Norwich bulletin., 1917-01-22
STATE IS UNABLE
 TO PROVE GAMBLING
Men Arrested in Union League Club Raid Are Mound Not Guilty.

James Parkman and Max Rosen- thai. who were arrested Saturday night, Jan. S. in a raid conducted by state police officers upon rooms of the Union League club in the Bacon block at 130 State street, New London were found not guilty of conducting a resort for gambling, by Judge Will jam Colt. following lengthy trial of the case in police court in New Lon don. Saturday The bond of George Basket, one of the Is alleged fre- quenters, and the last of the number to default, was called following his fail morning. The bond for $25, makes ? total of s370 in bonds that have been forfeited in the case.
 The courts ruling was based on the assumption that the club is an organ ization duly authorized under the laws of the state holding a charter and that the evidence presented in court, failed to show otherwise. Rec ords presented in court, he said tend : ed to show that the club meetings have been held regularly and that only members were eligible for admittance to it's rooms.
 Henry M. Martin, was the princi- pal witness of the prosecution He testified to being introduced into the club by friend and to have frequent ed the rooms on three different oc- casions the last of which was on the night of the raid.
 Witness denied ever holding mem bership in the club or carrying a key to the clubrooms. He said that when ever he entered the rooms he knocked and was admitted by some individual from the inside When shown his day book, Martini, admitted that it was in his own handwriting and said that he supposed he must have signed the book, although he had no recol- lection of it.
 Attorney G. Curtis Morgan counsel for Parkman and Rosenthal, asked the witness if he did not apDroac ch Parkman and offer to leave town if the latter would advance him s25 as bail money. Martini denied the ale gation.
 Witness said he first went to the club the last week in December He went on two other occasions between then and the date of raid On the about o'clock in the evening. He played in a game until 1045 o'clock. and then left the rooms returning. about five or ten minutes prior to the that he had any communication with the state police in the interval
 He testified seeing games played in the clubroom and to participating in them on several occasions. He said that it was the coustom for the house to rake five cents on each ante. The money, he said, was usually collected by Parkman or RosenthaI when they were playing in the game. and thrown into a pasteboard box with a coin slot in the top. He said that the ante varied from five to 25 cents.
 Both Parxnnan and Rosenthal admit ted on the stand that the members sometimes engaged in a game in the clubrooms. Both denied any knowIed ge of a rule adopted by the club in a.Jn- uary. 1916. following a similar raid which was entered in the book of club ~ecords, barring any games in which 1oney figured, and ordering the stew rd (who in this case was RosenthaD
 - report any such violations of the Tub rules to club officers.
 Parkman on the stand testified that
 he five-cent rake-off went into the general fund of the club and disbursed with the general expenses He also 2dmitted under cross examination that 'is official capacity is that of pres ident, acting secretary and acting treaurer. Rosentha1. he said, is steward of the club and receives a salary of SIP when that amount of money re- mains in the treasury. When there is not SIP in the treasury he receives al- most any sum
 Captain Hurley of the state police vas called to the stand and testi- ted that be hsr never known Martini