Dead Man's Hallow, Crandal Mackey, and the Good Citizens League of Rosslyn
In the 1890's Rosslyn was well known for its gambling halls, saloons, and other establishments of ill-repute.
In the 1890's Rosslyn was well known for its gambling halls, saloons, and other establishments of ill-repute. Two race tracks provided thoroughbred racing throughout most of the year; one was on Alexander's Island, and the other, the St. Asaph's track, was located in what is now the City of Alexandria, between Mount Vernon Avenue and Route 1.
The Rosslyn neighborhood was home to several brothels and bars, many open 24 hours. Arlington was described as "the Monte Carlo of Virginia" in a guidebook issued by the state in the early I890s entitled "A Guide for Justices of the Peace." The St. Asaph Gambling House, located between Jackson City and Alexandria, was the largest and most powerful operation.
In Rosslyn, there was Jack Heath's Gambling House where keno was played. It is claimed that cries of "Keno! Keno!" could be heard all day on Sunday.
Also, on Sunday, as well as other days, there were thirteen barrooms set up as fake social clubs and a cocaine house. Slot machines were everywhere.
In addition, a short distance up Lee Highway was an area rife with robbery and murder that was known as Dead Man’s Hollow. It was considered so dangerous that Virginia farmers returning from DC with proceeds from weekly produce sales frequently traveled in an armed convoy.
By the early 1900s, residents had reached their limits with political corruption, lawlessness, and murder. In the fall of 1903, a group of about twenty prominent citizens, led by Frank Lyon, organized the Good Citizens League. They aimed to elect a new Common Wealth Attorney who would be hard on crime and go after the illegal gambling. Their nominee was Crandal Mackey, a DC lawyer and former US Army Captain who fought in the Spanish-American war.
Following a closely contested election, Mackey became the new Commonwealth’s Attorney. At first, the local sheriff was reluctant to support Mackey. As a result, Crandal organized a group of sworn-in citizens and set out on a series of raids in 1905. These police actions resulted in closing of several illegal businesses and a “clean up” of the area.
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