Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-05-09
TO CLOSE FOREVER.
Startling Agreement Between County
Attorney Bowiin and the Gamblers,
Of the City.
BY Which They Confess Judgment and
Close up the Leading Gaming
Houses.
Some Pathetic circumstances that Helped
to Bring on the Present
Warfare.

Inc war on gambling and gamblers
recently inaugurated by County At
torney Bowlln eliminated yesterday
In an unexpected but propitious result.
When the gaming cases were reached
in the county court the attorney for
the defendants, Hon. w. S. Pendle.
ton, arose and stated the terms of sn
agreement which had been made with
the county attorney Brlef,d il Is
simply that the gambling houses are
all TO close up shop aud
REMAIN CLOSED FOREVER,
and the gamblers are To plead guilty
to all the cases on the docket algains
them. On the part of the
county attorney 1t is agreed
that the defendants shall have
ample time to pay their fines by
spreading the cases out over several
terms OF the court, having but one
conviction entered against each one
OF them at any one term Under this
agreement eight pleas OF guilty have
| been entered at this term.
The proprietors OF all the leading
gambling houses in the city are
| parties to IL and their establishments
have been closed air tight. Toe mum.
Der OF gaming cases on the docket IL
| about seventy, and II will require sev.
eral terms OF the county court to dis.
pose of them oil. There was much
comment and some surprise expressed
yesterday on the streets
ut the action OF the gam
blers. 1t admits OF but one oonstruc.
ton, and that Is that 10 is a
SQUARE. POSITIVE BACK-DowN
from the position assumed when Mr.
Bowlin first made his declaration OF
war Some think it Ia a move TO gain
time, but IL so 1t is utterly futile, as the
moment 1t Is violated the pros
eculions will at once be pushed with
vigor, and as a matter of fact the
agreement secures convictions about
as fast as would be possible, even had
1t not been made The pleas Of guilty
save great deal of trouble and ex
pen se to the county, and give cou
victi0n in every case, while
some would necessarily bt
lost IL prosecuted. Tue most sigma
triumph, however, Ia the matter, fo
( law aud order, Ia the compact made by
the gamblers to cease operations. /
Is said that games are being conducted
, IN Tie siyt bUu Nv uoupb Wis 10 w uoii'
extent true, yet the fact that this |
the Case reflects no It'll
credit on the authorities OF
place where open violations Of the Law
have flDurished { rso many years. |
Is not Improbable either that the secre
places ofthe off nders may be brough
to light and punishment melted out
County A t)rney b Iwlin has his
,, HEARTIN THE WORK
and Is determined TO stop the bushes
: entirely II such thing
possible Already he is receiving sui
s,antlal encouragement and as~uranc
; that the best people are with hin
One prominent citizen went to hin
and with husky voice expressed hi
gratitude, saying that two years q;
he had two noble, pronlisiD
boys, who now were gambler
! and he hoped to see them n
/, form. A lady whose husband ha
spen every dollar Of her money at th
: gaming table and afterward deserte
J her, wanted to know II there was n
possibility OF recovering 1t, aud,
: course, was answered In the negativ
These are but types of DOZENS
cases that are brought
J. his attention and have served to mai
i the new crusade relentless and WI
= OF examination.
The dives In the lower part OF II
: city will next engage the attention
: the county attorney aud every efio
> made to upro0t them