New-York tribune., 1909-02-12
RAID IN GLLSEY HOUSE
POLICE VISIT EXCITES
"GREAT WHITE WAY"
Thirty-three Mem Arrested IN At
legged Poolroom-EJeUdtor In
dicator DetectiueS' Cleo.

The Gilsey House was the scene of raid on
an alleged poolroonn on the second floor by the
police of the Tenderloin station last night. and
there was considerable excitement on the Great
White Way when three patrol wagon loads Of
prisoners were started for the station house.
The man who the police say was the pro-
prietor of the alleged pooroom gave his name
as John Humphries He had lived at the Gisey
House, he said. for twelve years. He was taken
to the police station in taxicab. as he was sur
fering from Iocomotor ataxia. The police say
that Humphries's real name is Frederick COW
ing
Detectives Conlin and Devanney. of Inspector
McCiusky's staff and the West 30th street sta
tion say they found the alleged poolroom after
nearly a weeks work. They say that the indt-
Gator over the elevator shaft the main floor
Of the hotel aided them I'm their efforts BY this
they,noted that larger number of persons left
the elevators at the second floor than any of the
other floors. This. they say, led them to suspect
that rooms 20 and 10 in the hotel were being
used as pooIrooms
Among the thirty-three prisoners taken in the
raid the police say. there were many well known
business and sporting Many gave fcti-
tious names when examined in the West 3oth
street station.
Inspector McCIusky, in charge Of the Sd In
spection District received a letter about eight
davs ago which said that gambling was going
on in the Gilsey House He and Captain
O'Brien OF the West 30th street station, as
signed Detectives Conlin and Devanney to in
vestigate as the letter bore no signature The
detectives haunted the hotel day after day for
nearly a week.
The number of persons who left the elevators
at the second floor surprised the detectives.
They investigated and found. they say, that
most of them entered Room 40 They observed
that on the door of Room AZ there was card
that read Entrance No. 40" The detectives
consulted the hotel register, and say that they
discovered the occupant of this suite to be
Frederick Cowng
The detectives say they followed man into
Room 40, and found thirty-three men, including
the alleged proprietor of the place in the two
rooms. They also say that there were three
telephones, number of racing charts, and the
racing sheet for the day of Western track in
the place
Conlin and Devamaey say that when they en-
tered the rooms the man who gave his name as
Humphries was seated at table in the centre
of one Of the two rooms. The man they fol-
lowed in they say, walked up to Humphries ana
pIaced IS on the table saying at the SAME time
aE,ive dollars on Minot. win in the fourth
race Oakland"
After the raid the police said that large sums
., money had changed hands in the alleged
,,oo1roorn They said that 1900 up on the
es+ race 81 46O on the second. and $1,000 on
the third race.
when ,,onIin and Devanney announced that
tho men in the rooms were under arrest
Hunphries fell across the black table they say
He seemed TO have collapsed. They learned that
he had been a sufferer from locomotor ataxia for
some time.
The hotel managers denied that they knew
ANYTHING about the existence of the alleged pool
room.
Humphries was charged with keeping ana
maintaining a poolroom. Frank Marks gave as
security for him an apartment house in West
o5tb street. valued at 100000. The other pris
oners were charged with aiding and abetting
Hurnphries They also were bailed out in rapid
succession