The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-10-17

grew and grew. the pile of poor mems
pennies rose and rose about him, and
though he had them changed again
and again to gold, the piles rose high
er and higher until they oppressed
and all but suffocated him.
Enticed Boys to Gamble.
That's the man that steals from
little children" said his neighbors,
and Al Adams shrugged his shoulders.
The shoulders were covered with a
fur oVercoat earned by what were
known as his kindergarten games"
He sent his agents to the boys in the
public schools and onticed them into
roulette games. He backed poolrooms
where horse-car drivers and lOngshOre-
men played the ponies at rs cents q
chance At one time he was the con-
trolling spirit in 100 cheap gambling
places in New York.
AS he grew richer he built block
of apartments. Their origin becom-
ing known, some one dubbed them
"The Policy Flats" He moved farther
uptown and bought a splendid house
in Eighty-ifth street, but daily pla-
cards, Here Lives King Al of the
Policy Shops" and Down With the
Policy King" were plastered over it's
walls. Adams never had the ma
RAIDERS arrested, because he did not
wish to advertise his infamous bust
ness
At last this Napoleon of the power
tystricken and credulous met his
Waterloo. Capt. Norton Goddard, dis
covering that the poor of the city
were being drawn into evil habits by
the wide-reaching policy shop net;
that they neglected their work to be
at the daily lottery drawings; that
they drank more and worse whisky
revenue in the kings" exchequer,
called on Adams, and, showing him
the wrong he was doing. begged him
to cease his wholesale depredations.
Adams laughed at him.
"Meanest Man in New York"
Then l shall fight you" said Cap
tain Goddard, taking his departure,
and when I fight l generally win"
Adams, secure in his paid protec-
tion," went on with his policy busi-
ness. But. some time, somew here,
such protection" fails. He found
himself facing Captain Goddard over
a police station desk.
"I'll move my policy shops out of
your district" Adams said, facing his
enemy, his face palfid.
"Pll move you off the Island of
Manhattan into Sing Sing" said Cap
tain Goddard. In the trial that fol-
lowed, Captain Goddard, looking at
the craven old gambler from his place
OF the witness stand, said, "Al Adams
is the meanest man in New York"
Judge Scott, when he sentenced him
to hard labor at Sing Sing for year,
repeated the branding sentence.
Adams came out of jail defiant, but
his heart was filled with hatred. He
went to the Hotel Anso1ia to i've. ut
tering his curse upon his family.
At the offices he maintained at
West Thirty-fourth street, which
seemed to be the office suite Of q
prosperous broker, there were bitter
guarrels with his family. Once there
was a rumor, after high words and
shrill voices within penetrated the
handsome grouRd-glass doors and
reaching to the street, that his. son
had treated him in the maner for
which a clergyman in the west was
resently indicted. The rumor was
that in a heat of a quarrel the young
or man had struck the elder. In this
magnificent suite at the Ansonia there
were other scenes and angry voices.
Rumors of Murder.
1t did not surprise other guests
when they heard that al Adams was
dead Rumors OF murder pressed
close upon the news. Sheriff Har-
burger boldly said: Il believe he
was murdered, and that the murderer
Is in this room" But the coroner
found a verdict of suicide The
meanest man in New York" had tired
of life. that official said, there's moth
ing more to it"
The curse OF the Adams millions ex-
tended from their creator to his elder
and favorite daughter. Evelyn Adams
married Robert Armic Mexican min
ing operator It was thought the am
bItion of the Adams girls and of their