St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-21
A BOGUS REFORM WAVE
The Changed Spirit Which Has Come Over
Ohicagos Venerable Mayor,
Carter Harrison.
Gambling and Sunday Racing Suppressed
and Raid on Various Other
Evils to Follow,
The Garden City in Great Danger OF
Losing Her Proud Title of
ssthe Wicked City,
Though Some Think the Reform SUI
perdciaI and That Intqutty Will
be as Rife as Ever.
Special Correspondence of the Globe.


be as Rife as Ever.
Special Correspondence Of the Globe.
CHICAGO, June 19.-Envious paragraph
ers and malignant editorial writers, who
have been wont to lend their talent to SLAM
dering the good name of Chicago, must now
look elsewhere for material for invective.
Gambling houses have been closed, poker
rooms raided, and now comes an order from
the head of the city government putting an
end to Sunday racing at the driving park.
AS gambling was put down in response to
popular demand, so to the races are for
hidden to please DR.. Kittredge, the popular
pastor of large and wealthy West side
congregation. DIR. Kittredge's method of
procedure was not unlike that of Parson
Talmage when he visited the slums few
years ago to find material for a series of
sermons. DR.. Kittredge, accompanied by
his deacOns, attended the races at the West
Side park one Sunday afternoon, and what
they saw would not have excited their
enmity if it had been any other day than
Sunday. The crowd was larger than
| usual, trifle more beer was drunk, pool
selling was more active, but everything was
in perfect keeping with the civil law. But
| these good souls, having gone to the grounds
with the.
INTENTION OF BEING MORTIFIED
at everything, came away satisfied that the
park was but a step removed from sheOl.
(The heat that afternoon was suggestive of
that unknown bourne). But it is to be re-
marked that the religious party did not
leave the grounds until the last hurdle was
III
have been mean enough to say that it was a
desire to see the fun rather than any re-
ligiouS spirit that prompted their long delay.
Then came sermon from the reverend
doctor denouncing the system; legal talent
was engaged for the purpose of restraining
Sunday sports, and finally Mayor Harrison
| was induced to issue an order to the lessee
of the park, and DR.. Kittredge tapped his
wings and crowed Justify. There may pos
sibly be some racing next Sunday, owing to
contracts that have been made, but that
will close the Sunday program. Now the
doctor, emboldened by this success, pro-
poses to put an end to Sunday ball playing
not only games between professionals
but the harmless 'sScrub' and ''town ball''
games that are
PLAYED BY YOUNGSTERS
found on the first day of the week. Sunday
sailing is to be investigated, and then the
newspapers will probably come in for a
tongue lashing. The saloons are open On
Sunday, though there is an ordinance for
bidding the practice, and the reformers
assert that within month they will have
them closed at IL o'clock Saturday night, to
remain so until o'clock Monday morning.
There are many who are disposed to doubt
the wisdom of restraining the pursuit of
out-of-dOor games on the Sabbath. Base
ball, for instance, attracts the boys and
young men out into the fields away from
the temptations and influences Of whisky
shops. AS rule the games are conducted
peaceably, and those who take part in them
receive all the stimulant they require from
nature. They enjoy themselves innocently,
and the preachers are not likely to convince
the masses of the people that there is any
thing connected with base ball or ride on
the lake which is likely to bring down the
wrath of God on our heads. However, the
preachers all over the land are waging war
on 'Sabbath-breaking, as they are pleased
to call it, and no doubt much good will re-
suit through enforcement Of some sadly
neglected ordinances and laws. But there
is limit beyond which even ministerial in
>fuence will not avail. But at the rate we
are progressing toward
A HIGH MORAL PLANE
Chicago will Soon lose her souhriquet of
the ssWicked City," and be known as the
''great religious metropolis" or some such
name.
One of the questions that agitates the re-
formers minds is whether the gamblers
have gone to stay. There's fairy story
told in the streets that the houses were
closed at the request of several proprietors
of the large houses. According to this story
the largest games in the city were backed
by well-known business men of wealth,
who desired a larger percentage on their
capital than legitimate investment would
allow, and they put up the money, while
the so-called proprietors were on liberal
salary for the use of their names and pres
ence in and about the gambling dens.
Louisville, st. Louis and other large cities
had driven the gamblers out, and small
army of proprietors, dealers and players
turned their steps Chicago-wards, where
the festive 'stiger'' gambled over the green
unrestrained and unmolested, and the noisy
roulette ball was never silent. New houses
were being opened all over the city, and
the pioneers of faro in Chicago found bust
ness growing lighter from being distrib-
uted among so many places. Mike McDon-
aid, who, within five years, has
ACCUMULATED FORTUNE
of a half million, sold his place to Parson
Davis the well-known sporting man, and
withdrew from the business. Other faro
rooms found patronage growing lighter
while new places were constantly spring
| ing up, mushroom-like, when a conference
<~f 1o1rr ,,ln h01
| is alleged, and the mayor was requested
to close down the business. The only
| thing that gives color to this rumor is that
all the -''proprietors. dealers and
cappers-of the houses are still in the city.
| The strangers, who were not In the secret,
| left for other cities, Pittsburg, Philadelphia,
| St. Paul and other cities, only to confront
an order restraining the games from the
MAYORS of those cities, who were apprised
of the Chicago trouble, and did not care to
have the addition to their population that
was pouring in on all side. 1t is asserted
| that as soon as the present interest in the
| matter has died down few places
| will be allowed to open quietly, and the
| number of rooms will in the future be
| limited to few strictly firSt-class games,
with the understanding that minors are pro-
| hibited and that certain regulations restrict
ing the games are faithfully observed.
HOW MUCH TRUTH
there is in this story do not know, but the
newspapers assert that gambling rooms
will again be running within thirty days.
The hardest thing to check is poker play
ing. A policeman suddenly drops in on a
party intent on game of draw; he finds
no chips; is assured that it is only a game
of ssfreeze-out" for the drinks. That set
Ties it, and no arrests are made, as there
are no chips or money in sight. But a
shrewd guesser would say that fire in a
crate or stove on June day seemed suspi-
cious. and if he looked closely would prob
| ILL GOO Tho aShac of the naner or card