The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-06-12

nanCes OF different cities with view oil
revising and amending the ordinances
Of this city. lie has applied to the au.
thOrities OF u number Of cities, some Of
whom have responded and the copies
are In his possession. AZ yet Council has
not raised committee 10 take the mat.
ter into consideration and at present
there ia no sign Of doing 40. 1t ia time
however that our city ordinances we're
being brought up to some sort Of an CtleC.
tive standard, and We hope to see the
matter taken up atan early day.
Especially do We wish to see a revision
OF the gambling ordinances, which, as
they stand, require superabundancc OF
red tape formality TO gel the process Of
arrest in motion. Under our ordinances
it is almost impossible for the Chiet OF
Police to organize raid on the gambling
dens that exist right in the heart Of this
city, right on its most public thorough.
fares, aud are almost as we'll known to
the police as the saloons.
Section second OF the ordinance on
gaming provides, "Tf the Judge Of the
Municipal Court shall, from information
received by him, supported by oaths or
affirmation, have reason to believe that
any person or persons have offended
against either OF the provisions OF the
preceding section, it shall he his duty to
issue his warrant for the apprehension Of
such person or persons, and it shall
thereupon be the duty OF the Sargent
forthwith to arrest such person or per.
sons and bring him or them before the
Judge. to be by him disposed OF Ns requir.
cd by this ordinance, &C."
How is such information to be OBJ
tanned As will even start the above red
tape system in motion? Clearly
in no other way than by the information
Of some party who has been in the den
and fought the tiger, and nine times out
ten information will never be obtained
from such parties unless ont Of revenge
for the LOIS OF money. The professional
gambler will not give it. On the contrary
he will stand up and before God and the
court, swear TO lie, and say that he
knows nothing about it. Yet the court
mus! have information, supported by
oatL or affirmation, and 90 through such
tOrmalities az arc almost certain to make
the matter public,-to give official inior.
nation, we might say, to the gamblers that
something ia in the wind and enable
them 10 he on their guard. Again, al.
though the aens Ot these beasts Of prey
may be as well known 10 the police as the
public halls Of the city, and although the
persons Ot the gamblers are us familiar
M that OF the Chief OF Police himself,
yet not finger can the Chief or his dep.
uties lay upon them or their business,
unless either OF themselves or by inform.
alton they have knowledge supported by
affidavit, and in addition thereto the
warrant of authority. Among the cities
that have responded to the request Of the
Mayor for copies Of their orlinan.
cea ia the city Of Cleveland, and
wC find that under the gaming
ordinances OF that city the officers Of the
law are notrcquired to make any ailida-
Wit in relation TO the matter; II they have
good reason to suspect that gaming Ia
carried on in any building or room they
may enter and verify their suspicious.
II they find any instrument, device OF
thing used for the purpose of gaming, on
by or with which money or other articles
may be lost or won, they may be dcmol.
ished or destroyed unl,r direction Of the
Mayor, in case the person or persons il
whose possession the same were found
shall be convicted Of gambling. HEAVY
penalties are inflicted for refusing to al
nit an officer on application to any plac,
kept for any gaming purposes whatever
Section 4 Of the ordinance says: ~
the owner or keeper Of, or any persol
within any gambling tenement or room
Eha'I refuse 10 admit the Mayor, an
member OF the City Council, or any men,
Der OF the city police, to enter tho same
II shall be lawful iOr them, or either o
them, TO enter or cause the same to b.
entered by force, by breaking the door
or otherwise, and to arrest wih or wiihou
Warran', all persons found therein, ant
such persons found therein shall be taker
held and considered to have visited ssit
place for tho purpose Of gambling ant
upon conviction shall 10 fined or i'm
priSoned or both.o
Here is an ordinance under which III
ChieI Of Police can organize an elIectiv
raid, because he is not obliged to 6
through formula that gives every or
portunity for the gamblers 10 bO poste,
in the movements Ot the police. Anothe
valuable feature Of IL IL that it enable
the Chief Of Police to discover the traitor
in his force, who, itany, are in collusiol
with tie gamblers. This is not possible un
der our ordinance, Tor there are so man,
loopholes through which information
may escape tha, tits impossible for til,
Chiet to lay his plans and carry them ou
With the secresy which insures success.