The record-union., 1891-05-21
CRUSADE AGAINST CRIME.
The Police are After the Gamblers
ScaIps Again.
1t is the Result of meeting of the
Commissioners Games Notified
to Close.

The howl that is being set up by the re-
spectacle portion of the community
against the dives and the criminal and
gambling element is beginning to have
some effect.
Late on Tuesday night the Police Com
mlssioners held meeting in Police
Judge Cravens' chambers, and several
reform movements were discussed. 1t
was star-chamber session, and the facts
OF what transpired did not leak out until
yesterday forenoon.
The principal matter discussed was the
gambling vice. Mayor Comstock called
the attention of Chief Drew and Judge
Crayens to the fact that since the last
CRUSADE AGAINST THE GAMBLERS,
About three months ago, the gamblers
had quietly unpacked their parapher-
MALTA, gone back to their old haunts, and
resumed business. The faro games, he
was informed, were in full blast again,
and throughout the lower portion of u
street crap games were as numerous as
OF old. The Mayor thought that the de-
mands of the citizens should be listened
to and the law enforced.
Judge Cravens agreed with the Mayor
Chief Drew explained that he was not
aware that the gamblers had resumed
operations. He thought he had effectually
stopped them before
After some further talk, it was agreed
that something should be done, and the
Chief promised that the law should be
enforced so far as it was in his power to
enforce it.
GAMES MUST CLOSE.
After the meeting the Chief turned the
matter over to Captain Lee, with instruc-
tlons that every. gambling game should
be closed, and that a crusade be made
generally against the law-breakerS The
Chief could not attend to the matter per-
sonally as he was compelled to leave for
MarySVllIe that night on the express to
attend the examination there of the Ball
murderers.
Captain Lee went to work with will,
and issued orders to the force yesterday
to notify the keepers of all games to shut
down Immediately. Last evening the
night watch was given the same orders.
Officer Higgins was detailed to hunt up
the faro games, and he did so, and gave
each one notice to close.
There will be no funny business about
1t, said Captain Lee last night to a re-
porter. Il thought it would be better to
notify them first, and thus save us a lot
OF trouble. II any of the gamblers should
refuse TO close up, why, we will haul them
IN, that's all. But there will be no trouble
on that score. They will all close up"
SAD CRAP-sHooTERs.
There was sadness in the L-street re-
sorts where the "culIud'' folks ''shoot
craps" every evening, when the officers
notified them to cease operations Most
OF them closed up right away, and prom
ised not to violate the law They did it
with as good grace as possible, but they
thought good deal.
The new orders have not stopped with
the gamblers, either. A number of the
most obstreperous of L streets prosti-
tutes have been notified to leave town,
and yesterdays trains carried away sew
eral of the painted creatures in conse-
quence. Others have been warned to
keep inside of their houses, and their
doors and windows closed. If this order
is violated they viii be arrested for va
grancy-and that means more than light
fine, since the advent of Judge Cravens.
The police have also paid their respects
to the dive-keepers, and in the future
that is, If the police do not desist in their
good work-these people viii live in con-
slant fear of being jailed for keeping dis
orderly houses.