The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-27
GAMBLERS NOT EASILY CAUGHT
The Police Raid scrap" Den and
Nab Two Players.

Nab Two Players.
Policeman Bossell, accompanied by Of
ficers Gaffney. Davis and Masters, raided
gambling den at Jefferson and Wayne streets
night before last, and created conster-
nation among a gang OF negro
crap shooters" who were assiduously
plying their exciting but illegal
game. Only two of the gamblers were
captured. If it had not been for the
chicken heartedness,r as Officer Bossell
expressed it last night of a negro who was
employed to enter the domain of the gam
blers and accidentally leave gate open for
them TO enter they would have made a
better haul ~ uo,
A "decoyn was given enough money to
go I'M the game, but the players were de-
cldedly anti to allowing the newcomer
to try his luck, suspeoting that something
The place is kept by Joe Robert. The
officers stood around the cor
ner and 81 awaited .all the signal
which had been agreed upon. The "decoy,'
after much argument, was ruled out of the
game, and he made an exit from the same
door that he entered by, because, as he hap
pened to be Yamacraw darby, he foresaw
danger II he started to go through differ
emit door.
The officers were not in frame of mind
to allow the gamblers to escape while the
click of the dice could be heard, and they
determined to make an entrance either by
friendly means or by force. One of them
approached the door and tapped gently.
The knock did not act as an "open sesame. F"
| Some one inside asked, "Who darn
The officer was nonplussed, but thought
suddenly struck him. The name BILLY"
| flashed upon him, and he replied Its
Billy" The only noise that came from
the room was an emphatic "Huh," and
from the silence that followed it seemed
as If the gamblers were figuring on who
| Billy was.
"'Iain't Billy Williams dat carried I'D in
de 'Craw las week" said one, ''for dat voice
| am too much like parsons for him. No
dat amt Billy Williams"
After a few moments of consultation
some one said, "Dat Billy can't come in,
| and he'd better make tracks,
BILLY" retired, and it was left to Officer
Bossell to try his luck. The officer raped
long rap.
| "Who datT
| Officer Bossell's breast heaved with pa.
| triotic emotion when he recollected that he
was doing the duty of policeman and a
citizen who paid his taxes promptly, and he
replied:
Its the police. Open the door or we
shall break it inn
| Break and be -"
The words were hardly said when there
was big crash, and the door was broken
down by the efforts of the officers, and for
all he surveyed. He took in
the situation at glance, and.
aided by his companions, he went in. 1t was
a surprise to the officers that pistol shot
was not fired. A back door was the only
means of escape the gamblers had. Police
man Bossell says he has seen supes in a the
alter make a grand rush for the door at the
end of play, but their broncho-like move
Inents were left in the cold compared
to the rapidity with which the
| gamblers got out of their way
About fifteen ebony hued sports had scaled
the fence. George Johnson was caught while
in the room and was taken to the barracks
Peter Battle made an effort to escape, bat
it failed him at the last moment through the
sharpness of Officer Bossell. When the
door was forced in Battle climbed up the
chimney. He imagined that his retreat
was a safe one, and it would have
been rra5 only "a for n the ILfact that
the color of his feet was not exactly in har-
monY with the chimney and Officer Bossell
caught hold of him and safely pulled him
| down. 3o..
The appearance of the room did not show
that a broom was used very often,
about eight inches wide, was padded
with green cloth for the purpose
Of deadenihg the noise. The dice and other
gambling devices were not to be found, and
it is presumed that they made their exit
either into the back yard or in the pockets
of one of the gamblers in the retreat.
Policeman Bossell said that when he ap-
preached the door he was taken by the ex-
presslons that he heard. The game must
have been exciting, as the thud of fists on
the padded board could be heard
plainly, followed blythe. exclamation,
Turn de wheel, boys Plank 'um down
Hannah and go it Betsy. v
| Battle and Johnson were before the
mayor yesterday morning, but the cases
were continued. ao- sfvsle
A general complaint has been made lately
of 'crap shooting" and the police are on
the lookout for the gamblers.