Tuxedo, and form
ed what is to be known as the Tuxedo Cit
liens Association. One of the first things
done by the new association was to pass
resolution thanking The Evening Star for
the interest 1t has taken in the welfare OF
the people of the county.
There was a large attendance of residents
of Tuxedo and vicinity and in the speeches
made by them the sentiment OF the people
of the county was voiced, so far as the
matter of the pool room was concerned
Some of them had been in the pool room
at Kenilworth and the experience was a
novel one. 1t was their first visit to a pool
room. Such a place, they agreed, was
blot on the fair name of Prince George
county and tie good name of the state.
Similar pla ces had been tried in the county
before, it was stated. and had failed. 1t
has been but few years since there was
an attempt to run such an establishment
at Magruder's station. Later a gambling
place was conducted at Highlands and then
came the big pool room at Wildwood. All
were held to have BEEN conducted in viola
ton of law and were closed.
The Wildwood Case.
1t was not until after a hard fight was
made against the Wildwood room that the
place was raided by the sheriff. In that
raid number of players were arrested and
taken before a magistrate. All the gam
bling paraphernalia was taken to be used
in evidence and the place closed. This is
exactly what the people of the county want
Sheriff Middleton and Deputy Sheriff Dove
to do at kenilworth. They were anxious
that the raid should be made at the time
the place was opened, but up to last night
no action had been taken. It Is because
the county officers did not act that the peo-
pie of the county have held the several In
dfgnaton meetings and been put to the
trouble and expense of placing the matter
before the authorities. If the pool room
managers have the legal right to conduct
their business, as they claim they have the
people of the lower end of the county want
TO know 1t There are gamblers in other
parts OF the country who are equally anx-
ious to be enlightened on that point. Some
OF them, II is stated are already looking
about for property upon which to open sim
liar establishments. 1t is thought some of
the gamblers have their eyes upon the
wildwood property. where they would not
De put to the expense of erecting build
ing and others have been inspecting In the
vicinity OF BladenSburg 1t is thought that
none OF them will want to go to Chesa-
peake Junction because an act of the last
Legislature will prevent the sale of LIQUOR
at or within one mile of the place
Residents Alarmed.
The situation has greatly alarmed the
residents OF the county, and many of them
are unable to understand why something
has not been done. 1t is realized by them
that the opening Of such place in this
city would have caused raid and arrests
long ago. 1t would have given the courts
chance to test the legality of the bust
ness, and something definite would have
been accomplished. There is no intention
on the part of the citizens of the county
to give up the fight, however. and they are
satisfied that if Judge Merrick will recon-
vene the grand jury and have the pro-
prietor OF the resort brought into court
they will be able to put an end to the
business in short order.
Such action will cause the county some
expense. but the citizens think the money
will be well spent, and that the investment
will be a paying one. 1t is their belief that
the promoters of the betting game expect
to remain in business only during the re-
cess of the court. They were careful it is
claimed, not to open their place until after
the adjournment of the April term of the
court. Knowing that the next regular
session of the court is not to be held until
October, it is believed they thought that
the magistrates could not hurt them much.
These officials could only hold them in bond
for court. Most of them, 1t Is said. are
willing to take the chances of being heav-
lily fined for the privilege of conducting
such paying game for six months. I'M
prisonment is the only thing that they
fear. The payment of fine would be no
more in amount than the payment of a
license fee. The people of the county are
in the fight to stay, and only the breaking
up of the establishment will satisfy them.
Remedies Suggested.
At last nights meeting of the Tuxedo
people opinions were freely expressed and
remedies suggested. Mr.. Malery, Mr.
Mohler, Mr.. Davidson and others told of
their first experiences in pool room They
went to the room for the purpose of get
ting evidence against the place. While
there they learned of the efforts that are
being made to eyade the law Bets were
made, but If the winnings were intended
TO supply them food for today they would
have gone hungry. About a dozen bets
were made by those who went there for the
purpose OF getting evidence. They laid
their money on the horses on the Belmont
track in New York, the Fair Grounds track
In st. Louis, and the horses that are run
ming at Lexington One of the dozen
tickets, it is stated, was cashed but not for
anything like the amount of money that
the several men played. Mr. Mohler said
IT was enough to make mans heart ache
TO see the people in the pool room betting
their money Some of them, he stated
were business men, others were hard work.
ing people whose families needed every cent
they could get, and with some others, he
thought there was serious question as to
how they got their money.
But it all goes one way he said. land
| think 1t is about time that the officers of
it." " " ~ ppAe IA - p9' d stop 10
Expresses Confidence in Sheriff.
For the benefit of those who had not at
tended the other meetings, Mr. Mallery told
OF what had been done in the matter of
appointing committees and calling upon
some of the officials at Upper Marlboro
He told of the receipt of letter from
Deputy Sheriff Dove in which the writer
said he knew Sheriff Middleton would do
his duty in the matter. Rev. L. " Dickey
suggested that IL the sheriff will not act
In the matter the people ought not to per-
NIT him to serve. He said he thought IL
was an outrage on the good people of the
county that such a place should be per-
mitted to exist
'If the law Is being violated" he said "it
is the duty of the sheriff to go there and
break 1t up. If burglars come into the
community and rob homes. it Is his duty
to make arrests and seize the tools; why
then, should he not close this place and
seize the tools by which the law Is said to
be violated? These men are taking in the
money while somebody Is delaying in the
matter of stopping them and are laughing
while they are doing it,"
Mr.. Arthur Schofield denounced the place
In severe terms and told of the trouble
that was experienced by the people In an
other part of the county He referred to