The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-02-26
GORGEOUS GENTS
DF COLOR All DENY
IThEY WERE GAMING
But Just the Same Mayor
Conway Clapped Fines
INTERESTING SESSION
Police Realize SIP in Raid
on jackson
Street.
INTERESTING SESSION

Aninteresting hearing was held this
morning at police court following the
gambling raid last night at six o'clock
on the barber shop and pressing room
an jackson street in the Lis Union
building.
After a lengthy session with many
xspectators present and with City At
dorney Kern, Chief Moran and Mayor
ConRway endeavoring to unravel the
evidence the following men forfeited
or were fined $12 apiece: Doc Pruit,
Bill Cain, q. Booze, James Yosk, w.
NJ. Bailey and Amos Taylor Will
Wright forfeited $40 and did not ap-
pear this morning. Wright is charg-
ed with running the game. Thomas
McKinsey was pronounced mot gull.
tyr
Bill Cain who was finally used as
CHIEF informer when 1t was. deter
mined that no other testimony was
at all reliable, claimed Doc Pruit was
not gambling but the Mayor Said
Pruit's story sounded fishy to him
and he refused to let him off. Thom-
as McKinseyy arose his feet and
put up such good line of talk, wav-
qng and gesticulating forcefully that
he found himself in a flash outside
the raj with no fine imposed. His
(allbi was to the effect that he ''jest'
walked back from the barber shop
to the rear of the store where the
pressing establishment is maintained
10 give one of his friends some change
for a quarter. He hadn't been ther'
three minutes when the Chief enterd
and laid his OBTAINING hand on his
shoulder. Il Jest done got my shave
Rnd Jest got out dat chair and walked
cyaIl TO dat table when de chief he
grabbed me- i says Does man
hab to go to Jail for gettin' a shave
and hair ctit?" and de chief he says
alright you can go. Amt dat so,
chiefly"
The chief said It was so and Nc
Kinsey was released. 1t was very
fortunate for McKinsey that he wal
first on the program this mornlntt
for there followed after him all sorts
81 excuses and alibis from the remain
iiig gentlemen all 10 the same conclu.
sion. One and all they pleaded moi
guilty."
OFFICER Digman and Chief Mora,
made the raid last evening, the chief
testifying this morning that the mer
were gambling ovar table in tho
rear of the barber shop and that tn:
cards and money were there as evi.
dence. When the colored men, held a!
participants, appeared this morning
they lined up before the mayor in
varied garments of gorgeousness
mostly running TO yellow silk sock.
and white ones with green stripes with
, suits in one or two instance freshly
pressed and imaculate, and remain.
ing outfits Of the best.
Bill Cain right off the bat grinned
and confessed. He was the only one
who did confess. The end man on
the line slumped comfortably down
in his seat and pulled out bag OF
peanut candy remaiKing to the chief
that he hadn't had any breakfast al
net. When called upon to make a
statement lie said: "NatcheraIly I'm
Jest compelled to plead not guilty
because 4 wasn't gambling nohuw!'
III right, next" said the mayor,
Wei come back to you later"
The next was the man in the strip.
ed green socks who claimed he liked
% gamble occasionally but this time
he had "done Jest got out the chair af.
Ter having a hair cut and was passin'
~ the back way toward
toile-g and didn't see nothin' atall"
NosAie didn't even know there was any
gambling going on
Next came Doc Pruit. He had nc
statement to MAKE having just been
y in the house three minutes. lIe WASH
Continued on Page Tour.)