St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-08
ITO Put IT ON The ACE. !"
A Stranger Finds Minneapolis Affords
Penny Of Chances for Gambling.
HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
he Concludes the Flour City Is Not
So Slow as Many
Claim.


"Any one who has a little spare
change which he desires to increase or
is willing to lose at game of chance
need not leave Minneapolis for lack OF
opportunity. There is a large assOrt-
ment of gambling concerns hight here
in your midst, and to gain admittance
you need no recommendation but your
face, unless, perchance, 1t is sus-
picious one. In that case you can
readily find some one who Will pass
you in. If you have any particular
choice as to the game you would in
dulge in, announce it and some one will
direct you where to find it. Isn't that a
little strange? You thought gambling
was not allowed here and that the pO-
lice pulled such places? Well. they do
pull them once in a while, but the trou-
bic now is not that they do not know
where the places are, but they don't
know who runs them"
l overheard the above conversation as
l was walking down Nicollet avenue
the other day, and being stranger IN
the city thought l would take turn
about town and see what | could find.
So l asked the next acquaintance that L
CHANGED to meet where | could find
"a GAMBLING PLACE."
and he told me to go around to the Col
umbia pool rooms, where they were
playing the horse races. But" SAID
he, they don't call that gambling, for
the supreme court lately SO decided on
an appeal taken there from the lower
courts" Well, l started off for the
Columbia, and got there just as a
race at Coney Island was coming off.
They're off at Coney Island shouted
out the telegraph operator. In a
second there was rush from all
parts of the room, and the crowd gath
cred about the operator and quickly
became as quiet as if they were at
funeral. Troy takes the lead, sang
out the operator, Ernest second, King
Crab third" Then there was a few
seconds wait, when he called out,
''Same past the stand" Then after
another short wait he called out, "King
Crab at the quarter. Troy second, Ern-
est third
king Crab will win, sure" | heard
some remark. mo, he won't; Troy has
got a 'cinch' on that race" said an
other. "Same at the half" shouted the
operator. "Sure thing, they will never
head King Crab,' said the first speaker.
liking Crab leads at the three-quarters,
Ernest second, Troy third" sang out
the operator.
"Ahl Ha, look out for Ernest" came
out in chorus from half a dozen VINO
had bought tickets on Ernest. ERNEST
leads into the stretch" came from the
operator. and shout came from about
hale N 1n1ao told Won SOP and ont
came their tickets. liking Crab and
Troy neck and neck, others coming up
very fast" A sort of suppressed excite
ment ran through the crowd, as they
stood listening for the announcement
of the winner. bella B. wins shouted
the operator. ERNEST second" The
crowd laughed and turned away in dis
gust.
Only one had bought ticket on the
winner. / asked some one why 1t was
that more had not bought the winner,
and he said: 1.-THE other horses were
faster than Bella B, and no one thought
she would stand any show; she was a
short horse, s to l." -.
"How have the boys made it today.
l asked.
Not very well; the short horses
have taken every race but one to-day,
he replied.
Well, | had got enough of this, and
asked where | could find a gambling
house, and was directed to place on
Nicollet, down below Washington ave
nue.. up over saloon, which place L
readily found. l had no difficulty IN
getting in. rang bell at the head OF
the stairs, and Immediately
LITTLE SLIDE IN THE DOOR
,,uehad haaly and q nqir of ewes
look out at me. / suppose | looked
all right, for the door was quickly
Opened and | passed in. No one took
any notice of me, as they were all busy
at the games. In the front part of the
room were about a dozen playing bank;
rather a seedy-lOOking crowd, who
would pass for gang OF track-layerS.
They were not making very heavy bets,
and only two had more than s. worth
of chips before them. l didn't stay
there long, but went down where they
were playing the wheel.
There were two here who were play
| ing. but they never bet more than two
| chips, worth 10 cents apiece. l did not
| eniov this, and thou hit would make an
excuse to get out without playing. So
said to one of the boys: don't they
have any more in here than this?'
mot in the afternoon" he replied
''but there Will be fifty to 100 here to-
night" | told him / was stranger and
asked if there were any other places,
| and he informed me that ''the old place
OH Hennepin was running, but he
didn't know of any more"
ANY other kind of gambling" |
asked.
Yes; plenty of poker games almost
everywhere. Then there is policy, but
only "cOons" take to this, and then they
"shoot craps" but only ''cOons" and
| newsboys." l also found out that there
were one or two bucket shops, and that
in one of them they had clock which
| turned out the price of imaginary
stocks. l was told to come round in the
evening and there would be a gang
there, and [ could get into good game
if / wanted to play.
Il am satisfied that no one need
leave Minneapolis for lack of oppor
| tunities to gamble; that if L had the
money the chamber of commerce anC
| several large commission houses would
| give me all the opening l wanted. You
town of Minneapolis is gOOdy goody
sort of place in many respects. but il
isn't as SLOW city as many make out
STRANGER"
West Hotel, Minneapolis, Oct. 6.
I |