Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-01-11
GAMBLING IN SPARTANBURG?
Hotel Proprietor and Members of
Social Club Indicted.

math Of the raids made on the Ar
gle Hotel early last Saturday morn
ing by Chief John Hill and Lieuten-
ant Alexander Fleming, of the police
department, in which eleven men
were caught playing poker and later
fined S25 each by Mayor ]. r.. Lee,
the grand jury yesterday took up
charges against w. II. Hester, pro-
prietor Of the hotel, A. ]. (Jack)
Bates and w. H. Burlington of run
ming gambling house or gambling
room.
The grand jury is also investigat-
ing charges against J. H. Merritt,
alias J. H. Merrill, and others, of
the Merchants Club, that they have
been violating the dispensary law
and maintaining nuisance
Chief Hill and Lieutenant Flem-
ing were called before the grand
jury and presumably gave the
names Of those whom they caught in
the poker game at the Argyle, for
bench warrants were at once issued
for number Of men who will be
called to testify before the granl
jury In the matter this morning.
On Request of Citizens.
The grand jury is investigating
the gambling affair at the request of
number Of citizens of Spari burg
1t is understood that three promi-
nent men wrote letters to the grand
jury, calling attention to the raid.
the fact that the names Of those
caught were suppressed and the ru-
mors that have been flying thick and
fast since the arrests were made,
and asking that the whole affair be
sifted to the bottom. The letters
are said to have been remarkable in
their vehemence.
After hearing Chief Hill and Lien
tenant Fleming the grand jury sent
for Solicitor Otis and asked him to
prepare bills against those accused
OF running a gambling room at the
Argyle. They also requested him to
draw up bills in connection with the
charges against the Merchants Clue.
Solicitor Otis was unwilling to
talk of the Investigations, SAYING he
could not divulge the secrets Of The
grand jury room. He said, however,
that several persons were involved
in the charges against the Merchants
I'm q hnt
violating the dispensary law and
maintaining nuisance
He said also that more than one
person was concerned in the Argyle
Hotel charges. The grand jury, he
explained, will only take cognizance
OF the alleged running OF a gambling
house. So far as the misdemeanor
or gambling itself is concerned, It is
a matter to be disposed Of in a mag
istrate's court. BY a recent act of
the General Assembly the maximum
penalty for gambling is 500 or 80
days, and the Court of General Ses-
sions does not have jurisdiction.
Can BE Prosecuted.
The names Of those said to have
been gambling at the Argyle are
pretty well known" said Solicitor
Otis. "Therc are two magistrates
In the city. # any citizen feels ag-
grioved he can go before magis-
trate and swear out warrants against
these men on information and be-
lief. They can be prosecuted in the
magistrates court Notwithstanding
the fact that they have been tried
before the mayor"
How far the grand jury will pro-
ceed in its efforts to "clcan up" the
city remains TO be seen. Probably
a score OF witnesses were examined
yesterday In the Merchants Club
matter, and it Is expected that as
many more will be examined to-day
IN that and tho Argyle cases.
The Merchants Club was charter
ed only recently.
Fn S1 i.