The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-26
PEOPLES FORUM
FIRST Hand Information. -

and timely editorials on the race track gamb- !
ling situation in Norfolk especially that In your
issue of April g. concerning the comments or
q Norfolk newspaper, il occurred to me that +
you might be interested in having some first
hand Observation-Disclosures this letter, for being
rather bald the writer has no fear OF being
dubbed a long haired fanatic" and in the name
OF public decency the people of Virginia should
AZ least be informed to the diagraceful
carnival or gambling carried semi annually /
under the prctext OF "a racing meet The
writer's active interest in the matter dates
from April last. when summons was I'M /
espectedly received to appear before the special
grand jury. called to consider the gambling
charges at the Having personal
knowledge of the situation. the writer decided
to visit the grounds and what doing
the facts are well known to all-from 500 to
LOCO men gather underneath the grandstand,
where are to be seen the bookmakers (although
according TO two honorable j. P.'s there is no
bookmakng). There you see at nearly every
supporting column of the building. three men.
one with a book pad who puts down the
bets, etc, another who takes the money and
a third who calls the odds
Like bees around pot of honey the
suckers congregate at each stand and pass
up the long green After about Is minutes of
TINS, all rush out and see a bunch of horses
run half way or more around the track Back
goes the crowd Though numbers drop out
with glum faces) and the lucky ones collect
While the rest take another bite. Nov he ii
observed this thing has not gone on once, but
several times in the past. and steps have
been taken by anyone In authority to suppress
or even raise point until mutterings too loud
To be ignored began to In. Protests
from citizens ana religious circles began
forward TO Governor Mann Soon the farcicai
trial for "bonkmaking' pulled off, and
enid great glee 1t was decided that no book
making had been done, The next act Ia the
comic opera the calling of the grand
jury and 1t must be said that the gentlemen
composing II did their full duty. They We're
supplied with copy of the statute by Judge
lsa"less. and after Investigating and hearing
witnesses, these men, among whom were some
OF Norfolks most prominent and Intelligent
business men. decided that the law covered |
the case effectually that they caused to be
indicted the jamestown Jockey Club, the man
ager or lessee of same, and the "bookmakars"
Next act-a bowling farce. comedy of
errors travesty of justice and tragedy of
law Scene THE jamestown Exposition
Grounds, an improvised court--dramatis per-
sonae Justice Carmine. enter near court in
automobile with Judge WILCOX attorney for the
race trackers. Commonwealth Attorney Mar
shall in automobile with billy" Young. vice.
president of jamestown Jockey Club.
Enter also, numerous "bookes." "one Levy
Jimmy Trehy. reputed political rex of Norfolk;
}, r. Prince president of jamestown Jockey
club; enter also very meekly) three plain
citizens, witnesses for the Commonwealth.
Aside. before the show begins, three 49,
"bookies side close to the aforesaid three
witnesses engaged in earnest conversation First
Booky You know what happened to that
-----~-- down In jacksonville, that there minister
that was always knockin' the races. you know" !
Second Booky-"Naw' First Booky--"Why
they put bomb under his house and blew IL
up; They didn't get the - but they got i
his wife and innocent baby. p Attorney No.
for the racers not being present, the case
was postponed to the convenient hour Of 5 20
Saturday =. NJ, after the days The
result of this trial IL well known--but the
methods OF ratiocnation by which the leaned
j. T. arrived at his decision be surmised
only The testimony was clear-out and cumu-
ative. The statute covering the If to the
tayman 50 plain that the wayfarng man
though fool need not err therein, The bet
ting was proven, yes admitted, the making of
books was proven, the occupancy of the grounds
by 'one Levy and others for the purpose
was admitted, the Interpretation OF the law
by the attorney for the races was about an
have been secured, namely-The law did not
forbid hettinc-it only forbade occupying
booths for such purpose!
Last scene of all that ends this strange
eventful history the erudite J. r with one ma
jestic sweep of his OF authority. Il dis
miss the charges"
Congratulations for the "hookies" sneers for
the witnesses jeers for the majesty Of the an
cient Commonwealth of Virginia, gthes for the
governor who had the manhood to "44Yterfere
and the gamblers carnival goes merrily
Now as to the extremely patriotic attitude
of those newspapers who howl loudly about
interference" and attacking Norfolk the
particular newspaper in question refused to pub
fish some anti-gambling resolution passed by
Norfolk Young Mems Bible class Of large
church
The newspapers have lain great stress upon
the fact that certain business organizations
have endorsed" the races. Not word about
the protests against them Some very pointed
things might be said az to the grade of in
( telligence of any business who viii endorse
such graft scheme as the racing meet. es-
pseiallg as it IL known that IL to 10 book
catching the suckers and that these 'suckers'
practically all come from the local community.
In what system OF business and political
economy these business men have been edu-
I Gated is worthy of investigation.
True. all the hotels crowded and no
doubt they need the money, but If any mer-
chant is richer. any legitimate business helped
by the sgnandering OF tens OF thousands of
dollars of local people into the hanGs OF the
outsiders who have come here to make a rich
haul YOU will have TO show me" did not
learn my business A. r. C.'s In that lingo.
Now 10 your little sduib about news
papers Of Norfolk great frames of public
opinion and moral mentors that they be-
allow me plain citizen and daily reader Of
said newspapers, to respectfully submit that
when the editorial sanctums are furnished with
more moral backbone and fewer political and
social weathercocks. the newspapers VIII then
regain what very few possess at this time, that
is. the respect and attention of the thinking
public. And this applies to the press generally
In conclusion, beg to especially commend
that part of your editorial wherein you state
that the majority of Norfolk people are OPP
house cleaning is needed and sooner later
viii. come--yes. there's great day coming
bye and bye.
AT present. in quarters of our fair
Commonwealth. the State emblem no longer
stands fer Sic semper .tyranns, a.lt, liz Law
lying PROSTATE. under the ruthless heel OF
political tyrant. Thus always to reformers'
~ his hrazen cry. But truth crushed 10 earth
VIII rise again. the immortal years of God
are hers
There already mutterings of the coming
storm. may 1t soon break and wipe away the
disgrace from the names of communities now
falsely called "democracies" but in reality boss
I ocracies.
Respectfully yours
E0EsEL EDWARD II f1'I' HELL. "