New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-17
DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.
Louisiana Legislature.

Il
BATON RouGE, Feb. 16.-The Hoise of Represent
atives met this morning at II O'clock Hon. C. H.
| Morrison, Speaker, in the Chair seventy-eipht
members present Prayer by Rev. Father Hubert
The journal Of Yesterday was read and approved.
Mr. H. w. Allen, Of West Baton Rouge, offered q
joint resolution to deposit the notarial and colonial
records of the State Of Louisiana in the archives Of
the Historical Society of Louisiana.
The bill providing for the drainage of Point Ma
NOR leyee and closing the canal dug by second
| land commissioner, was favorably reported BY the
| special committee to whom it was referred. The
| bill was taken up and passed.
Mr.. B. Haynes introduced bill which provides
for the restrainment and prohibition of the practice
4 Of gambling in the State Of Louisiana.
| The bill, as introduced, reads as follows:
Whereas, the practice Of gambling is generally
known to be one of the great evils which entails
many serious misfortunes and greatly adds to the
demand 30 frequently made by the charitable ap-
preparations Of the State and, whereas the laws
for the extirpation of gambling have never as yet
accomplished their object, but on the contrary
having permitted its practice to be driven into re-
tired and secret places, have left its less expert
enced or more worthy victims wholly to tile mercy
OF those who seek to ruin them by means which
| would never be tolerated in any community ex-
posed to observation, thus efectually defeating the
| end OF justice, and wise government; and
whereas, As those who prosecute and profit
from the business, thereby entailing heavy ex-
pense upon the community at large, should above
all Others, be made to bear the burdens thus i'm
4 posed; and
4 Whereas, The experience Of forty-eight wears
has fully demonstrated that in neglecting to tax
gamblers the Legislature of Louisiana is forced to
tax the good citizens of the State for supporting
their victims and
Whereas, All just and reasonable means should
pc employed for the purpose Of diminishing this
puphc burden, more especially at the time when
so many causes are combined to increase them !:
and
Whereas, 1t is a notorious fact that a large nor
ton Of tle profits accumulated BY gambling are
secured and borne I! out Of the State by persons
who are not citizens Of the State of Louisiana
these persons thus escape all taxation, and leave
the permanent residents of the State to pay what
is not rightfuiy their share; therefore,
n Section i. Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives in general assembly
convened, That the Auditor of Public Accounts
and the Treasurer of State shall issue to any cti
I. zen Of the city Of New Orleans, who will come
properly recommended and also furnish a bond if
the penal sum Of fifty thousand dollars for TIC
faithful observance Of this law. The bond shall
/ require the signature of the applicant, together
, with those of three freehold sureties in solido
possessing unencgmbered property amounting il
] aggregate TO no less than two hundred and lift,
thousand dollars. The proprietor OF a housl
/ adapted to gambling, and kept expressly for tina
/ purpose in the city of New Orleans, shall be re
CURED to procure license by paying to the Stat.
Treasurer the sum Of twenty-five thousand dollar
for each and every house so kept. A further sun
of twenty-five dollars to be paid to the Treasurer
and Auditor for the cost of said license.
/ Z.
arising from such license shall be paid into the
State Treasury together with the additions herein
after provided for it, shall constitute the State
charitable funds, to be applied to the support OF
the Charity Hospital, at New Orleans; the Deaf
Dumb and Blind Asylum. at Baton Rouge the In
sane Asylum, at Jackson; and to other charitable
institutions OF the State. A certain amount to be
given as their wants may require it.
Sec. g. Be it further enacted That gaming
houses, licensed under the authority of this act,
shall never be kept on the ground-foor of any
building, or otherwise exposed to public view.
The houses shall, however. keep their doors open
at all times for the admission of all visitors and to
the police under the penalty of forfeting their IL
cense and bond after summary proceedings before
any courts competent Of justice.
See. 4. Be it further enacted, That any person.
whether holding license or not, who shall keep a
private house or room where banking or hazard
games are played, either by players against the
house, or players amongst themselves and where
admittance is not free to the public to civil officers
and to the police, shall, upon conviction be sem
fenced to no less than seven years Imprisonment
Il to hard labor. The proprietor or proprietors of
gaming house carried on upon such a footing shall
moreover be required to pay q fine amounting to
no less than two thousand dollars and exceeding
$4,000. One half of this sum to be appropriated
to the State charitable fund.- fourth to the most
legally conducted gambling house, and the other
fourth to the informer, who shall in way and by
q no reason of interest to him, be deemed imcompe
tent as witness against the offender
Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That any person
found in any room, house, or other place, where
unlicensed banking or games are carried on, under
the pretense OF club OF under any other pretext
shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to imprison-
ment for term of no less than three months or
more than twelve months, with or without hard
labor. The person or persons found in such house
shall furthermore be required to pay line amount
ing to no less than five hundred and not exceeding
two thousand dollars. 0ne-half of the amount to
be appropriated to the State Charitable Fund, the
other half to the nformer, who shall in no way and
by no reason of interest to him, be deemed incom-
\ petent as a witness against the offender.
| Sec. g. Be it further enacted, That any person
who will open or keep gaming table or room in
any square, street. road, or at any place OF public
| resort such as horse-race grounds, steamboat
halls or cabins or other public places, shall forth
with be arrested by police constable, or by any
two citizens or bystanders, all his paraphernaiia,
apparatus checks or moneys to be conscated,
and the interest thereof to be given to the party
4 engaged in the arrest. The person himself carry
4 ing on gambling in such a manner, upon due con-
| yiction, shall be sentenced to no less than one
year, nor more than seven years Imprisonment to
| hard labor.
Sec T. Be it further enacted That the owner of
any place, ground or other place Of public resort.
also the captains and owners of any steamboat or
other water craft employed as common carrier,
who shall allow any banking or other hazard game
played on their premises, will, upon convic-
| tion, forfeit sum amounting to no less than one
/ thousand dollars and not exceeding five thousand
dollars. 0ne-half of this amount to be appropri-
ated to the State Charitable Fund, the other to the
informer, who shall not by any reason of interest
| be deemed incompetent as witness against the
offender.
! Sec. s. Be it further enacted, That the Auditor
| of Public Accounts and the State Treasurer may,
| il they Judge that the security offered be good
allow the party applying for license to carry on
gambling to make aquarterly payment in advance
but the security SO given shall be for Il whole
years term and no license shall be issued for a
| shorter period.
Sec. o. Be it further enacted, That the police
jury Of any parish in the State of Louisiana, tho
right bank of the parishes Of Orleans and Jetfer
son. and the village towns and cities thereon stu
ated excepted, well as the municipal authorities
of any incorporated village, town and CITY. may
If they deem it proper, to fix rate and reouest
the Auditor Of Public Accounts and The State
Treasurer to issue license for public paminr
houses within their jurisdiction; provided, thai
the price of no license thus issued shall in the ey
of Baton Rouge be less than ten thousand dollars
and in any other place less than Ave thousand
onehalf Of the proceeds TO be appropriated to the
State charitable fund, and the remainder to be ex
pended for charitable and educational purposes in
me parish Cor as the police jury shall best de-
termine) where the license has been issued
Sec. 10. Be it further enacted That the license
may be issued by the Auditor Of Public Accounts