Charged with keeping a Gambling House.
--Some few nights since, as our readers will recollect, police officers Seal and Jenkins, assisted by night watchmen Baptist and Cousens, having reasons to suspect that the game of faro was being exhibited at a certain house on Main street, between 11th and 12th, and known heretofore as "No. 169," made preparations to force an entrance therein, in order to satisfy themselves whether such was the fact or not. After the administration of a little physical force the door fronting on Main street was prized open, when they immediately ascended the stairs leading to the different stories of the building. Two knights of the "chips" and "cards," named Henry Hungerford and Benjamin Degrote, who, it is alleged are the proprietors of the establishment, were taken into custody and carried before a magistrate, by whom they were balled in the sum of $1,000 to appear before the Mayor on Thursday morning for examination. When the case was called on that day Degrote was absent, which induced His Honor to further delay the examination till last Saturday morning. Degrote still being absent, the Mayor determined not to delay the matter any longer, and thereupon called to the stand officer Seal, who testified substantially to the following facts: On Wednesday night last I had a warrant to search this house, to see whether any gaming was going on, in violation of law. In the second story there was a negro sitting by a fire, with no other light in the room. As soon as he heard me enter he ran up to the third story back room, where Hungerford, Degrote, and one or two other gentlemen were. Myself and partners pursued him, but were not in time to head him off before he reached the apartment in which they were. Hungerford was standing in the floor when we entered, as also were the other parties; but soon afterwards Degrote threw down a five dollar note on the table, upon which were a pack of cards and some money, remarking to the gentleman standing near him, "Let's go on with our game." I (Seal) interfered and put a stop to any further playing, informing them at the same time that the house and its contents were in possession of the officers of the law. Subsequently I expressed to Hungerford my surprise that he should still continue the occupation of a gambler after the passage of such stringent laws by the Legislature. H.'s reply was, "What is a man to do in such times as these? He must either gamble or speculate, and there cannot be much difference between the two." Soon afterwards the negro who had given us the race up stairs made his appearance, when I accepted him about running away from us. Upon that Hungerford remarked, "Mr. Seal, he was only obeying my orders." We captured in this house, besides the accused, four negroes; also, a large lot of checks, cards, deal boxes, a roulette table, one perfect faro table, ready spread, and one broken table of the same character.Officer Jenkins testified that among the articles found was a mahogany box, which was locked. Not being able to find the key to it he proceeded to break it open, when Hungerford said that it was hard to ruin the box in that manner; that he had just paid $100 for it. [In this box were several packs of playing cards, a silver deal box, and a quantity of red and white chips, ranging in figures from five to one hundred dollars]
A gentleman who was found in the house at the time the officers made their raid, testified that on that night no faro was dealt. He had on former occasions (sometime in October) seen the game played there; had frequently noticed Hungerford there, but was positive that he had never seen him deal.--Upon a suggestion from General Marshall, (Hungerford's counsel,) that the chips exhibited in Court might be used for other purposes than faro, this witness replied that they were seldom ever used for anything else — sometimes they were used in keeping account for "short card" playing.
In order to obtain other witnesses, the Mayor adjourned the case over till Friday next, the 15th inst., recognizing Hungerford to appear in the sum of $3,000 ball, which he readily gave. The articles seized by the officers were confiscated and ordered to be burnt.
