Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-01-14
THE ST. AsAPH CASES.

examination of the charges against GER
: tain individuals arrested at ST. Asaph
| last Monday evening, who are charged
with book-making and promoting bets
on horse races.
Commonwealth Attorney Brent con.
Quoted the prosecution and Messrs. Ed
mund Barke and G. G. Carlin appeared
for the accused.
The court was called to order at 1890
O'Clock by Justice Cation.
Mr.. Carlin moved that the indictments
be quashed
This motion was overruled, and Mr..
f. G. Dunn, City Engineer, was put
upon the stand. He testified that the
pool room which had been raided was
$50 feet inside the one-mile jurisdiction
of Alexandra.
Lewis Bargin, manager OF the old
Dominion Telegraph st st. Asaph, was
the only one of the accused arralgned.
Chief Webster told of the visit OF the
Alexandria police 10 the pool room last
Monday evening. He saw ne game in
progress, but said the telegraph service
was in operation. Witness saw black.
boards, but no numbers on them, but
found books, tickets, sheets, &C., which
be produced in court; he did not take
these things from the person ofany one.
Cross examined by Mr.. Burke-Witness
said the building in which the raid was
made was on the premises when horses
we're run at St. Asaph.
Mr.. Frank Taylor told of betting on
horses last Monday. He went into de-
tails concerning the manner of conduct
ing business at st. Asaph. No COM
missions we're collected from winners by
the st. Asaph people.
Mr.. Burke said the defense would
submit as evidence the charters of the
Gentlemen's Driving Park and Old
Dominion Telegraph Company.
Charles Burlingame, employee of the
Old Dominion Telegraph Company,
was the next witness. He described
the manner of transmitting bets to the
West Virginia Athletic Association and
the orders for their payment. Witness
said the company sent miscellaneous tele-
grams and during the Spanish war the
government used the wires, which were
at the disposal of anyone.
Frank Shocks, another employee of
the Old Dominion Telegraph Company,
took the stand. His evidence did not
vary materially from that Of the preced-
ing witness.
The defense introduced as evidence
the charter of the Old Dominion Tele-
graph Company, which it was averred,
allowed it to transmit money in con-
nection with business lawful in West
Virginia and unlawful in this State.
Lewis BargiD. manager Ct the Old
Dominion Telegraph Company, took the
stand, but his evidence was substantially
that of Messrs. BurliDgame and
Shocks.
The charter of the West Virginia
Athletic Association at Harper's Ferry,
to which organization dispatches are
sent and from which others are received,
was offered in evidence by the counsel
for the defense.
Mr.. Brent, after all the witnesses had
testified, presented the case from the
standpoint of the prosecution, in which
he maintained that the charter of the Old
Dominion Co. never contemplated al
lowing the company to conduct the BUSH
ness recently in vogue at st. Asaph. lie
averred that the accused was guilty as
charged, end read acts of Assembly to
substantiate his assertion. He, however,
said he had no desire to further prose-
cute the st. Asaph people now that re-
sort was closed, and asked that the
minimum fine $500 be imposed on
Bargin and that the other parties in Gus
tody be released on their own recogni-
zauce to appear any time within the
next two months. In the courseof Mr..
Brent's arguments he referred tc
criticisms made of his action in connec'
! ton with the arrests at st. Asaph. He
said he xpected to be criticised as publ
. officer, and took no offense, but when
l the Mayor OF the city took exceptions II
e the action of the Chief of Police and in
s directly to that of the Commonwealth s At
torney, the speaker would say that if thu
8 Mayor supposes the policemen are his prl
g vate property and can make no movement
e without notifying him, he is much mis-
! taken. In dsmissing the matter III
. would repeat the observation concerning
< fools rushing in where angels dare no
S tread. Mr. Brent said he had Away
: eudeavored to aid the Mayor in every
G manner possible.
Mr.. Burke, for the defense, followed
s Mr.. Brent.
Mr.. Burke spoke an hour and hal
He urged that the charter OF the vi
y Dominion Company allowed it toforwar
= money, and that the company was nc
10 amenable to any law passed prior to th
granting OF their charter.
h He was followed by Mr.. Ca.lin, VIII
spoke about half an hour. He said thu
"a MIR. Burke had about exhausted the cast
l. but in the delivery of his arguments
= brought out severa! additional points
&c the lines which had been followed B
r Mr.. Burke.
Is At the close Of the arguments Justi'
J.. Cation gave a concise summary OF u
t. case. He took the ground that the Ia
lie had been violated in that the accuse
III had accepted wager, as the eviden'
=. showed; further that the wager was con
T. pleted and the ofense committed beio
90 the telegram was sent. de referred