Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-06-25
The Disclosures of a 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 start
ling interest. The Mead House was a
rendezvous for the gambling fraternity
from early in 1865 to December, 1871,
when the police raided upon it and dis
turbed operations. Until this raid the
game Of faro was conducted in the build
ing in quiet and orderly manner and
with fair profit the net earnings reaching
$50, 900 for a single year. This was in
reality a wOrkingman's 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 num-
Der of suspicious characters were OBJ
served hanging about the spot and watch
ing the proceedings with great interest.
While knocking away the wall of one of
the lower rooms the wOrkmen were some
what 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. Sud-
denly gap was made in the wall, and
the next blow of the ak caused a peculiar
sound as if a musical instrument mad
been struck. On examination it was dis
covered that three wires were running UP
through the wall from floor to ceiling.
In q few minutes no less than half dozen
workmen were about the place examining
the wire, the three strangers looking at
each other Significantly. An investiga-
ton Of the walls Of the whole house was
now commenced, and the revelations
were, indeed, of the most startling char
acter. In one of the rooms on the upper
floor was an arrangement which en-
abled a player to know exactly what
his opponent held Directly over the
table in the center of the room was
q small hole in the ceiling, through which
the confederate watched the game.
Wires ran along the ceiling to the floor,
and terminated in levers beneath the car
pet, 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 ingeniously-cOntr
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 in
slant everything was in readiness for the
drop. This was accomplished by two
levers and a space beneath let into the
floor. In a second the gamblers with
drew from the table, each man Of course
grabbing his checks and money, and by a
motion Of the levers the yawning floor
opened, and down went the whole lay
out" The carpet was then drawn over
the spot, and when the officers hove in
sight there was nothing in the shape of
gamblers implements to be seen. In the
house there were taken out no less than
$50 wires and several contrivances for
suddenly hiding gambling 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 good many
strangers were about the place, drawn
thither by curiosity. The Developments
are creating some stir with the gambling
fraternity, but TIE leading sports of the
city denied all knowledge of the existence
of the peculiar arrangements by which
the unwary were feeced.