Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-11
THEY MEAN BUSINESS.
THE GAMBLERS BEGIN AND ARE
PROMPTLY TAKEN IN.
The First Gun in the Much-Talked-of
Fight Was Fired Last
Night.
The battle has begun.

| The battle has begun.
| The gamblers declared themselves last
night, and SC did the police. Chief Lee had
become aware that the knights of the green
cloth were about to begin operations on the
much -talked-o of and troublesome Govern
ment lot at the corner of Seventh and K
streets, and surnmoning three trusty officers
Stafford, Farrell and Coffey-to his sane.
tum, instructed them what to do.
Acting upon their superior's instructions,
the three guardians of the peace sauntered
up to the Postoffice site about dusk and
| lounged about in the vicinity.
Nothing unusual attracted their attention
until along about eight o'clock, when two
familiar individuals brushed past them
carrying under their arms chuck "a. luck
! layout. They were two well known sure
thing" men, named Marsh aud Bragg, who
| have never missed a fair in the past de-
| cade.
They were heading for Seventh and K i,
and the officers followed at their heels.
Upon reaching the proposed public rendez-
vous the gamblers picked out quiet cor
| ner and set up their apparatus-an
ordinary table, over which was spread a
long strip of green-painted oil-cloth, bear
ing large gilt figures, thus: l, 2, 8, a. 5, 6.
"All set, gentlemen !" sang out the man
with the red face and shoe brush mus
tache. walk up now and try your luck.
| Half dollar on the ace, and double your
money every time Walk up, now. Why,
you can make more money in half an
| hour than Jay Gould could in week !
| Up this way, now All, here's a gentle
man what says de five-spot will win.
He'll be millionaire! Get in, now, be-
| fore rattle de bones.
Two more gentlemen Clipped up
dollar apiece on different numbers, and he
of the red face ''rattled de bones" All
three won, of course. A youth standing
near, with hayseed in his hair, thought it
was pretty good game, and began feeling
in his pockets.
Walk up, gents, now, an We'll rattle
'em again r"
| They ratified again, and this time two of
the gentlemen" won again, and only one
| lost. Next rattle all three won again.
The hayseed youth could resist no longer,
and risked a dollar. He won. He
grinned and put up another and another,
but he was not winning now.
| A well-known gentleman, who holds
forth in one of the State offices in the Capt.
tol, stepped up and placed dollar on the
| three-spot
"Step up, gents Don't be bashful, now,
/ an we'll rattle de bones agin Why, you
kin make more money in half an hour
than Jay Gould kin make in a week.
| Attorneys Grove l.. Johnson and Charles
| I. Jones, whom rumor has had il for sew
eral days have been retained by the green
cloth fraternity, saQDtered into the tent,
and leaning up against the bar watched the
game. The three officers of the law pre-
viously mentioned were also watching the
game.
walk up, now, gents, and try your luck.
Step up and we'll rattle"
mo, you won't, either, sir. You are my
prisoner. I'm an officer of the law"
| The interrupter was one of the stalWart
policemen, and he exhibited his star as he
spoke.
For moment nobody spoke or moved.
| Then the spectators made wild dash for
the door, and tumbled over each other in
their hurry to get out. The officers did
not attempt to stop them, but proceeded to
pack up the gambling paraphernalia.
The gamblers did not resist, but glanced
significantly toward the two attorneys.
Mr.. Jones Immediately stepped up and
asked the officers if they were United
States Marshals. They replied in tt e neg
|
right whatever to make an arrest upon this
ground. | protest right here against it."
The officers needed him not and started
Oft to the city prison with their two pris-
oners and the paraphernalia. Messrs.
Jones and Johnson accompanied the party
to jail and again protested. But the pris-
oners were charged with conducting a
game of chance prohibited by law.
That programme had been prepared
and test case premeditated was evident
from every circumstance surrounding the
transaction. Both the police and the
gamblers were anxious to bring this matter
to an issue, and for this reason both were
on the ground at the same time-and
both in very limited numbers. The attor.
neysl presence was also significant, and
lastly the two gamblers had not been in
Jail but few minutes before they were re,
leased on $500 bonds each, the bondsmen
being on hand and waiting for them.
The great legal battle which all have
been anticipating will commence immedi.
ately.