The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-10-30
GAMBLING CASES
FOUND GUILTY
J. Cichini and Eight De-
PENDANTS Found Guilty
in Court.
TO APPEAL DECISION
Atty. Stevenson Files Motion
for Appeal of Judges Deci-
sion After Amusing Trial.

James Cichini, who formerly operat-
ed pool room and soft drink parior
at the corner of Elizabeth street ana
Rowland avenue, while he had per-
nit from the city, and who still does
keep open as the operator of tobacco
stand on the same location, was found
guilty this morning in municipal court
of the charge of gambling and fined
500 and costs or 90 days by Judge
/ John Slater. Eight defendants on the
same charge were also found guilty
and fined $25 and costs or 30 days.
| Immediately after judgment was rem
dered Attorney Roy Stephenson filed
| notice of an appeal and was granted
stay of execution of five days until
such appeal could be prepared. In the
meantime the defendants were released
on the same bonds.
! The trial in court was most anus
| ing one this morning. The courtroom
was crowded with spectators, and the
scene was most appropriate for the en-
tertainment offered by the defendants
4 on the witness stand.
On October 20 at o'clock in the
morning Special Officers Emil Fox,
Police Officers John Cunningham and
Fred Studer swooped down on the
poolroom of James Cichini at the cor
ner of Elizabeth and Rowland and
there interrupted, it is alleged, an ex-
/ citing game of African golf. The cir
cumstances surrounding the raid were
exciting in themselves, according to
the testimony of the three officers on
the witness stand this morning.
| The three officers, it seems, had
knowledge of crap game going on in
the poolroom. They approached the
place, which is in a basement, and
| there found John McKune sitting on
box outside the door apparently
asleep. McKune, the police allege, is
lookout for the place.
Officers Studer told of the three
officers descending the steps and stand
! ing at the doorway unnoticed by any
+ of the occupants of the poolroom. At
ter standing in the doorway for five
minutes and watching the crap game
which they allege was then going on,
| the officers rushed the place with guns
| drawn and ordered everyone to hold
I'D their hands. When Officer Fox no.
/ ticed that none complied he sent shot
/! into the ceiling of the place and I'M
mediately after that there was activl-
ty which at once became considerably
noticeable.
Studer rushed James Cichini, pro-
prietor of the place, and succeeded IN
taking roll of bills and dice from
his hand, Studer told the court.
Turnout the hearing Attorney Steph-
enson entered objections to the bring
ing in of testimony regarding money
and dice, which he claims was secured
without a search warrant and for that
reason not admissible as evidence in
this case. But Judge Slater overruled
the objections and the hearing went
on.
While Studer went out to call the
wagon Officers Fox and Cunningham
held the others at bay with their guns.
The men brought in as co-defendants
with Cichini were Michael Ford and
William Walton, colored, George Va
lenis, Nels Madison, Herman Cichini,
brother of James Cichini, Harry
Thompson, and John Powell, who later
said his name was Morgan. Studer
identified each of these men as having
taken part in the crap game, except
that of Harry Thompson, who he says
was there, but probably not taking
part. The case of Thompson, on mo-
ton of Attorney Stephenson, was then
dismissed.
Defendants Testify.
Officers Fox and Cunningham gave
similar testimony to corroborate the
statements of Studer.
Then the state rested its case and
the defendants were called to the
stand. James Cichini told the court
that on the night the officers made
the raid there was nothing going on
but an innocent game of pinochle, and
that no money had changed hands, nor
was any in evidence, he said. He also
said that when the officers entered the
place they made so much noise that he
thought he was being held up.
Cichini claims that Studer took $3.50
and two dice from his pocket and
when he was asked to count it "Studer
peeled off $23 of it." This statement
was admitted in the record, but was
evidently discounted in the judges de-
cision. Herman Cichini, Michael Ford,
William Walton, George Valenis, Nels
Madison, E. l. Morgan, Harry Thomp
SON and Ed Newman also testified. As
sistant District Attorney Lewis Pow
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