The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-12-18
CAIRO'S GAMBLING HOUSES.

ful, experienced and inexperienced, arr
holding high carnival in our city. This il
the gambling season Of the year--the tint
when the windows of the gambling rooms
may be kept closed without sacrifice o.
comfort and when it is more pleasant to bt
in doors than out. But while these causes
tend to increase gambling during the win
ter months, we may truly say that tho
amount of gambling INDUCED in
this winter exceeds that of any previous
season in the history of Cairo.
To accommodate the extra large number
of gamblers, number of new gambling
concerns have lately sprung up, both public
and private, in various parts of the city,
and are nightly crowded by men of all
characters, colors, trades and professions.
A few days ago we chronicled the fact
that young man, whose name was with
held from the public, had lost fifty dollars
at the gambling table 1t was all the
money he had and being young in the wee
| and not accustomed to so great
loss in one night, he
"squealed," as the gamblers say, and
hence the matter reached the ears of the
public. News of four similar cases have
recently come to us in an indirect manner
"a manner that would not warrant their
publication, but enough is known to war
rant us in urging the adoption of vigorous
measures for the suppression of some of
the numerous dens, a few of which we will
take pleasure in pointing out for the benefit
Of those who are interested IN their where
aboutS and suppression.
Ameng the old houses which are in full
operation, We may mention that of Bill
Scott, below Fifth street, and that of
French AXley, on the corner of Eighth and
Commercial Owing to the fact that sew
eral raids have recently been made on the
house of the latter during the night, Mr..
Axley has changed the hours for carrying
on the netarious business to the after
noon and evening, and permits but little
gambling at night But besides these sew
eral houses have sprung up on Commercial
avenue, between Fifth and Sixth streets,
which are principally frequented by negroes
who during the entire night sit at card.
tables in the back rooms and win or loose,
undisturbed by any fear of
interruption. Another new concern Of a
similar character, is that in the second
story of the building adjoining the council
chamber. The room contains a billiard
table which is intended to deceive the
officers Of the law, but the numerous card
tables and gamblers devices there to be |
found, is a sufficient evidence that the
gamblers frequent there. In this connec-
ton we may say that few days ago one
of our numerous negro politicians inform
ed US that Mayor Thistlewood was becom-
ing very unpopular with the influential
negros OF this city, and upon inquiring for
the cause Of this, he replied, that
the mayor did not sufficiently |
mind his own business The
other night he, accompanied by another
man, had come to the door Of the above
room and knocked for admit
lance. The door was slightly opened when
the mayor placing his foot against the bot
tom of it had showed itopcn with consiiera.
bic force, and rushed into the room with
the expectation Of finding the men engaged
in gambling, "but," said the negro politi-
clan, "he was badly left and seeing that he
was fooled, commenced shaking hands with
the crowd, stating that while passing, the
idea had occurred to hun that he would
pay US q visit. But you
bet We all knew the object Of his visit--he
has paid other respectable halls similar
visits with no other object than to obtain
evidence that would enable him to prose-
cute the proprietors and he lost friends by
it." We may here state that this very hall,
although conducted by negroes, and
although negroes frequent it. is the
resort for many Of the clerks employed in
our business houses, who, If they are not
already stealing money from their en-
ployers to pay their losses, will eventually
be led thereto by their present practices.
Day before yesterday we mentioned the
fact that the agent OF this house had been
arrested and fined for conducting gam
bling house, and that the pro.
pretor had left for parts unknown. But
the fining Of the frst-namcd the departure
Of the other has not interrupted the oper-
atoms of ithe house, and young men are
seen to leave it as late as three, four and
five o'clock in the morning-having sat at
the table all night. But enough Of this
Mace