The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-12-21
The Tiger loose In IIono,u1u.


The vice Of gambling is ~fcarfully on the increase
III this city. Ii has been imported, and lik,
most other impOrtations, thrives wonderfully in
our mild and genial climate. Although gambling
has long been practiced here stcalthily and in the
more private and secluded apartments, it l. only
quite recently that it has grown into a public
evil and Is now practiced APP Hrently with little
regard To the law. The statute is strict, and i'm
this connection it will be well to reproduce it:
L Whoever by playing at cards, or any other
game, wins or loser any sum Of money or thing of
value Is guilty Of gaming.
. Gaming is Of two degrees, viz: gaming on the
LORD : day; and where any person shall ut any one
time or sitting win or lose twenty-five dollars or more
Is OF the hrst degree, and other gaming is Of the Sec
Ond degree.
d Whoever Il guilty Of gaming of the first degree
shall be punished by fine not exceeding ten times the
value OF the money OF other thing Won or lost. or by
Imprisonment at hard labor not exceeding sixry days.
d whoever II guilty of gaming Of the second lie
gree shall lie punished by fine not exceeding fifty
delhirs or Imprisonment at hard labor not more than
g "hoeyer sn"H oy Playing At cards or any other
game, or by betting on the sides or hands of such as
do play, lose any sum Of money, of thing of value,
AMI shall pay or deliver the same or any part thereof,
may sue for aud recover the money or value Of the
thing 20 lost ami paid OF delivered, from the winner
thereof.
o. In case the person, so losing such money or
any thing II value shall not within three months
after such loss, ia good faith and without COLLISION,
prosecute with effect and without unreasonable delay
IT such money or other thing OF value, it shall be
lawful for any constable or other officer or person TO
use for and recover, treble the value of such money
or other thing, with full costs Of suit, the one half Of
which shall 60 % the person - prosecuting, and the
other half 10 the government, for the use Of common
schools.
=. All notes. bills. bonds. mortgages or other Sc
curities or eOnveyanees whatever, in which the whole
or any part Of the consideration shall be for any
money or other thing Of value won by playing At
csrls, or any other game, or by betting on the sides
or hands Of any person gaming. or for reimbursing
or repaying any money, knowingly lent or advanced
for any gaming or betting, or lent and advanced at
the time and place Of such gaming and betting, to
any persons - gaming and betting, shall be void and
OF no elect as between the parties TO the same, and
NJ TO all persons, except such a. shall hold or claim
under them, in good faith and without notice Of the
illegality Of the consideration OF such contract or
Conveyance and whenever any mortgage or other
Of lands shall he adjudged void, under
the provisions Of this Section, such lands shall enure
% the sole use Of and benefit Of such person, rs would
be then entitled thereto, If the mortgagor or grlntor
were naturally dead; and all grants or cOnyeyances,
for preventing such lands from coming to or devolv-
ing upon the person, 10 whose use and benefit the
lands would 20 enure, shall be deemed fraudu-
aud Of no effect.
:. In every suit brought to recover any money or
,tier thing Of value, n provided in section fifth Of
his chapter. both the plaintiff and defendant shall
le competent witnesses; and no person ether than
he parties. shall be excused from t~estifying, touching (.
my Otfense committed against any 81 the foregoing
provisions relating TO gaming. by reason Of his having
be;ted or staked, At any game; but the testi-
nOny Of any such person shall not be used against
him in any suit or prosecution authorized by any Of
he foregoing provisions.
The above il the law of the land. Briefly il
orbids gaming by cards or in any other way by
which a person may lose or win money or anything
e value.
The penalty, ON conviction, is from thirty to sixty
imprisonment AT HARD LABOR N The CHAIN
.ASG.
If money is recovered. one half Of the fines may
To the officer complaining and one half to the
'ubIic School Fund. ,
The law appears to he ample, but a. it has /
ever been thoroughly tested. it may be proved
effective. In all eases where complaints have
eretoiorc been made, which have been confined a
iostly to Cinnamon. it has been found sufficient {
~ 1T the case. The Civil Code has also the =
II,,x;,, "~ton:
,use shall .naer any ,>-Tson in or about the same,
practice gaming With any 'lee. cards, bowls, bill e
,ris, quoits. or other implements asei IN gaming, :.
penalty Of being hend twenty-five ''!i'Fs' =
The evils of the vice of gambling are too well
nown to need repetition here. The effects are
e same here as in the larger American and Il
1ropean cities-a curse to the community. No
erchant can practice it and expect to retain his :.
or succevd in business. however wealthy he ri
-. No clerk known to visit the den Of the
- r;I :, - thereafter be trusted; and no per-
!, whatever his business may be. can long be a
.,..ted. who has the reputation of being a =
CO
mblcr. ee
Gambling has ruined thousands OF merchants :
the old countries, and we might name Instances
it has ruined merchants in Honolulu.
are now homes in this city, where this vice Y
creating misery, that must end in deStitution- IA
arc wives who are earnestly pleading With A.
husbands to forsake tho gamblers den, where 6
.ppine-s i never found. and where anxiety, m
i.crv AMI death are the only rewards.