The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-19
MERCY TO GAMBLERS
BLOW AT HIGHER UPS
Indictments Of Politicians Elk
pected as Result of Light
Nassau Sentences.

The extremely lenient sentences inn
posed yesterday by Supreme Court JUS
tice Townsend scudder in MineoIa on
the Nassau county gamblers have caused
great interest and comment on Long
| lsland, and further events in the case
are awaited eagerly The Nassau
County Grand Jury meets tomorrow to
consider further gambling. and it Is
believed throughout thetcounty that JUS
tice Scudders leniency yesterday means
that the authorities already have evil
dence enough to warrant the indictment
of any county officials who may have
accepted brides to permit gamblers to
operate.
The men whose sentences aroused great
est surprise were David Gideon and
William II. Busted, the former rs and
the latter 70 years old. Indicted as COM
mon gamblers. they were fined $1,000
each and suspended sentence OF six
months in Sing Sing. John Shargh-
messy, owner of gambling house In
Hewlett, was given a suspended SEN
tence. Five employees OF the gambling
place were fined as follows: John War
rem Hope. $1,000; Abraham Vorrzanger
Charles Wilson and Thomas Fowler
$500 each, and Charles Lomak, $3.50
They also received suspended sentences
of ninety days in the county Jail. All
the men pleaded guilty several weeks
ago.
Justice Scudder remarked at that time
that the defendants would get mercy IL
they told what they know about county
officials alleged to have taken brides tc
permit gambling. The Grand Jury ses-
sion tomorrow is expected to go into
| this phase of the matter Now that the
gamblers themselves have been disposed
igof. the District Attorney is expected to
go into the question OF "higher-ups."
Fined Men to Grand Jury.
! All the men who were fined were sub
pnnaed to appear in court Friday and
to go before the Grand Jury to tell what
they knew about the gambling situa-
ton In Nassau county and whence came
the protection that allowed them to oper-
ate. Both Gideon and Busted have/said
repeatedly that they had nothing to tell
and had paid no one for protection.
After being sentenced, however, both
seemed greatly agitated at the prospect
!. of being called to testify before the
Grand Jury. Gideon repeatedly told Bus
teed. who Is very deaf that he had moth
ling to fear. that they had told all tina,
there was 10 tell and could tell nothing
| different.
1t Is evident that all the gamblers are
sincere In their Intention to quit business
In Nassau county. Busted and Gideon
have about closed deal for their prop
erty in Hewlett and expect to get rid OF
II in a few days. Shaughnessy has been
trying to sell HIS property ever since his
indictment and has a large sign out
advertising the property for sale.
In sentencing the gamblers. Justice
Scudder, after warning them that any
violation by any of them in Nassau
county would mean immediate applica-
ton of the suspended sentences. ad-
dressed himself to Gideon and Busted.
He said he had given consideration TO
the testimonials submitted in their be-
half. He then continued:
THAT your circle OF friends IL large
and It's members loyal and influential.
too, as that is sometimes counted. is not
open to question. Society and not the
individual comes first, however.
Age a Consfdera tion.
"Your age has been greatly disturbing
| to the court. While IL should have been
bar to the evil you were doing, II
seems TO have developed in you only a
yearning to circumvent the law regard
less of the means you had to employ.
In the open, wearing the mask OF good
citizenship. insidiously you destroyed.
Not only did you invite but actually
you caused the lack of confidence on
the part of the public In officials whose
path you crossed and whose good will.
It can be inferred, you needed in your
business. You seem TO have given no
| heed TO the consequences that follow
doubt on the part of the people in the
integrity of those chosen for public Of
flee, particularly In these times when
confidence In governmental agencies Is
essential to the public welfare.
"You have passed the threescore years
and ten, nevertheless the Court would
fail In its duty did II not take from you
the power to work further HARM
In passing sentence upon Shaughnessy
Justice Scudder said he appreciated
that Shaughnessy had kept a promise
made earlier in the Investigation"
'In addition. you have rendered valu-
able service to the people In the pro-
ceedings had for the purpose OF investi-
eating whether crime had been COM
mitted." said Justice Scudder. These
facts demand consideration
To the five employees Justice Scudder
said no man could work at that kind of
employment In Nassau county in future
without being punished.