Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-01
DEPRAYIEG TIE BOYS.
POLICE CAPTAIN LEE ON THE SUBJECT
OF CRAPS"
1t is Making Thieves and Criminals Ont
oil the Boys-Un:uccessful Efforts
to stop 1t.

OASt-
Crusoe used to be the juvenile gambling
game, and every night and afternoon afte,
school parties of youngsters could be seen
on the corners growing and fighting over
whose turn it waa tc "piukien o. whose
first ''toss-up" it was.
But crusoe has seen its day in sacra.
mento. The youthful Senator now plays
"craps."
And there are 100 per cent. more young.
sters addicted to the new gambling game
than were ever eniced by crusoe. Nearly
every street corner at night now witnesses
noisy crap game, and the craze il on
the increase. The police tried to break il
up once, but were beaten in the Police
Court, and now everything goes to use
the language of the crap-shooter.
CAPTAIN LEE on CRAPS"
Something will have to be done, and
that quickly, too,n said Police Captain Lee
to a RECORD UNION reporter yesterday,
when the subject of crsp-shooting was
preached. The average citizen" he con-
tinued, has little or no idea of the pitch
this craze is rising to. 4 few months ago
this game Was entirely unknown to the
youngsters, ard was played only BIZ colored
people and n places fsequentsd by that
race. But in some manner or
other = probably because of the
simplicity of the game, and the peculiar
fascination for 1.-THE kids got hold o! il
and it took like wild fire. Il would have
taken 500 Police officers to break up the
games that were running this afternoon on
the street corners in all parts OF the city. l
broke up al least dozen games myself to.
day, but they would only move off TO an
other corner and start up again."
rs there any particular harm in the
game?" asked the reporter.
DEPRAvING THE YoUTHs.
Harm Why, what are you talking
about Nothing could be worse. Hun.
dreds and hundreds of boys are playing the
game, and in order TO play it they have to
have money. Their parents cont give
them money to play craps with. Where do
they get it, then? There you have it in q
nutshell-there is where the harm comes
in. They steal. II is making thieves every
day out of boys that never knew what it
was 10 steal before, aud il is making the
worst kind Of criminals out of those who
have heretofore been addicted to petty
thievery.
Now for an illustration" continued The
Captain. You had an account in your
paper the other day about the ares. of a
gang OF little shavers for rohbing a shoe
store and several other places. Now, l
found out that every one of those bows were
confirmed crap-shooters. They sold their
plunder for money TO play craps with It's
the same way with hundreds of other bows
right here in Sacramento, and | am in a
position TO know what | am talking about.
hear and see enough every day 10 con-
vince me that, if something is not done
pretty soon, there will not be iails enough
10 accommodate the rising generation of
Sacramento"
Can't you stop them ?" asked the re-.
porter.
WASTE OF ENERGY.
What is the use? Although craps is a
game that comes under the ban of the law,
and the police should stop it, we can't con-
Wet the offenders after we get them in the
Police Court. We tried it once, and were
beaten. That's rather discouraging, don't
you think SO ~
The reporter was forced to admit that
it was.
While l was driving about town in my
buggy to-day" resumed Captain Lee, land
saw the crowds of youngsters on door
steps, in vacant lots, and on the sidewalks,
and saw what complete slaves they were
to the ruinous game. l made up nay mind
that the police would not be doing their
duty to the fathers and mothers of Sacra-
mento by remaining idle. Another at.
tempt will be made to break up the per.
nloious craze. | have consulted with the
Chief and he being fully alive TO the situ-
alton, agrees with me. The officers will
be instructed Monday or Tuesday to raid
every game they lind ard bring the
youthful gamblers to jail We will leave
nc stone unturned to place the matter in
Its proper light in the Police Court. If
we are beaten again, why, we can do
nothing but keep our hands off in the
future. But we will have the satisfaction
OF feeling that we have done our duty by
the citizens and they can attach 10 blame
to u.s."
WHAT THE GAME IS.
After some further talk in the same
strain Captain Lee explained to the re-
porter what the game of craps is like.
Two ordinary dice and a table, or any
smooth surface, comprise the entire para
phernalia for playing the game. When
the game opens up the first player,
or shooter, as be is called, picks up the
dice, incloses them between his two hands
and shakes them up vigorously. Then he
drops them on the ground, or floor, or
table, or wherever the game is being
played. There are five points to be made
on the first throw, two to win and three to
lose, besides dead throw, which neither
wins nor loses, but constitutes what is
called the shooters point. If on the first
throw the shooter throws either seven or
eleven, he wins, which constitutes the two
winning points on the first throw. If he
throws IN a-lA
skies,
WHICH Is TERMED CRAPS"
He loses, which constitute the three losing
points on the first throw. ANY other COM
bination of the dice he may throw is called
his point and neither wins nor loses on
the inst throw. Now the player is COM
PEELED to throw the same combination OF
dice which constitutes his point before
he throws g seven or he loses. There are
now only two points to be made, his own
and seven, which is the crap point. For
instance: The shooter on the first throw
throws eight. This is combination out.
side OF the five
WINNING, AND LOSING
Points on the first throw, as mentioned
above, and constitutes his point, which he
must now throw again before throwing
seven. If be throws eight be wins, if he
throws seven he loses, snd the dice pass to
the next player. Money is again pu, up
and the game proceeds as before.
la San Francisco, said CAP tain Lee, the
game is diligently suppressed by the police,
and is only played in back rooms and cell
lars, out of sight of the police. 1t is con-
demned there as a most dangerous vice,
and conviction in the Courts for indulg.
ing IN it means heavy fine and often i'm
prisonment.
FOLSOM PRISON.