The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-30
TERROR TOGAMBLERS
Three Severe Bills Practically
Become Laws Today.
The Senate Passes the Lottery
and Gambling Bills.
They Now Go to Gov. Morrill,
for Signature.
INMATES OF HOUSES
Where Gambling is Carried On
as Business,
Liable to Be Sent to the
Penitentiary.
RAFFLES MUST G O.
They Are Not Allowed by the
Anti-LOttery Bill.
RAFFLES MUST GO
They Are Not Allowed by the
Anti-LOttery Bill.

Three bills which are calculated to
Danish lotteries from Kansas forever, and
prove the death-knelI to the gambling
industry in Kansas, passed the senate
today.
They are house bills Nos. 1, 2 and s.
and they passed unanimously except the
latter, which had four votes cast against
it. The bills will become laws
as soon as signed by Governor Morrill,
and published in the official state paper.
House bill No. 8, which makes per-
son found in a gambling house guilty of
a felony punishable by a term of one to
three years in the state penitentiary,
passed by vote of % to The only
senators who voted against the bill were
the two Democrats, O'Bryan and billiard,
and two Republicans. Sterne and McTag-
gart.
Senator O'Bryan offered an amend
ment making the offense named mis-
demeanor punishable by a fine of from
$40 to 500, and Senator Taylor objected
to the amendment
Then Senator O'Brian said, 81 do not
know as Senator Taylor and Mr.. Cubbi-
son are the ones who shall declare what
this bill shall provide. They must re-
member that in making a law for Kansas
City, Kan, they are making laws for the
whole state. l will never vote to make
a felon of a man who may be found
merely betting his money on game of
chance"
Senator McTaggart said: 'The bill as
it stands will defeat IFS own aims. No
jury will ever vote TO send a mere inmate
OF gambling house to the penitentiary
for one year, whereas a less stringent
penalty could be enforced"
Senator Forney said: "If this amend
ment prevails we will be rOundly censur-
ed more severely than we were last Sun
day, before the sun sets tomorrow night.
will vote against the amendment for l
do not want my cource open to charges
of boodle"
break up gambling is to go after those
who make it a profession, and this bill
does it."
Senator Dennison said: IF we want
to suppress crime the way to do it is to
make penalty that is terror to evil
doers."
O'Bryan's amendment was defeated by
a vote of 90 to 3.
Senator Sterne then amended by max.
ing the penalty not less than thirty days
nor more than one year in the county
jail.
This was defeated, with only Senators
O'Bryan. billiard, Sterne and McTaggart
voting in its favor.
The bill was then put on its final pas.
sage and carried with exactly the same
vote as that against Sterne's amendment
For the benefit of those who frequent
gambling houses as we'll as those inter
ested in the bill, the act is here repro
duced:
"SEcTIoN 1. Every person who shall
either directly or indirectly bet auy
money or property at any common gam.
ing house or at any place to which per
sons are accustomed to resort for gam
bling purposes, or at any place kept fol
the purpose of being used as a place fol
gambling, whether such betting be upor
any game of skill or chance, either with
or without cards or dice by use of any
kind of device or contrivance whatsoevel
for determining chances, shall be guilt,
of felony, and upon conviction shall b.
punished by imprisonment at hard labo
in the penitentiary for term not les
than one year nor more than three years
SEC. 2. Every person who under cir
cumstdnces not provided for in the pre
ceding section shall bet any money O
property at or upon any gaming table
bank or gambling device, or upon tn
result of the movement of any wheel O
other device, or the throwing of dice. o
upon the result of any game of skill O
chance. whether with dice or cards q
other thing. or hazard money or proDer
tV upon chance to be determined b
means of any kind of a device. or be
upon any game played by any kind O
gambling device, shall be deemed guilt
of -misdemeanor, and upon conviction
shall be punished by fine of not les
than ten dollars nor more than one hun
dred dollars, or by imprisonment in tn
county Jail not less than ten days no
more than thirty days, or by both sue
fine and Imprisonment
SEC. 3. Section 240 of chapter 81 of tn
general statutes of 1868 is hereby re
pealed.
SEC. 4. This act shall take effect an
be In force from and after its publicatio
In the ohcial state paper"
Senator Sterne in explaining his vot
to JOURNAL reporter this noon saic
81 voted against the gambling hill f.
the reason that the penalties are to
severe. The idea that a man should h
sent to the penitentiary for three veal
for shooting craps is preposterous. HI
man liberty should not be treated !
lightly. This bill does not affect III
man thiat-rans a gambling house. but th