The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-12
ooh" said the chief, "has German

gone. tHeu.
II don't know about German" said
McCrasky; "the man 1 succeeded was
Finrigau. I believe he is in Cincinnati
now"
When the chief learned the pu.port
of the local editors visit he became
very official and somewhat taciturn.
He presumed that there were gam blinC
houses in the city. Ii there were,
they were very quiet and no COM
plants ever reached his ears There
were many things, he said. that it was
impossible to suppress. and the result
of attempted suppression was TO drive
the evil deeper down He seemed to
be in favor rather of regulating than
of attempting the impossible; still, If
McCrasky brought him undoubted
evidence that a gambling house was
in operation he would consider 1t his
duty to make a raid on it
Chance played into the hands Of Nc
Crasky and blew in on him a man who
little rocked what he was doing when
he entered the local editors room
Gus Hammerly. sport and man-abont-
town, dropped into the Argus office
late one night to bring news OF an
event" to the sporting editor. lie
knew his way about in the Office and,
finding Murren not in, he left the item
on his table Then he wandered into
the local editors room. The newspa-
per boys all liked Hammerly, and
many a good item they got from him.
They never gave him away, and he saw
that they never got left, as the YER
nacular is.
Good evening. You're the new
local editor, I take it. I've just left
little item for Murren. l suppose
he's not in from the wrestle yet. Ny
names Hammerly. All the boys know
me and I've known in my time four
teen of your predecessors, so / may as
well know you. You're from Pitts
/ burgh. hear"
YES. Sit down, Mr. Hammerly.
Do you know Pitts burgh at ALP"
''Oh, yes. Borden. who keeps the
gam bling den on Y street, is an old
friend Of mine Do you happen to
know how old Borden's getting along?"
"Yes, his place was raided and closed
up by the police
That's just the old mans luck
Same thing in Kansas City"
by the way. Mr.. Hammerly, do you
know OF any gambling places in this
city,"
why. bless you. haven't the boys
taken you round ye5? Well. now, that's
inhospitable. Mellish's is the best
place in town. I'm going up there now.
If you come along III give you the
knock-down at the door and you'll
+ have no trouble after that
III go with you," said McCrasky,
reaching for his hat, and SO the inno-
cent Hammerly led the lamb into the
/ lions den.
! McCrasky. unaccustomed to the
sight, was somewhat bewildered with
! the rapidity of the play. There was a
! sort of semi-circular table, around the
/ outside rim of which were sitting as
many men as could be comfortably
! placed there. A man at the inside Of
the table handled the cards. He flicked
/ out one to each player, face downward,
with an experiences and speed that daz-
zled McCrasky. Next he dealt out one
to each player face upward and put
sums of money on the table beside
their cards, after looking at them
| There was another deal and SO on, but
the stranger found it impossible to I'M
derstand or follow the game. He saw
money being raked in and paid out rap
idlv and over the whole affair was d
/ solemn decorum that he had not been
/ a~,o.ntaI
oaths and the drawing of revolvers.
"Rere, Mellish," said the innocent
Hammerly, "let me introduce you to
the new local editor of the Argus l
didn't catch your name" he said in a
whisper.
MY names McCrasky."
''Mr McCrasky; Mr.. Mellish. Mel
lish is proprietor here and you'll find
him first-rate fellow"
II am pleased to meet you said
Mellish. quietly; ANY friend of Ham
merly's is welcome. Make yourself at
home"
Edging away from the two Mellish
said in a quick whisper to Softly, the
bartender: go aud tell the doorheep-
err to warn Thompson, or any Of the
rest of the Argus boys, that their boss
is in here"
At twelve o'clock that night the local
editor sat in his room. is that you,
Thornpson?" he shouted as he heard a
step
YES, SIR answered Thompson,
coming in TO the presence.
shut the door. Thompson. Now
have a big thing on for tonight, but it
must be done quietly. I've unearthed
gam bling den in full blast 1t Will
be raided tonight at two o'clock. !
want you to be on the ground with
Murren; will you need anybody else2'
Depends on how much you want to
make of it
II want to make it the feature of to-
morrow's paper. l think we three can
manage, but bring some Of the rest If
you like. The place is run by man
named Mellish. Now, if you boys kept
your eyes open you would know more
of what is going on in your OWE city
than you do
ave haven't ali had the advantage OF
metropolitan training, said Thompson,
humbly.
Il will go there with the police. You
and Murren had better be on the
ground, but don't go too soon and don I
make yourselves conspicuous or they
might take alarm. Here IS the address
You had better take it down.
oh. III find the place all" Then
Thompson thought moment and
pulled himself together. Thanks,
he said. carefully noting down the
street and mum Der.