The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-26
The Civic Federation of That
City
Still Has the Gamblers by the
Throat.
NOBLE BA TIE
Is Fought For Decency and
Responsibility
BY the Society Whose Purpose is
to Enforce Laws.

CHICAGO. Sept 2o.-The continued
"close-up" of the gam bling houses here
is giving the gambling fraternity a great
deal Of anxiety. For the first time in
years there have been no gambling
rooms open in Chicago for so long a
period. The furniture from most Of the
resorts has been hidden away and the
houses are barren and forlorn. The zeal
of the police also continues. Capt. Hart
nett raided two poker joints and crap
game Saturday night These are the
last gam bling resorts to be closed up.
No more have since been found.
Constables arrested Edward Corrigan,
John Brenock and Joseph Tllman at the
Hawthorne track Saturday on warrants
from Justice Cunning hams court.
Gambling places have been closed in
Chicago many times, but never before
has a powerful organization like the
Civic Federation got after them. The
Federation people with Lyman J. Gage
al their head are determined 10 keep
the gamblers down.
Sunday was the Civic Federation's field
day, and the crowds that came to join the
uprising against the gam bling houses
had no limits except in thousands and the
capacities OF the churches and Central
Music hall. The afternoon mass meet
ings began within two hours after all the
pulpits had thundered invectives, and
were only wide and high enough 20 ac-
commodate fraction Of the great jams
of people who applied for admission.
The enthusiastic campaigners fiocked ia
such hosts that there was not "A seat iu
the hall from footlights to ridge pole
half hour before the time for the first
speech. and the overflow poured like IA
mighty river along the streets to the doors
of the First Methodist church.
The throngs about the two meeting
a o. 81 81. 4
fair year So intense was the excite
ment and rush for starding room that
the ushers were Overpe1gered, the aisles
packed with shouting, cheering, Kissing
people, and the streets lined with disap-
pointed converts and virtuous warriors
who complained that the lake front had
not been used for the demonstration and
not buildings big enough only for the
early corners. Pastors and business men.
women, priests and judges graced the
topmOst galleries, and the boxes held the
shiftv and thoughtless, who cut short the
Sunday dinners and secured front seats.
There was not an inch in church or thea
ter that was vacant, with dignified agita-
tors perched on window sills, the stage
and pulpit edges and steps, or peering
from the farthermost fringes Of the au-
diehce. barely within seeing and hear
ing distance Of the orators.
Corporation Counsel Henry Rubens
attempted to read a statement in defense
of Mayor Hopkins. but was nearly
drowned out by Kisses.
The bold. unequivocal, unqualiie
statement from the mayor that there
would be no more public gambling in
the town as long AS he was mayor. was
accepted with smiles and side glancea.
while the member of the federation who
declared this promise would require
watching, was compelled to stand silent
in salvo of approval that lasted consid-
era iDlV LONGER than two Tniuufn5
And after all the speaking the peoples
hatred Of gambling was expressed in the
following resolution commencing the
federation, and urging all good citizens
in the work:
1--WE, citizens Of Chicago, in mass
meeting Assem- bled, believing that public
gam bling is one Of the most demoraliz-
ing if not the most utterly vicious Of pub
lie crimes, rejoice in the evidences that
we see Of the uprising Of the people
against it. We commend the action of
the Civic Federation IN pushing the con-
test against the great vice and rejoice
to know that both the city and county
authorities have resolved TO render that
organization aid in its great contest
working together without regard to par
ty for the externination Of gam bling in
this city, and we urge all good citizens
to give every possible aid not only 70 the
Civic Federation, but to his honor, the
mayor, and the chief Of police, in the
performance of their duty TO suppress
this great evil which under successive
administrations has grown to such pro-
portions in our midst"
More interesting developments are
l. e.