The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-27
SHE MADE A THREAT
Why Helen Crane Was Knocked
Senseless in the Drum Saloon.
Said She Would Inform the Police of
Gambling in the Place-A Raid
Is Made.

Last night about midnight a SQUAD of
officers. headed by Superintendent Powell
himself, made a raid on the Drum saloon
on the Circle, and in a room above it a
complete outfit for poker and craps was
found. The place is admirably arranged
for the purpose of a gambling hell. On
the ground floor the Drum saloon and a
transfer office are side by side. Just back
of the transfer office is small room,
opening into the saloon and containing
table and few chairs, ostensiby for the
purpose of private drinking. There is also
a door opening from the transfer office into
this small back room. Through this door
those who knew the pass word, and no
others, have gained admittance at all
hours, and either have had a quiet drink
or have passed up a winding back stairway
to a room above in which the gambling
Daraphernalia was located last night.
Superintendent Powell had planned raid
on this house for midnight, but owing to an
unfortunate occurrence, the game was
scared and closed just a few minutes before
the officers would have arrived. About IL 30
a woman was found on the sidewalk III
front Of the saloon in an unconscious con-
dition and was carried into the Office OF
Horace Woods stables When she recov-
cred consciousness she said her name Was
Helen Crane, and that her home was at No
Il Fort Wayne avenue She said that she
had gone into the Drum saloon TO see a
friend of hers, and while in there had
threatened to give the house away to the
police, whereupOn she says a man who was
a stranger to her knocked her down ana
threw her out of the saloon, where she lay
unconscious. She was picked up by the
Waterman of Woods stable and taken into
the office where she soon revived and told
her story. This caused such commotion
that the gamblers, if there were any in the
Drum at the time skipped out before the
arrival Of the officers.
Everything about the place arranged
so that the patrons of the house could
vacate the room in very few seconds,
without being seen from the street. At the
side of the room is long window with two
sash in Ii which slide to the sides. AT
moments warning these windows can be
alley in the rear is but a few steps over the
roofs of the adjoining one-story buildings,
All this time they are shielded from the
view of any officers, who happen to be on
Monument Place. by al immense billboard
which adorns the cornice of the front of
the building. Owing to this arrangement
it is exceedingly difficult TO trap
any in the act of gambling in
this place. When the officers
entered the room they found ii vacant, ex-
tied this place about three weeks ago, and
at that time ii contained only two round
poker tables in the place, but when they
went in last night they found that there
craps, In the room. The bartender protested
that there had been no gambling there since
the election, but Superintendent Powell
thought different, and called the patrol
wagon and hauled off the tables and every
thing that showed evidence of having been
used for gambling