The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-06-19
The Disclosures Of San Francisco
Gambling Den.

The San Francisco Bulletin relates
the following
"The demolition of the Mead House,
at the corner of Montgomery and Pine
streets, has developed some facts of
startling interest. The Mead House
was a rendezvous for the gambling fra
ternity from early in 1865 to December,
1871, when the police raided upon it
and disturbed operations. Until this
raid the game of faro was conducted
in the building in quiet and orderly
manner, and with fair profit, the net
earnings reaching $50, 900 in single
year. This was in reality a working
mems bank. Here the working classes
deposited large sums of money, and
were not troubled with bank books.
"a few days ago, while the work
men were taking down the walls, a
number of suspicious characters were
observed hanging about the spot and
watching the proceedings with great
interest. While knocking away the
wall of one of the lower rooms, the
workmen were somewhat puzzled by
the manner of the strangers. Three
of them suddenly walked up to the spot
and watched every blow of the AK with
the keenest scrutiny. Suddenly gap
was made in the wall, and the next blow
of the AK caused peculiar sound, as if
musical instrument had been struck.
On examination it was discovered that
three wires We're running up through
the wall from floor TO ceiling. In few
minutes no less than a dozen workmen
were about the place examining the
wires, the three strangers looking at
each other significantly.
:" An investigation of the walls of the
whole house was now commenced, and
the rev elations were, indeed, of the
most startling character. In one of the
rooms on the upper floor was an ar
rangement which enabled player to
know exactly what his opponent held
Directly over the table, in the center
of the room, was small hole in the
ceiling, through which confederate
watched the game. Wires ran along the
ceiling to the floor, and terminated in
levers beneath the carpet, upon which
the cheating gambler placed his foot.
AS these wires were pulled the number
of taps telegraphed the course of
action to pursue.
"The faro-room was the most in
geniously contrived thing in the house.
In the first place, wires ran from the
door so that a signal was given when it
opened, and in an instant everything
was in readiness for the drop. This
was accomplished by two levers and.a
space beneath let into the floor. In
second the gamblers withdrew from the
table, each man of course grabbing his
checks and money, and by motion of
the levers the yawning floor opened and
down went the whole layout The
carpet was then drawn over the spot,
and when the officers hove in sight
there was nothing in the shape of gam
blers' implements to be seen. In the
house there were taken out no less than
! one hundred and fifty wires and several
contrivances for suddenly hiding gam
bling implements. After the discovery
an endeavor was made by the three
strangers to hush the matter up, but
| the affair had become noised abroad,
and already a good many strangers
We're about the place, drawn thither by
curiosity. The developments are Great
ing some stir with the gambling fra
ternity, but the leading sports of the
city denied all knowledge of the exist
euce of the peculiar arrangements by
which the unwary were tleeced.