The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-06-18
Ways That Art Dark
The Disclosures Of a San Francisco
Gambling House.

Tho 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
tho gambling fraternity from early
in 1865 to December, 1871, when the
police railvd upon it and disturbed
operations. Until this raid the game
OF faro, was conducted in the build
ing IN a quiet and orderly manner,
and with lair profit, The net earnings
reaching SG5,00O Tor a single year.
This was in reality workingman's
bank. A few days ago, while the
workman wero taking down the
walls ss. number of suspicious chara,-
simply toIo,serving hanging about
Womcr and cnhiaeh.he proceeding
devoted largely to domesi,,..
}, sidering the health AMI nee, :
, und especially the physical ahe lower
'lrsn. Il will tell how TO f. somewhat
care Cor The young.
Household Department. ! i ffA.fh'xan 1g E
rry.-We shall publish series OF ar,ic
. ON .'Seasouablc Dishes. written express
). for 4 is AagaSsas. In the same dcparime
axe pleasure in announcing thar ar +,
'ngements are fully perfected Tor
rnos.eSi., anu lnc lrAL 0.uw or inc ak
caused peculiar sound as II musical
instrument had been struck On ex.
animation it was discovered that
three wires were running up through
the wall from floor 10 ceiling. In
a f " minutes no less than half a
dozen workmen were about the place
examining the wires, the three
strangers looking at each other signl-
ticantly. An investigation OF the
walls OF the whole house was now
commenced aud the revelations were,
indeed, of the most startling charac-
ter. In ore of the rooms on the
upper floor was an arrangement
which enabled q player 10 know
exactly what his opponent held.
Directly over the table in the center
OF the room was small hole in tie
ceiling. through which the conteder-
ate watched the game. Wires ran
along the ceiling to the floor, and ter.
minated in leaves beneath the carpet
upon which the cheating gambler
placed his foot; as these wires were
pulled, the number of taps telegraph.
ed the course of action to pursue
The faro room was the most lngen.
iously contrivel thing III the house
In the first place, wires ran from the
door SO that signal was given when
it opened, aud in an instant every
thing was in readiness for the drop.
This was accomplished by two levers
and space beneath let into the floor
In a second the gamblers Withdrew
from the table, each man OF cou,so
grabbing his checks and money, and
a motion OF the levers the yawring
floor opened, and down went the
whole lag out. The carpet was then
drawn over the spot, and when the
officers hove in sight there was moth
ing in the shape OF gamblers nipple
ments to be seen. In tho house
there were tskan out no less than
one hundred and fifty wires and
several contrlvances tor suddenly
hiding gamblers implements. After
the discovery an endeavor was made
by the three strangers to hush the
matter up, but the affair had become
nolsed aboad, and arleady a good
many strangers were about the place,
drawn ,hither by curiosity. The
Developments are creating some stir
with the gambling fraternity, but
the leading sports of the city denied
all knowledge of the existence OF the
peculiar arrange rents by which the
unWary were II, coed.
h~HAs 80 E@~A Dec