The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-29
LOUIS Belts IS
TAKING VACATION
Has No Desire to Hold Conver-
sation With District At
torney Whitman.
ION THE SQUARE" GAMBLER
No One Inagines That He
Knows Anything OF the
Rosenthal Murder.

iNoSCllilldt IINfQ6f.
With the migration Of gamblers from
New York that occurred soon after the
murder of Herman Rosenthel. there
came 10 this city. as we'll as to others
IN the United states. many faces that
were familiar in days gone by. None
OF those who saw " handwriting on
the wall was bettei2aknown here than
Louis Belts. who was born reared and
turned his FIRST card ia Richmond lie
is one Of those who left her, when
things began To tighten up. and has
7pde Eood' among the big gamblers
OF the metropolis
Now it is said that he is worth in
the neishhcrhood of s2OO.O0n. maybe
more. and that ne is on the inside"
with the biggest of tho New York
gamblers. Among those who knew him
oest When lie was but a small fry
here some twenty years ago it is whis-
pered that ne oven owns a good share
OF stock i'm most of tho biggest gam
Ding houses in thu East. all along the
coast from New York and a boz. to the
watering places of Florida
That Belts kpows some things that
District Attorney Whitman would like
TO know is accepted as q foreeone con
clusion He left New York when the
4 1.
and ne has not nc.n there since This
is because Belts is Thoroughly familiar
with conditions rather than that he is
suspected i'm the smallest way of belns
acquainted with the doincs Of the
'sangsters-' Mon here who knew him
well years ago when ne was bur a
promising faro dealer who riiled the
cards ana was content with his so much
ner week. along with the chicken
iced and VINO have frequently visited
him in New York since he became. q
man of means and influence. all say
that he is square and would never
countenance anything that even Dor.
dered upon the ouiraEes that Backe,
ana his men are alleged to have per
petrated
Sul it is q safe BET that he could 90
10 the district attorney and by giving
up what he knew gain immunits If
he needed it-ani other things from
ihe state But he won't 10 that I'M
less something most unexpected hap
pens, which Is not likely. as Belts IS
the kind Of man who has way Of an
ucipatins avents
he rs not in the city now II is said
That Inc is soIourniug for time at
Atlantis City. though he is likely to
he stopping 10 any big city in any
state except New York lie is not In
New York and II you could tall, to hm
he probably would say that ne would
remain away from his haunts inden-
niteiy.
Merry Young Man.
Back In the old days, whom things
were wide opcn in this town. when
gambling houses ran without cover.
Betts became known to tine fraternity
merely as pleasant. Merry young man
who presidcd over the "layouy' ~ tn,
most respected and tile s4u4rest pro-
prletor tnat evei did business n Rich
nond' and by the way ths MAN VINO
Ella out longest al the game
His knack with the games and his
personal attractlveness soon gained
for him both friends aud stake
and before tho liza WAS put on here
he was the ploDrieto. OF rather -FOUR
lshing place, which disappeared sud
denly when Policeman william II
/ Wyatt Jr now High Constable. began
/ mis- sensational raids about ten years
ago.
Then Bctt- went to New York. whore
/ nc has remalned pretty constantly OK
/ ocpt for occaa!oMa! tiips to TINS city
and TO other places around tho world.
( until tic Hoscnthal murder Luck was
/ Will him up THERE and hc rruspercd.
I as 'NtrN one acquainted with gambiin.
/ in Sew York knows lie married
therc ana is now the father Of two
childleu beth OF whom arc IN Rich
moud wta mis- mother Also nc has Z,
/ large farm iu Amherst County which
/ Is SOFA TO 5e worth several thousand
dollars
rhous Beus Is tho biggest of III
who went aom Eiehmond. others fol-
: lowed hlu and SOME at them may nov
lay rlaim to nauk ron ltre. as his.
among th'n U.s. ono VINO FIRST broke