The Washington times., 1894-06-03
GAMBLING IN CHICAGO
Is an Open Game. and anyone Can Buck
the Striped Beast.

Is an Open Game. and Anyone Can BUCK
the Striped Beast.
Walk right in and lay down your bet like
little man. If you have q twenty to spare
the tiger will be glad to have it. II that is
too stin for you dollar will be grabbed just
as quickly, and II dollars are scarce put up
quarter.
And II you are really 'shy'' a stack Of PEN
nies will not be refused.
There was q time when the man who wanted
to buck the tiger had to go about 1t diplomat
ically, says the Chicago Times. He had to
have introductions. He was obliged to do
much parieying through o peephole with an
abnormaly suspicious SenegambiGn watch
man. He had a hard time TO get into the
game, and when he got in he had to be real
gambler and put up his money in large
chunks The houses were not skinning small
fry Out of broken change, and their places
were hard to find, too, for by agreement with
the city authorities they had to keep thea
out OF sight where they could not tempt grecn-
horns and men OF small means. Then was
the time when the tiger was regulated and
had to keep himself decently quiet.
He was not allowed to sink his claws into
boys and clerks who do not know the differ
ence between a sequence flush and q "catu-
ral." But it is different now. The big games
are running wide open, and they are not SO
big but thatthe dealers will recognize bet OF
any size. even down TO pennies. The green
table is accessible TO school boys poor work.
men, out-of-tOwn innocents, young fellowe
who would never think OF gambling il tks
temptation were not thrust right under their
noses. 1t is not necessary to make big bet.
Every one of the big houses downtown haa
opened an entrance right On the street, and
there is no limit-top or bottom-to the size
of bets.
Irn6ar tho aoraement hv which the citv an
thorities permitted the better class Of gamb-
ling-houses to exist they were to all keep their
entrance ways of the public streets. They
were 10 employ no cappers to seduce green
horns into their places. No faro chips were
to be sold for less than 80 cents and no rou-
lette chips for less than % cents So long a.
these rules were enforced the gambling-house6
were as good as closed except to regular ha-
bitues-men who ere able to take care Of
themselves in the matter of gambling. Some
of the bigger ones. like George Hgnkins'
place at 134 Clark street, had to close up be-
cause they could get no alley entrance.
But somehow they are not enforcing those
regulations now Gambling is free to all.
George Hankins has moved back to 134
Clark street and has opened a street door to
his place at ia Clark street. This is the
shop where Hankins took refuge when the
order against street entrances went into ef-
feet. He had his entrance here through the
is "Billy'' Shakel's shop at ITO Madison
street. Entrance broad and open, and well
lighted. is through Powers O'Brien's sa-
loon. Harry Varnell's. John Condon's, the
House of David. the ''F. G. Club" and the
"Pickwick Club" are all running quite as
openly. Yarnell's den takes up two floors
above his Clark street saloon.
All these places are crowded every night
and part of every day. All sorts and condi-
tions OF men are losing their money there
now, and to suit the cheap crowds which are
being attracted by the wide-open houses the
big gamblers have set up all sorts of snide
contriyances.
OF course this happy freedom pleases the
gamblers. They do not have SO high a class
of patrons as they once did and stakes do not
run so high, but then they come good deal
oftener. The gambler who can play cheap
game is always ready to do it. for lie wins
more in the long run. Men who patronize
the game and put up high stakes have an un-
pleasant habit of playing we'll enough to win.
But the little fellows who bet half dollar or
SO never win. That is. hardly ever. So the
average keeper OF a den prefers the snail
fry. OF course it is tough on the losers, but
then the house cares nothing for that.
Neither do the police, so far as appearances
go lust now.