St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-25
MINNEAPOLIS NEWS.
The Police Commissioners
Order a Small Raid on
the Gamblers.
A Daylight Pull and Its Re-
Sults---Two Houses
Closed Up.
The NOrmanna Fair and
Those Who Have Made
1t a Success.
Peter Barrett's Trial to Be-
gin To-Day--A Colored
Sam Jones.
RAIDED THE GAMBLERS.
An DESTINATIONS Ante Election
Demonstration That Was Well
Advertised


The three highly moral gentlemen
who compose the majority of the board
ot police commissioners, it appears, have
been previously distressed because of
the reports in the papers that gambling
has been steadily carried OH III Mime
apoliS. Heretofore the pulling of Tin
horn gamblers has been sufficient to
carry the assurance to the public that
reform was still in progress. Sunday
night party of five young men
who were playing cards for cigars in a
temperance billiard hall in South Min
neapolis, were arrested as sort of a
burnt offering upon the altar of Skep-
teal public opinion. This, it seems, was
not sufficient guarantee that the ''vice
Of gambling in our midst had been
stamped out. So yesterday what is
was ordered. The affair was given
as much publicity as was possible,
and took place in the after
noon, at an hour when people
do most cOngregate upon the thorough
fare known as Nicollet avenue. The
playing of brass band, and the pass
ing OF hand-billS, announcing the event,
were the only accessories calculated to
attract attention that were omitted.
About o'clock patrol sleigh loaded
TO the guards with policemen and in
spectOrS came flying up the street, and
Whirling about, backed up in front of
the Elite saloon at sos NicOllet
avenue. This popular thirst factory
Is owned 10y Col. w. A. Tanner, and in
the second story of the building is what
Is called by evening paper reporters,
"a tigers lair" Supt. Helm and Capt.
Harvey, after stationing patrolmen at
the exits, rushed up stairs. Two doors
were broken in by the eXertion of lit
tie physical strength and a party of
twenty men. who were engaged in an
effort TO get each others money. were
treated t0a surprise party. a young man
with a MileSian face, who presided
over a faro game, calmly looked up.
and remarking. well, we'll adjourn
sine die" invited the players to cash
i'll. This was done, and eighteen men
were escorted down stairs to the patrol
sleigh. The OStentatiOuS manner in
which the raid had been conducted had
by this time collected about 1900 peo-
pie, and the street was blockaded. The
festive gamblers turned up their coat
collars and pulled their hats down over
their faces in order to avoid
recognition, as they took their
seats. After they had posed as curios-
tiles sufficiently long to crafty the
morbid curiosity of the crowd they were
drievn to the lookup.
As soon as the raid had been made
Assistant superintendent Hoy and In
SpectOrS Kinney and Lawrence skipped
oeyr to 2l9 Hennepin avenue, where an
other gambling room has been con-
Quoted by George G. Sawyer, a pOrtly
gentlemen who came here from Boston
several months ago and discovered that
the climate of Minnesota agreed with
him. Supt. Hoy carried with
him sledge hammer with an abreyi-
ated handle. When the man who re-
SpOnded TO the bell-call looked through
the peephOle and sized up the battle-ax
he threw the door open and said DO
litely, If not cordially, ''come in, gentle
men," Within eight men were found
sitting quietly about the room in atti-
tudeS that would indicate that they
were there for the purpose of attending
religious meeting. A little
investigation showed that a faro
layout had been thrown
under a sofa and a buShel or two of
checks had been dumped in corner
and covered with newspaper. In re-
Spouse to the imperiOus command to
"come along" the coterie formed a pro-
ceSSion and marched to lookup alley.
When the room formerly occupied by
saloon and now rented for the pur-
pose OF temporary lookup pending
the completion of the central police
station was reached, the victims
were all consigned to the basement
where they were given quarters in a
large, airy apartment designated as the
tramp room. The rustling of so many
prisoners into the little sweat-box of
prison OF course OccaSiOned something
OF confusion, during which several Of
the persons under arrest took occasion
to leave on important business includ-
ing Well-knOWn private detective, an
eX-church deacon and popular Wash
ingtOn avenue saloonist. The pa
troll sleigh then returned to
the raided gambling houses
and came back heavily loaded
with furniture and choice gambling
bric-a-brac, including faro layouts,
roulette wheels, hazard tables. etc.
which were stored away.
Judge Bailey of the, municipal court.
was notified of the raid, and signified
his Willingness to remain until the pre-
llminary details necessary to arraign-
ment had been completed. AT O'Clock
the victims were escorted to the court
room and given seats in the
King row., usually occupied by
jurors. The clerk then read
with city ordinance charging Charles
Biggs, David Price, w. E. Friday, E. J.
Wise, John King, Frank Cousins, John
Mccormick, John Smith, John Smith.
+. Drew, George Williams, z. McGinnis'
Frank Sargent and Henry Moody with
frequenting room for the purpose of
gambling. Attorney j. &. WOrrall arose
and entered plea of not guilty for the
entire aggregation, and asked a
continuance until Friday. which
was readily granted, whereupon
John Flanagan sat down and
proceeded to affiX his name
to fifteen bonds of 5000 each for their
appearance. George G. Sawyer, the
proprietor, manager or main guy of the
place at 219 Hennepin avenue, was next
Rrraigned upon warrant drawn under
the statute charging him with keeping
gambling house. He, too, pleaded
not guilty, and was held in $500 for an
pearance Friday. The six men found in
his place were allowed to go,as no game
was in progress at the time of the can
ture.
The place over the Elite, it is under
stood, has been conducted under the
auspices of 1.-The combination" of Sulli-
van, Flanagan d Shaw, for whom war
rants will probably be issued. No effort
had been made up to midnight to cap
ture the three men who escaped, and
1t is probable that they will not be
prosecuted.
The raid was the talk CT the streets
last evening, and considerable anxiety
was exercised concerning the personnel
Of the victims. The names given were
pf course fictitious, with but
few exceptions, and for the beneht
Of the public generally it may be stated
hat none of them are persons of either
business or social prominence.