The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-03
Stories Published of Fabu-
1ous Sums Won and Lost
at Palm Beach.
GOV. TRAMMELL
TAKES A HAND
He Directs the Sheriff of
Palm Beach, County and
State Attorney for the
District to Investigate,
and When They Report
No Evidence Can Be
Found, He Tells Them to
Watch the Beach Club.
SPECIAL TO THE JoURNAI,.

SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL.
Tallahassee, March 2.-Stories pub
lished in New York and Philadelphia
&apers Of fabulous sums won and lost
by miIlionaires wintering on the East
Coast and OF a second Monte Carlo in
existence at Palm Beach. together with
IA protest from the law and order
league. OF Palm Beach county, have
caused Governor Park Trammell to get
In communication with the sheriff of
the county and state attorney of the
district and express the determination
OF closing the Beach club IL that place
is used as a gambling resort. The
governor has advised the sheriff that
In view of the fact that there is such
. strong impression that gambling Is
engaged in at the Beach club that the
sherif should use every effort to de-
tect any such infraction.
Regarding the matter the following
has been issued from the governors
pfice:
PATRoNIzED BY RICH.
Some time after Governor Park
Trammell became chief executive OF
the state. citizen of Palm Beach
county, in the course of private con-
versation with the governor, stated
that it was commonly believed that
there existed at Palm Beach a gam
bling club or house. giving the impress
sion that It. was patronized exclusively
or nearly so by rich winter tourists
Governor Trammell did not know
personally whether or not the report
was well founded. But he lost no time
in starting an investigation to ascer-
tain the facts. On February 18th,
1Governor Trammell wrote to Sheriff
George B. Baker. of Palm Beach
county, calling his attention to the
rlrr2 or md hot h. sx,n
mediately make a thorough investiga-
ton as to whether or not it was true
that any such club was being con-
Quoted or any gambling being en-
gagged in within Palm Beach county
The governor further directed Sheriff
Baker to institute prosecutions against
any person or persons who might be
found TO have violated the law. and
make report of his actions.
BY the same mail, on February 18th,
the governor wrote on Hon. John c.
Granting, Miami, Fla, state attorney
for that circuit, sending him a copy
OF the letter to Sheriff Baker, and re-
questing Mr.. Granting to render all
assistance in his power towards inves-
tigating the alleged attractions of the
law and Furnishing all persons who
may be guilty of same.
FOUND NO EVIDENCE.
On February 21st, Mr.. Granting an
, swered the governor. stating that he
would render any assistance within his
power towards the enforcement of the
law and an investigation of the re-
ports as to gambling. On Wednesday,
J February 22nd, Sheriff Baker also an
swered the governor. saying that he
had make an investigation into the
complaint. but found no evidence of
the gambling. He added that the club |
which had been referred to as a gam
bling resort had been at Palm Beacn |
for fifteen years, and. that none OF the |
grand juries which had convened in |
those years had found any indictment |
against the club, although a number |
of Investigations had been made. The |
sheriff assured the governor that he /
would continue to keep such violations |
at a low ebb.
AT THE BEACH CLUB.
On February 25th. six days after he |
had started this investigation, Gov
ernor TrammeH received a night let
ter telegram from the officers and a
committee of the Law and Order
league of West Palm Beach complain
ing of gambling at the Beach club 1T
Palm Beach, stating that reports of
such gambling had appeared in several
(Continued on Page Four)