Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-03-23

70 CO. SAID thompson; ARE your?
I'll think about it." replied the E.
E "Beastly poor tobacco, this of
yours, Murren. Why don't you buy cut
plug?"
you're not compelled to smoke il"
said the sporting editor without raising
his head.
II am when mine is out, and the
other fellows keep their drawers
locked"
Thompson dropped in on Mellish,
the keeper of the swell gambling
rooms, to consult with him on the
article for Saturdays paper. Mellish
took q great interest in it. and thought
1t would do good. He willingly gave
Thompson several instances where the
vice had led to the ruin Of promising
young men.
Thompson told Mellish about Nc
Crasky. Mellish was much interested,
and said he would ii Ike to meet the
local editor. He thought the papers
should take more interest in the sup
preston of gambling dens than they
did, and for his part he said he would
like to see them all stopped, his own
included ''Of course" he added. II
could shut up my shop, but it would
simply mean that some one else would
open another, and 1 don't think any
man ever ran such a place fairer than
/ do
McCrasky called on the chief of
police, and introduced himself as the
local editor of the Argus
''Oh," said the chief, ''has German
gone. then?'
II don't know about Gorman," said
McCrasky; ''the man I succeeded was
Finnigan. 1 believe he is in Cincinnati
now"
When the chief learned the purport
Of the local editors visit he became
very official and somewhat taciturn.
houses in the city. If 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 q gambling house was
in operation he would consider it 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-about-
town, dropped into the Argus Office
late one night to bring news of an
event" to the sporting editor. He
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 ver-
nacular is.
local editor, 1 take it. I've just left a
little item for Murren. / suppose
he's not in from the wrestle yet My
names Hammerly. All the boys know
me and I've known in my time four
teen of your predecessors, so may as
we'll know you. You're from Pitts
burgh, hear"
"Yes. Sit down. MIR. Hammerly.
Do you know Pittsburgh at all?"
''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"
Eyes, 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 ye.? Well, now, that's
inhospitable. Mellish's is the best
place in town. I'm going up there now.
If you come along I'll give you the
knock-down at the door and you'll
have no trouble after that"
''I'l 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
the table handled the cards He ficked
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 ralsed in and paid out rap
idly and over the whole affair was
solemn decorum that he had not been
prepared for. He had expected fierce
oaths and the drawing of revolvers.
Here, Mellish," said the innocent
the new local editor of the Argus /
didn't catch your name," he said in
whisper.
My names McCrasly."
''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 quick whisper to Sotty, the
bartender: go and tell the doorkeep-
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. ''ls that You,
Thompson" he shouted as he heard