The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-25
Blind Tiger Was Found in Full
Operation When Police Ap-
peared to Stop the BengaI'S
Business.
MANAGER GEORGE GAY
PLACED UNDER ARREST.
Conviction on the Charge in
The Indictment Will Mean a
Thirty Days Jail Sentence
Trial June II.

Patrolmen Westenberg, Edwards,
Roberts and Longman under the per
sonal supervision of Sergeant Nc
Manus, raided the Westcott hotel yes
terday afternoon about o'clock and
found blind tiger" in active oper-
alton. The bathroom in the north end
of the corridor on the second floor
was doing service as a temporary sa-
loon. 1t was found in charge of How
ard Bass, cOlOred. a minor. Two
White men, Joe Lindsey. employed at
the hat factory. and Ed Thomas. bar
tender at the Waldorf saloon, We're in
the room drinking when the police
made their appearance. George Gay,
proprietor of the hotel was on guard
in room across the hall from the
bath room. Nh Gay was arrested and
cOnfisCated
Gay waived preliminary examin-
alton in the Wayne circuit court this
morning and gave personal cash bond
for $100 He is charged with viola
ton of the liquor laws. The case was
set for trial June II. BY filing the
case in the circuit court, the prose
cutor will avoid the chance of an ap
peal being taken from the decision of
lower court.
Conviction of the charge against
Gay carries with it a jail sentence.
The prosecuting attorney selected the
section of the statute which makes
the Jail sentence compulsory. The
trial will be before a jury. Gay has
chosen John F. Robbins as his attor
ney.
So closely was the bathroom watch
ed by the police just previous to the
raid, that the warning which was Civ
en- came too late to save the place.
the case against whom charge has
been placed. When Officer Edwards
reached the door to the room it was
closed in his face and an effort was
made to lock it but the policeman
turned the knob and forced the door
so that it could not be locked. Ed
wards was accompanied by Roberts
and the two blueCOatS forced their
way into the room. Sergeant Nc
Manus and Patrolman LOngman had
gone to the second floor by means of
the back stairway so as to cut off es
cape Officer Westenberg was en-
gaging Harry Williams. the clerk in
conversation at the desk while the
raid was in progress upstairs. VIII
liams however, had an opportunity to
warn those in the bath room by
means Of buzzer. of their impend-
ing danger.
When the officers entered the bath
room, they found a large quantity of
bottled liquor stored there. Both
Lindsey and Thomas held glasses of
beer and were seen in the act of
drinking.
A quantity of the liquor was stored
in a zinc tank, such as is used in ship
ment. This tank was packed full of
ice. In the room were a number of
wooden cases containing both filled
and empty bottles. The confiscated
property consists of three dozen emp
" beer bottles. three dozen filled bot
ties in a box, twenty-eight filled bot
ties in the tank, twenty-five empties
in tank, four seltzer bottles, one quart
bottle of Green Brar sour mash, one
quart bottle of Old Prentice whisky.
several empty whisky bottles, eleven
glasses, a gallon bucket of beer bottle
shoppers, one cork puller and several
bottle openers. In case of conviction
and upon an order of court requiring
destruction, all of the conrscated
property will be taken to the crema-
tory.
Gay appeared in circuit court before
Judge Fox this morning in company
with his attorney. When asked how
he felt he answered: Not very we'll
for little fellow" The attorney con-
Quoted all the negotiations and Gay
expressed his willingness that the
preliminaries be dispensed with.
Was Suspected
The proprietor of the Westcott ho-
tel has been suspected of conducting
a blind tiger for some months by the
police. Attempts TO raid the place
have been made previously but not
executed as warning reached the hotel
officers in time. II was stated by Su-
perintendent Bailey this morning the
practice at the hotel has been to shift
the locality of the tigers" lair re-
peatedly. II was asserted that differ
ent rooms about the hotel have been
made use of for bar room and care
full precautions were taken to avoid
the proba bility of discovery. The po-
lice say a system Of buZZe-s and call
bells had been arranged so that the
person dispensing the liquor refresh
ment could be warned by the clerk
without any delay. The employe in
charge had instructions to close the