The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1916-10-13
LAS VEGAS GAMBLERS
GET SUSPENDED SENTENCE


Public opinion in the county not
being sufficiently strong to demand
an uncompromising enforcement of
the law and the actual Imprisonment
of the offenders, Lon Groesbeck of
the Northern hotel, convicted of il
legal gambling on Saturday, and six
other gamblers who, upon Groes-
beck's conviction, FASTENED to plead
guilty, were given suspended SEN
fences from one to five years in
the state prison by District Judge
Chas. Lee Horsey in district court
Tuesday afternoon.
While people of the city who be-
lieve in strict enforcement of the
law as an example to free and easy'
living, realized that public opinion
IN the county compelled the suspen-
sion of the sentence in the case of the
convicted gamblers, yet the victory
or the law in securing the conyic-
tion of Groesbeck by a jury of - of
his fellow citizens was felt to be a
long step out Of the tendency to
lawlessness in Nevada.
District Judge Horsey's arraipn-
ment OF gamblers and gambling be-
fore he pronounced sentence Tues
day afternoon was a powerful ex-
preston Of his own opinion II. the
matter, although he realized that
public opinion in the county was
against sending the guilty men to
Carson City District Attorney Hen
derson also was under the weight
OF public opinion to such an extent
that he was unable to object to the
plea for suspended sentences. He
was content with the splendid vic
tory his ability and steadfastness had
attained in winning verdict of
guilty in the case of the seven gamb-
lers, one of whom was convicted
after seven-day trial and the other
six of whom pleaded guilty.
Henderson handling Of the cases
was commented upon by many who
followed the course of the trial. Few
people were willing to admit that
Groesbeck could be convicted, and it
was only as Henderson built up his
case day by day by fearless attacks
concluded by one of the strongest
final pleas ever made to a jury in
this city that it was seen that a ver-
dict of guilty would be the result.
The conviction of the seven gamb-
lers takes all rights as citizens from
them. They will be unable to vote
at the November election for Presi-
dent or any other. election during
the time of their suspended SEN
tences of from one to five years, ac-
cording to the discretion of the
judge. In addition, they will be un-
able to hold any public offices. The
first result of this was the resigna-
tion of 0. d. Hicks from the Office of
city commissioner this week.
The seven men are: Lon Groes-
beck, of the Northern hotel; Ed.
Van, of the 90 saloon; Carl Wasser-
bach; Merritt Pollard. of the Over
land hotel saloon; Fred j. Pearce,
of Las Vegas hotel; and Joe Naka-
gawa.
On Tuesday afternoon before the
court pronounced judgement on
Groesbeck, Richard Busteed, as at
torney for the convicted man, intro
| duced a motion for a new trial on
eight grounds and also asked for a
stay of judgement for a few days.
Judge Horsey refused both requests
and pronounced judgement after ar
raigning the gambling business.
The sentences were suspended
with the provision that they should
go into effect at once upon the VIC.
lation of any law of the state of Ne
vada. and particularly the gambling
law-Clark County Review.
The friends of Judge Breeze will