Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-16
ALL ARE GLAD 1T is OVER.
Result of the Tournament BY No
Means Satisfactory.
THE PYTHIAN MEMoRlh.- DAY
The Chautauqua Opening-The Day
Among the Churches-PoIice
Points-BriefN News
Bits.
Allowed to Rob.

Allowed to Rob.
The fremen's tournament has come and
gone, and only few OF the decorations are
left to tell tho story, and call attention to
the fact that something of unusual impor-
tance has just transpired. Nearly all of the
visiting firemen have gone home, but few
still remain TO finish up their sight-sceing,
although the greater number of even the
stragglers left on last evenings trains. The
greater part of the decorations on the busi-
ness houses were removed yesterday, but
the bunting put up by the tournament COM
mittee, still flutters in the breeze, or hangs
limp in the soaking rains and drips CORY
looking fluid on the passcrs-by.
Everybody is tired out and glad that 1T is
over, moro especially the business men of
the city They say that scarcely any money
was spent In their places of business by the
visitors, although it was expected that trade
would be very materially increased during
the tournament. In view OF the wholesale
and bars-fuccd robberies pcrpetrated at the
park every day of the tournament, IL is not
at all surprising that the merchants should
make this complaint. On the contrary, 1t
would have been little less than n miracle
had there been an increase in business, as
the visitors were mercilcssly and systema-
tically robbed of everything they
possessed by the gang of thieves and
confidence sharks operating mt the park by
the leave and good will OF the authorities
that be. The sentiment of the citizens at
large regarding this feature of the tourna-
ment is one of the strongest condemnation,
and the prevailing opinion expressed IS that
IL was terrible disgrace to the city, as we'll
as one of the most shameless outrages ever
perpetrated. The majority of the city and
county officials, the judiciary, police and
general public unto in denouncing 1t in the
most unmeasured terms. Why it was toler-
ated is something that no one can under
stand.
Said Judge Aylesworth yesterday, in speak
ing of the matter: II have heard for years
that the park was not paying institution,
and | have often wondered why it was so.
After seeing the shameful practices that
have been carried on there uninterruptedly
for the past three days | have been able to
understand it, and am now positive that
the sole cause for it is the fact that the park
is overruu by thieves and gamblers and it
will never he paying enterprise so long as
this continues to be the case Respectable
people should not and will not patronize 1t.
AS to the manner in which the affairs were
conducted during the tournament, little need
be said, as those in attendance could not
help but notice it, and for the good of the
city the matter should not be paraded be-
fore outsiders. When / first visited the
park on Wednesday and saw the course af-
fairs were taking, l was disposed to take
steps TO put stop to the proceedings, but on
thinking the matter over carefully L con-
cluued to let some one else make the move,
rs | was not an executive officer. Why it
was allowed to go on as il did can not un-
derstand, and deeply regret, as must every
good citizen, that the officials suffered it 10
continue unmoleSted.
sit made me think of early days here, the
only thing lacking beng II half dozen men
hanging TO the neighborng trees. Splendid
material for hanging was right there on tho
ground, but popular Indignation was not
reused TO the proper pitch for it. Never in
-. -
crowd of blacklcgs OF all descriptions as
sembled here than piled their lawlcss busi-
ness at the park, almost under the protcc-
ton of the officials who SHOULD have prose
cutcd them. 1t is asserted that these Off
ciais were decidedly interested in the result
of these games, but of the truth of these al
legations [ know nothing. For some reason
no arrests were made, and the crooks were
not interfered WITH
well-known gambler of the city ex
pressed himself as follows: "I have been
all over this country, and in many a tough
place and hard crowd, but in my whole life
never saw anything that would equal tho
gang that ruin those SKIN games at the park.
There We're between sixty and seventy
games, and each one had from one TO dozen
cappers, SO that there We're ut the least cal
culation over 500 men engaged in the one
work of robbing the people who visited the
grounds. They were not ordinary gamblers,
but all around crooks and hard men, among
mails in the country. / have no sympathy
with those who played the games and lost
their stuff for they were every bit as bad as
the follows who run the games. They
thought they saw n chance to roll the other
follow, who pretended to be drunk, and they
squealcd when they were caught in the net.
Each was trying to roll the other, and get
something for nothing. | acknowledge that
] am q gambler but am heartily ashamed of
the doings at the park. l would not be a
party to such robUcrles as wero those per-
petruted by consent of men who
claim to be emiuently respectable.
The poor fools who lost their money are not
deserving of any sympathy. They would
not for tho world tackle an ordinary gambling
game where the chances are fairly even, for
fear they would be skinned, but they could
not get money down fast enough in these
games which were dead sure to fleece them.
They thought those fellows were fools and
out for their health, but they probably
changed their minds as they counted the ties
on their way home, and thought the matter
over. They sold the gambling privilege sim
ply to protect themselves. For this reason
they ask the public TO overlook their action
in the matter. Whether or not the public
will accept the explanation as n sufficient
excuse for allowing the Wholesale robbery Of
hundreds and thousands Of the city's guests
.itN.st tn has