The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-29
4-11-44..
Something About the Infatuatien
of Policy Playing.
How That and Other Chance Games
Flourish In Kentucky.
The People, the Places and the Mode
of Policy Writing.

In this city ii is in violation OF the law
for any person or persons to be engaged IN
the business of policy writing, but still a
great amount of it is done. As Il matter OF
course it is all carried on ION the sly" Any
person acquainted with policy winter can
enter his room which is generally little
dngv one secreted in some remote corner
of an old tenement house, and there make
his play. The numbers he wishes to play,
along with the amount of money he places
unop them, is sent over to Kentucky. In
| the evening he returns and is told what
numbers have been drawn. If he has struck
ANYTHING he is paid right there, before he
leaves whatever he is entitled to.
1t is not known whether any drawings
are ever made on this side of the river or
not If any ever are made, the police have
| so far failed to discover where the draw
| ings take place. Whether the drawings
take place in Cincinnati or not 1t is wen
known that a great many policy writers
have shops" in different parts OF the city
They carry on their nefarious work so
uuietly however, that it is very seldom
any arrests are made. whenever any
of them do happen to fall into the clutches
of the law the proprietors OF the lottery Tor
which they write always loot the Dill
Policy writers, for the work they perform,
are allowed twenty per cent. of the money
they take in. This may look as though
they wouldn't make much out of their
business. but it is not exaggerating to say
that some DAYS they handle as high as $40
and $50.
Across the river in Newport and Coving-
ton, policy writing is carried on entirely
different from what it is on this side.
There no effort to conceal their dongs are
made at all. Everything is as public as II
possibly could be. The only arrangement
to prevent passers-by from gazing IN upon
the policy writers and players Is screen
before the desk, similar to those used in
beer saloons. The doors are always open
for everybody to enter who chooses to do
so. A back entrance is also provided for
those who are too tony" to be seen enter
ing the front door of common policy
shop"
In Newport. and Covington, each, there
are at least a half dozen offices where
policy is written, while in the latter city
one Of the lotteries have their drawings
twice day.
In our sister cities there are writers for
lotteries known as the "PaduCah Lottery,
louisville Lottery, or wildcat and the
"Frankfort Lottery OF Kentucky. Inc
latter claim to conduct their lottery for the
support of the Public Schools of Frankfort,
Ky This lottery has its drawings in Gov
ington, where they can be witnessed by
anybody desrous of seeing how they are
conducted.
Policy is a curious game and very un-
certain one. The chances against player
are immense. Seventy-eight numbers are
placed in wheel, from which twelve OF
them are drawn by a blindtOided boy. Some
davs there are thirteen and fourteen num-
bers drawn. which gives the player little
better chance. In playing policy there are
various ways of placing in rows the num-
bers you wish to play. Some play three
! numbers in Il row, some four tlve, SIX,
eight, and some even as many as twelve III
/ row. 1t costs considerable to play Il
| twelve-number row, and very few players
invest in it, To show the chances against a
+ PLAYER, suppose person plays three num-
+ bers in a row and puts a nickel on it. GAS
, much can be placed upon the rows as is de
sired The drawing is made, and, supposing
two OF the numbers played come out, the
player gets nothing unless he had the mum
hers 'tsaddled" which means placing
. another nickel on the row to cover any tive
/ numbers that may be drawn. If the three
y numbers you have played are drawn yot
L receive $40 for your nickel.
1t is well worth sit to policy shoI
about o'clock in tn 'Ho-ning. Tou viii
n find the little old, dngy, cobwebby room
d packed with persons Of all descriptions
) There is the colored citizen, who plays th,
: our-eleven-forty-f row from one week
IS end to the other There is the veteran play
er who is acquainted with nothing bu
! policy and who, in his mind, can tell be
= vond doubt just what numbers will ap
~ = pear in the next drawing. There you vii
i lind the school-boy, who, instead of bein
= on his way to the school-house is hang
ing around endeayoring to get an insigh
into the manner Of playing the scheme an,
IS who. when he does become acquainted wit
e the game keeps after the old folks continu
J. ally for a nickle here to buy
,r pencil with and dime there fo
l. something else, while all the time
instead of purchasing the articles for whic
ID he is given the money, he is carrying it d
S. rect to policy shop, where it remain:
Is Probably after playing in seventy-five cent
d or dollar he will win half dollar. Afte
s. making this winning, the boy becomes S
t. infatuated with the game that il is only b
(, adopting the strictest measures that he ca
10 be persuaded out Of the pernicious habit.
S, EVEN WOMEN PLAY IT.
1t may seem strange, bnt still it is Sc
ii tied fact that the largest players in thes
4 policies are women. They are the be-
!, patrons the writer's have. They don't go
l. a shop" with nickel or dime, like th
S majority of male players do, but with do
II lar and two dollars which they will pla
l. on their favorite numbers.
d DREAMING NUMBERS.
o Most policy players depend on dreams fc
D. their numbers That is, if they have
Y dream of anv kind during their peacefu
"a slumber, in the morning they consult the
Il japanese Fate Book, which directs thel
c as to what numbers they should play a.
cording to their dream. For instance, yo
dream of seeing horse, the "Fate Book
g. will tell you that if you play 24-25-26 yo
u will be sure to hit gig that is thrt
ID numbers in a row. If you dream of KILN
n great numbers of vermin, you are told
u play 1873, etc, etc.
s. Occasionally players hit gig" or pc
IT haps Il saddle" but it isn't very Oftel
10 Where player strikes it once, he will mi
score of times; but still there is not
t. PLAYER but what will tell you that he hi
won more money than he las played il
il. If this was the case, the policy shops woul
not be in existence very great length I
time; and after all, by far the best polc
. is to let policy alone; and so the playe
a find, after long and bitter experience.