CH.CH. CLUB RAIDED

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 April 1935, Page 5

CH.CH. CLUB RAIDED

SIXTY MEN FINED. [pee press association.] CHRISTCHURCH, March 30. Sixty-five persons were arrested by a party of about 20 police, under Chief Detective Dunlop, when they raided the premises of the Gloucester Club, Gloucester Street, at 11.30 last night. The men charged and the charges against them were as follow: — Albert Khouri, 40, described as a bookmaker, being the occupier of premises at 109 a Gloucester Street, used them as a common gaming house. William Bowyer, 48, labourer, assisting in the conduct of a common gaming house.

Charged with being found in a common gaming house without lawful excuse on March 29:—John Harris Prisk; Robert Henderson Ritchie. 34, labourer; John McDermott, 45, labourer; Keith Ritchie, 34, salesman; John Brown, 54, labourer; Edward Hansen, 50, butcher; John Samuel Golding, 43, ship’s fireman; Grainger Tait Clarke, 71, horse breaker; John William Steel, 39, tailor; Charles Nelson, 23, labourer; Charles O’Connor, 50, salesman; Henry Blackaby, 59, butcher; Leonard Blackaby, 31, storeman; George Matthew Blackaby, 23 mercer; Arthur Leonard Albertson, 36, clerk; Charles Henry Lawson,'6l, clerk; George Blackler, 30, mechanic; John Johnstqn, 46, salesman; Thomas Edward Kinsella, 47, traveller; Allan Holmes, 24, horse trainer; Freeman Graham Holmes, 33, horse trainer; James Peddle, 60, cook; Charles Irvine, 51, labourer; Victor William Alborn, 34, clerk; Stanley Percival Barnett. 24, clerk; James Arthur Frost, 53. barman; Arthur Claude Bartram, 50, taxidriver; Jack Morrissey, 43, baker; Charles Cecil Hearn, 36, carrier; Alfred Priest, 27, labourer; Clarence James Hathfield, 35, cook; James Murphy, 61, house driver; Walter White, 33, labourer; Elward William Martin, 37, salesman; Harry Doherty, 39, labourer; Thomas George, 29, boot repairer; James Hale, 27, photographer; David Webber, ,60, labourer; Thomas James Rothfull, 43, labourer; John Lester, 33, fruiterer; David Titter, 34, labourer; Charles Graham, 64, journalist; Arthur Rogers, 51, carpenter; Herbert Whitfield, 40, labourer; John Neil Mundy, 39, motor-driver; Francis Shaw, 39, labourer; Aloysious Lawrence, 36, labourer; Edgar James Wilson, 39, salesman; Frederick Davis, 53, barman; John Gourd, 37, labourer; Walter Lawrenee Short, 36, labourer; Thomas Goldsmith, 39, labourer; Christopher Rodgers, 46, labourer; Thomas Owens, 37, bookmaker; Andrew O’Connor, 45, machinist; Arthur Stokes, 63, storeman; Thomas Henry Gardner, 34, labourer; Thomas Francis O’Loughlin, 43, machinist; Alfred Bates, 51, labourer; William Carter, 46, bricklayer; Lyon Eastgate, 53, commission agent; Hibib Reid, 68, labourer; James McDowell Clark, 36, salesman.. Albert Khouri was fined £lOO, with costs, for using the premises as a common gaming house. Willlam Bowyer, aged 48, labourer,, was fined £5O in default two months imprisonment, with hard Labour, for assisting him and 60 of the 63 men who were charged with, being found on the pre- , mises of .a common gaming house were fined amounts varying from si to £ 5 The Magistrate made an order that Alborn, F. G. Holmes, and A. Holmes contribute forthwith £lO each to the Mayor’s Coal and Blanket Fund. In the circumstances he considered that he was justified in applying Section 18 of the Offenders Probation Act, and GlsmisMng the informations. They would also be ordered to pay costs. The three men made the payments as directed immediately after the Court Mr Amodeo said that Graham was a racing journalist, and— The Magistrate: I know Mr Graham and he will not get much consideratloTDhe Magistrate continued that he had no sympathy with the other three men, but he did not want to threw men out of jobs. The prosecution was conducted by Chief Detective W. H. Dunlop. MJ F. W. Tracy appeared for F. G. Holmes, A. Holmes, and V W. Alborn. Mr C. V. Quigley appeared for Albertson Mr R. Twyneham appeared toi S P. Barnett. "Mr P. P. J- Amodeo appeared for Khouri and Bowyer, and after there had been ‘some discussion concerning men who had been out on bail and had not appeared, he announced that he was appearing also for K. Ritchie, Brown, Nelson, Blackler, and Doherty. Pleas of guilty were entered for all the accused with the exception of A. C. Bartram, who pleaded not guilty and was convicted after evidence was heard. The Chief Detective said the raid was carried out by the detective staff with the assistance of constables under Sergeant L. R. Moore. The game of hazards was in progress, arid in all 65 men were found in the rooms. In addition, when a search was made, all classes of material were taken. They included bookmakers’ double charts, rules of the Bookmakers’ Association— The Magistrate: Really? I have been told by legal gentlemen that there was no such thing. Mr Amodeo: Now we know. The Chief Detective continued that poker chips, racebooks with the dividends marked in, playing cards, specially constructed tables for poker and similar games, and other materials were taken.

“In among the stuff were two things I have yet had no explanation for,” continued the Chief Detective. He produced a length of thick flex, which he said was loaded with shot, and a sandbag. “Perhaps the accused may have some explanation,” he said. “I don’t know whether they are to keep the patrons in order. At the time Detective McClung and I entered a hell started to ring. We were rather curious and found out that they were automatic and as soon as we tramped on the stairs they registered inside the room. Afterwards we investigated and found a system of six hells. I understand the bells had not been contacting too well, and Khouri came to the door to see what was the trouble. We got there just in time for him to

open the door for us. Mr Amodeo said that Khouri was a respectable citizen and there had been' only one previous conviction against him. While what the Chief Detective had said was correct, there was no suggestion of any unfairness or anything of that description taking place in the (Hub. The two articles that had been referred to by the Chief Detective— The Magistrate: Got there accidentally? Mr Amodeo said that he understood that they were there before his client had taken over and Khouri did not know anything about them. There was

no suggestion that they were the fOC the purpose of making any man who was perhaps a little V n !°’’J™ Jo in losing pay up.. Khouri intended vacate the premises and cease this business straight away. Detective James McClung said tha Bartram was on the premises when witness entered. Witness had als seen him on the premise»on the Wednesday and Thursday evenings before Bartram gave evidence that he was 2 taxi-driver and did a great deal ot work for the club. In consequence, he was at the club frequently. To the Chief Detective, witness said that he was in the cardroom when the raid was made. He knew th ® of hazards was going on, and that he was going into a gaming school He was present for the purpose of his business, and did not think of the risk he was taking. He had gone into the club to shake some of his clients up. The Chief Detective: Or to shake Magistrate, accused said that he was a night driver. Dealing with the other cases the Chief Detective said that the men were all on the premises when they were raided. For a long time past it had been known to the police that big schools frequented the place for the purpose of gaming. The place was kept under observation and men were seen leaving after 1 a.m. It was significant that when the raid was carried out a very large number of the men was in the room where the game of hazards was being played. Several of the men present had been before the Court before. “I might mention that this is rather a favourite room for members of the profession,” he said. McDermott was fined £1 and costs, in default payment forthwith 48 hours’ imprisonment; Prisk, Blackler, Albertson, Barnett, Frost, White, Hale, Owens, Stokes, O’Loughlin, Bates, and Clark, £5 and costs, each in default payment forthwith one month’s imprisonment with hard labour, and all the others were fined £ 4 and costs each, in default payment forthwith 21 days’ imprisonment with hard labour. Mr Quigley said that Albertson was not taking part in a game, but just happened to be in the room. Mr Amodeo said that Ritchie was a Government employee and the consequences in his case might be serious. The Magistrate said that he should be fined twice as much. A man in the position of a Government employee should know better. He could understand a man in the position of a horsetrainer or something like that, but he had no mercy on these fellows in Government employment. It was too risky, and if he lost his job it was his own fault.

Mr Amodeo said that McDermott had been ill for two years and had only gone to the rooms to fill in an hour. He had no money with which to gamble. The defendants, after the Magistrate had left the Court, were formed into a queue, and Court officials were kept busy for some time at the work of receiving fines and giving receipts. Production of a receipt enabled the holder to get out of the room.

ALLEGED BETTING AT HOTEL.

CHRISTCHURCH, March 3.0.

A surprise visit was made by four detectives to Tattersail’s Hotel in Cashel Street about noon to-day, and the licensee, Thomas Ebenezer Robinson, and a barmaid, Nellie Gunn, were arrested on a charge under the Gaming Act. Subsequently, Robinson was charged in the Magistrate’ Court with having, as the occupier of the hotel, permitted Nellie Gunn to use the private bar as a common gaming-house. Gunn was charged with having the use of the private bar. she used it as a common gaming-house. Mr F. D. Sergent appeared for both. ■ Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., in granting a remand till next Thursday, allowed bail, £59 for Robinson and £25 for Gunn, tjie amounts being paid in cash. Detectives J. McClung, A. A. Herron, D. McKenzie, and W. Cunningham were the detectives. IRISH SWEEP TICKETS. HAMILTON, March 30. Robert Charles Howell, a. farm hand, was charged in the Morrinsville Police Court, under the Gaming Act, with selling Irish Free State sweepstake tickets. A constable said he saw defendant approaching people in the street and taking money from them. When accosted, defendant had a book of tickets which he was selling at 12s each. Howell was quite frank about the matter, telling him that about twelve months ago he had written his name at the back of a book as a person desiring to become a seller. He had sold six tickets to Morrinsville residents.. Three persons were also charged under the Gaming Act with buying tickets in a lottery. In. ordering Howell to pay costs and convicting and discharging the others, Mr. S. L. Patterson, S.M., remarked it was the first case of its kind in New Zealand, and as it was not generally known it was an offence under the Gaming Act to buy or sell Irish Free Stalo tickets, lie had treated defendant:; leniently.