Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-27
THE QUIET CITY.
HOW IT 0OksfROM A POLICE STAND
POINT.
General Lethargy Observation-Disclosures
With Capt. Bennett-Ihe Gam
tlers Scared and Uneasy
Among the Other Evils.


Every good citizen reioices to see the
city in q state OF perfect quiet and peace.
Every one rejoices save those whose
temperament is such that they live upon
excitement and save those hard working
night hawks, the reporters. Such bting
the case, there shou ID be an unusnai
amount OF re j0!cing just now among the
quietly disposed, for the city IS taxing
rest. Viewed from every standpoint an
unusual quiet prevails and the good lit.
tie town Of Wheeling is enjoying a
siesta. 1t is the calm after the storm OF
some time ago. Then 1t was one whirl
of misdoing after another. Suicide fol-
lowed snicide and mischief was RAM
pant. The fire liend, too, has been
ouelled apparently and, outside OF the
hurricane occasioned by the rupture OF
a half score OF wind bags at Council,
matters are decidedly lethargic.
The reporter is fiend who delights
in sensations. He is not satisfied with
faithfully chronicling the ordinary do
ings of the world AMI his pencil is con.
tinually tingling 10 rush to work upon
the interesting details OF wedding in
high life, or q murder in low. The latter
is especially charming for he knows 1t is
read with more than ususl avidlty, par
ticularly il il trenches upon the sensa.
tional or includes any histories dec0iteites.
News in the bad line is very dull. Per
haps the last grand jury purged the in.
f.cted air, which is usually the case,
though it is more than likely the police
force is more or less at the bottom OF 1t.
At all events II is very quiet and good
people and Sunday s,uooi children
rejoice thereat. A REGISTER reporter
got at Capt. Bennett, last night, as to
what the means were employed to en-
force the laws. "Stonewall,' Jackson
once said mystery was the secret OF sue.
cess in generalship and the Chief OF
Police was evidently oil the same mind.
He smiled sweetly at the reporters In.
uocence IN this regard and put himself
at the scribe's disposal otherwise.
How is the city for quiet, anyhow"
at is exceedingly quiet as far as dis
turbances are concerned. The force
reports all OF the regulars as peacefully
disposed and the night-hawks as all
quiet"
sis there much Transporting in the
sporting linef"
Scarcely anything OF the ten or
twelve gambling roAms formerly within
pistol shot Of the city building no one is
doing anything like regular business
or making it an all.night affair. The
last raid we made rather scared the boys
and the new ordinance is little scary
further. There are, believe, no pro-
iessioual Knights OF the Ivory Chip from
abroad in the city.
us general gambling carried on to any
great extent"
"Not in the professional line. A keno
room that until lately did good bust
ness has been scared of and closed its
doors and so lar as / know there are no
faro banks in the city. One was started
and made a feeble run during the Legs.
lature, but it was watched too closely TO
prosper and when the adjournment
came, it followed suit. Poker rooms
spring up like mushrooms and quickly
disappear and change base. 1t takes
sharp watching to keep the run OF all OF
them. / mean, OF course, regular poker
rooms, open TO all who may come, and
amenable to law. How many private
poker rooms there are no one can tell.
know, from what hear, that the prac
tice is alarmingly prevalent among
Young men, though perhaps crowded
down to a small limit. Cent ante is
played by persons no one has any idea
OF, simply as q means OF amusement,
where perhaps not one dollar changes
hands in the course Of
the evening. Gambling by means
OF cards is only one way; there arc
many others, not carried on sysiemati-
cslly, and which can only be called bet
ting"
Glow are the saloon men conforming
to law"
Seemingly very generally. think
they find that it pays to conduct their
business regularly, and be respectable
about it. One fine or one indictment
for breach OF the law knocks the pro.
fits out OF the illegal traffic, and gives
them, besides, bad name. venture
to say there are fewer drinks sold on
Sunday now than for years. Saloon
men recognize that the stricter and
the better they get along, and they are
disposed to take a similar view OF it."
"Does this better order OF things
there promote the peace and quiet OF
the city,"
"In a certail sense, yes. Men keep
better hours nj move within bounds,
and there Is less drunkenness and dis
order about the streets"
"Now how about the social evil?"
THAT is the most difficult part Of our
business, and is problem that has puZ-
zled many wise head. We simply do
the best we can under the city laws,
without fear or favor. The late ordinance
bearing upon this has narrowed the
avenue OF escape for offenders and will,
think, operate to advantage. The bad
houses OF the city are gradually thin.
ming down and business in that line is
bad. Our course is to keep a vigilant
eye upon then-keep them under con-
slant surveillance-and so make their
illegal life burden"
''As a whole, then, what do you think
OF the condition OF the city from police
standpoint"
81 think it is very fair; that is to say,
very quiet. suppose the more peace
able everything is, the better the police
are supposed to be doing their duty"
Capt. Bennett spoke with pardonable
pride. The city is certainly quiet and
for this he deserves no small credit. He
has been an efficient officer and has an
efficient force. OF course, "a new broom
sweeps Clean" but the Captain has
taken the measures OF an Old hand and
taken them well. Four or five of his
men are especially good officers and
credit to any force and the remainder
are up to the average. They have the
city we'll under control, which our re.
porters acknowledge, but which, for the
sake OF news, they regret.