The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 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. f"
He sent his agents to the boys in the
public schools and enticed them into
roulette games. He backed poolrooms
where horse-car drivers and longshore-
men played the ponies at rs cents a
chance At one time he was the con.
trolling spirit in 100 cheap gambling
places In New York.
AS he grew richer he built a 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-fifth street, but daily pla-
cards, Here Lives King AL of the
Policy Shops" and Down With the
Policy King" were plastered over its
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
ty.stricken 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
after each loss that went to swell the
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,
land when l fight l generally win"
Adams, secure in his paid protec-
ton" went on with his policy bust.
ness. But some time, somewhere,
such protection" fails. He found
himself facing Captain Goddard over
police station desk
"Ill move my policy shops out Of
your district" Adams said, facing his
enemy, his face pallid.
I'll 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
on the witness stand, said, cal 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 filed with hatred. He
went to the Hotel Ansonia to live, 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 a
prosperous broker, there were bitter
quarrels with his family. Once there
was rumof, after high words and
shrill voices within penetrated the
handsome ground-glass doors and
reaching to the street, that his son
had treated him in the maner for
which a clergyman in the west was
recently indicted. The rumor was
that In heat Of quarrel the Young.
er man had struck the elder. In this
magnificent suite at the Ansonia there
were other scenes and angry voices.
HumorS 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: II believe ha
was murdered, and that the murderer
is in this ROOM" But the coroner
found verdict of suicide. THE
meanest man in New York" had tired
of life, that official said, there's noth.
ing more to It,"
The curse of the Adams millions or.
tended from their creator to his elder
and favorite daughter Evelyn Adams
married Robert Armic, Mexican min
ing operator. 1t was thought the am.
biion OF the Adams girls and Of their