Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-13
BY JACK ROSE.

BY JACK ROSE.
The gambler who declares that Lieu
tenant Becker forced him into the
plot to sIay Herman RosenthaI.
NEW YORK, August 81 have
| been asked to write for The
Atlanta Georgian on Gambling" ard
| life in the so-called underworld" 1t
is something to think over. am
man 81 years OF age. with devoted
Wife two handsome boys and of par
entage that l can boast Of My early
life was in an environment that should
have Influenced me to a useful life
At ono time | had friends who would
have helped me to acquire a station in
life that was worth while. All are now
a memory of the past. As | sit in my
cell ! look back with a heart filled with
sorrow and regret, and all caused by
one thing, THE curse Of gambling"
l gambled away everything, first my
own money then the money | could
borrow from my friends; then my
credit; then my word Of honor When
nothing remained wherewith to gamble
I let myself become a tool in the plot
Ing OF a mans life. It resulted in my
alf and three of my dearest friends
ling the charge Of being accessories
the murder Of Herman Rosenthal.
Wants to start Over Again.
| | don't know how 1t is all going to
end, but If ever ! again set my feet on
the pavements as a free man l want to
take my wife and boys to some place
where in some way can start life over
again
With gambling am through. If
some young man starting on the road I
have travelled will read this and turn
back l will feel that some OF my suffer-
| ing has been worth while.
AS young man I drifted into the
state of Connecticut. In the city of
Hartford l launched the Charter Oak
A. c. 1t was a boxing club, at which
We gave monthly exhibitions.
l added to this another club in
Bridgeport. and one in Waterbury, I
also acquired a baseball franchise in
the Connecticut State league.
All these ventures brought me in
close contact with sporting men. Soon
took to gambling.
Known as a Good Fellow.
My gambling in Connecticut was
confined to friendly games of poker as
the state of Connecticut does not pos
sess any public gambling houses.
My business s matchmaker and
manager of the athletic clubs called
for frequent trips to New York to meet
boxers and their managers attended
boxing exhibitions and stopped at Il
Broadway cafe or restaurant, all Of
which usually led to visit to some
gambling house uptown.
The game | mostly played was faro
bank. Like all gamblers, had friends
when my run of luck was phenomenal
and then my winnings ran into thou
sands.
l always travelled with a crowd with
whom l enjoyed the reputation Of be-
ing good fellow" one who would bet
his money and would also spend it.
l had reputation to sustain; first,
the good fellow" end of it, which
meant when l won | divided my win
nings or spent them; another part of
my reputation was that l would bet the
limit against the bank" If had real
ly bet what l ought to. in keeping with
my means, would still have been
playing in the friendly penny ante"
poker game up in Connecticut.
on my return to Connecticut after
my trips to New York the poker game
had lost its attraction for me.
| began making excuses to my asso-
ciates to get down to New York again
The gambling fever was on me. and
life in Connecticut was getting slower
all the time.
l was making money in Connecticut,
besides enjoying the confidence and re-
spect of many Of its most prominent
citizens.
on any one of my trips to New York
lost more than my three boxing clubs
could earn for me in several nights
Soon l began borrowing right and
left from my friends in Connecticut.
hoping against hope that some one
night l would bust" the faro bank"
ana pay everybody
That never came. Soon my asso-
clates began questioning the cause Of
my frequent trips TO New York. my
constantly increasing demands for
money and my failure 10 pay my debts
| after a division Of profits from the
| boxing clubs
| All this required explanations, as my