Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-23
POLICY PLAYERS. INNING.
Gambler Kings Open Defiance to
 Press and Police.

Gambler Kings open Denance tO
 Press and Police.
 Gambler Fred King of Brook street sends his compliments and policy slip dated February 20 to the DEMOCRAT, and invites us to do our worst. He de- fies anybody to molest him and for the police especially expresses his contempt.
 The police are as anxious as we are to break up Kings notorious establishment, but the common council must first de- clare policy playing a nuisance before the city court can take hand in the game. Away back in the early '1O's the following ordinance was passed by the council:
 Sec S-Every room in said city. keIt or used for any gambling or gaming purpose, or for the purpose of risklng any money or property by any form of hazard, shall be deemed a common nui- Sance, and any owner or occupant of any room who shall knowingly suffer or l permit such room to be used for any such purpose. and. every person who | shall act as dealer, counter, tallyman, stakeholder or manager of any such | gambling, gaming or hazard, and every | person keeping or managing, or assist | ing in keeping or managing any policy office, or acting as agent for any such office, whether such office is in this city or elsewhere, shall be deemed guilty of causing and maintaining nuisance, and shall forfeit and pay a penalty of not less than ten, nor more than one hundred dollars for every such offense. A year ago when King was arrested for play ing pocket policy it was first dis covered that the ordinance prohibiting | the game, voted by the common council, was null, having been passed many years before the general assembly by the | following section in 1881 authorized its passage: O. | Section 2,513.-The court of common council of any city, and the warden. burgesses and freemen of any borough, and the inhabitants of any town, in legal town meeting assembled, shall have power to make, alter, and repeal ordi- nances or bylaws to suppress and punish all kinds of gambling and gam ing, pool selling, policy playing, lottery dealing, bucket shop business, and the stalking or deposit of money or collaterals for the same on margins or otherwise az ainst a rise or fall in the markets ot the price of stocks. bonds or merchandise and to prevent idlerS and persons with out apparent employment from enticing persons into places where gambling ot any kind is earned on
 Until the court of common council re adopts the ordinance prohibiting gam | DllnS Ming CaH rope Ill ms victims with
 out fear of police interference. It k
 more than probable that some action il
 the matter will be taken at the nex
 meeting of the boards.
 One of King victims, whose passion for the game has cost his family many {
 loaf of bread in conversation with } DEMOCRAT reporter, almost begged tha we drive the business out of Waterbury , He declares that man who tries tn, game once becomes its abject slave. Il l is game that can be played for an,
 amount from five cents to one hundred l dollars, and the nickel of a poor wretcl whose family is suffering for the neces : saries of life is received with as goo( 7 grace as that of the merchant. Men ant women are equally welcome customer
 and school boys dime is always
 welcome addition to Kings treasury. f The business must be stopped and tn
 councilman or alderman who is instru
 mental in passing a prohibitory ordi s nance can well be proud of the distinc
 ton.