The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-12-08
THE GAMBLING HEL.LS.

L. SUdUOo az LIS
morning service that in the evening
he would have something to say re-
garding local affairs. There was
good attendance in the evening, and
those present were not disappointed.
Mr.. Bergstrom, in a prelude to his
sermon, gave the local administration
such scoring as it has not received
in many day. If his statements are
true, and there is reason to believe
that they are substantially correct,
the grand jury certainly has an oppor-
Junity here to do some good work for
the city bv roofing out alleged gam
bling places. Mr.. Bergstrom said:
The saloon is bad enough, the Sun
day saloon is crying shame and
abomination, but gambling house is
very hell upon earth and an Iaddi
tional disgrace to civilized commu-
nifty.
Gambling is the most enticing and
corrupting of all vices. it robs man
of his manhood. All other vices fol-
low in it's wake. Over each gambling
hell should be written the inscription
on the entrance to Dante's Inferno:
All hope abandons ye who enter
here"
The FREE PRESS contained an item
Friday evening calling to our atten-
tiOn the converting of the grand jury,
next Tuesday, and commenting upon
the work already mapped out for them
prophesied for them busy session.
| co lid not help thinking how busy
aud long their session would be if
they would inquire into something
brought to light by the coroner's in
quest in connection with the murder
of the gamblinghousek keeper, whose
place of shame was supposed to have
been closed at that time, but which is
still running at full blast, running the
character and lives of some of our
most respected young men.
So influential and esteemed are the
patrons of this gambling hell, that
the names of those present on the
night of the murder were suppressed
during the preliminary hearing, and
better SO, for the rule Is that young
men who contiHpe as theE have hegun
will soon be known to the world as
defaulters, forgers and thieves.
r At the very time when the chief of
, | Of m q mr.
5 gambling hell existed in Mankato,
y that place was being fitted up with
: some of the latest improvements, in
the way of gambling apparatus, and if
I'm not mistaken as to the day, it was
on the very day when a roulette table,
that most fascinating of all internal
machines for rObbing men, was adj
ded to the paraphanalia. And now
I during the night and the early hours
of the morning, belated pedestrians
: are greeted with that peculiar sound
) of the rolling of the ivory, and the
u humming of the wheel, while our
l young men are losing their own or
i their employers hard earned money,
: almost directly across the street from
J police headquarters.
The statute of Minnesota reads:
Chap. 1924. Gambling with cards,
dice, gaming table, or any gambling
q devices whatever is prohibited.
t 1896. Whoever shall keep any gam
bling device whatever, designed to be
used in gambling. shall be punished
S by fine not exceeding $500 or I'M
: prisonment in the county Jail
not exceeding 6 months, or both.
1927. Whoever suffers any gaming
table, farO-bank or gambling device
10 be set up or used for the purpose Of
0 gambling in any house, building,
> steam boat, raft, keel boat or room,
lot, yard or rden. to him belonging
> or by him occupied or of which he has,
CONTROL, shall be punished, etc.
= And yet when l came in on a late
: train the other night an officer, con-
: fessed TO me, as we both stood in the
: shadow of that building and heard the
gambling going on at o'clock am.
his inability or want of authority to
: interfere.
t 1t seems just as impossible for these
y officers TO close tho gambling neil, as
: it is iur them o, q - 70" , iaday
+ >als.o.,>. wv j. u I"'rn~siHnt: The
t mayer ache eau dn~>et4
Ii young men are 10 De RUNE aeie
. by permission of the City authorities,
: there shall at least be one voice of pro-
$ test raised, and now that the grand
: jury is going to meet hope that all
d lawabiding citizens will assist them
in exposing and Furnishing these Grim
inals, and making an end of their ne
farious business.
The law requires this of the grand
:. Jury and even goes so far as to say.
: Chap. lO7, S36. II a member of the
{ grand jury knows or has reason to be-
e lieUe that public otfeDse has been
i. committed, which is triable
Il in the county, he shall de-
clare the same to his fellow jurors
III uho shall fhprouD0D invaStiUatp the