The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-14
REGARDING GAMBLING
Will The Games Close or Will They Not
B July 1 .-eI
A MATTER OF CONJECTURE
The Faro Banks In Butte IL 10 Said.
Are Making Money and VIII
Not willingly Cease to Do
Business

BUTTE, April 13.-The gamblers of Butte
are using their think works a great deal
just now in connection with the anti
gambling law which goes into effect on
July 1. Notwithstanding the thought aud
attention they have devoted to IL. how
ever, they are still undecided as to what
course to pursue in regard to the new law.
The gambling house proprietors are not
saying much about their plans for the
future and do not seem to care great
deal which way things go, but the high
toned check guerillas and Migrants who
make their homes around the gambling
houses and would be compelled to either
goto work or to Jail if they were closed up
are loudly clamoring for a fight against
the bill. tts
There are quite a number of good
lawyers who are of the opinion that the
law cannot DO enforced and IL fight is
made it will be on the ground that the law
was not properly passed. The Chandler
bill which was Introduced in the senate
was entitled "An act to amend chapter
. Of the penal code concerning gambling"
The point Is now raised that there was no
chapter Of the penal code to be amended
and that AN act amendatory of q law
which does not exist is void. The penal
code as prepared by the code commission.
which was chapter 8, consisting of Sec
tons $50 to 1857 inclusive, 81 that code.
The house committee on codes, in report
ing them in the shape of bills, eliminated
this chapter from the penal code, and
inserted as sections 357 the present gamb-
ling law. Toe code was passed and
signed in that shape. te
tits therefore claimed that the Chand.
Ter bill, by amending chapter of tho
penal code, sought to amend something
which was not in that code at the time of
the passage of the penal code, nor at the
time the anti-gambling bill passed. This
il is contended rendered the title of the
bill wrong, and the act is therefore held
to have not been properly passed.
Furthermore the license provision
which was inserted in the codo when the
unti-gambling feature was eliminated was
afterwards repealed by the new license
bill, and IL the anti-gambling law is held
to be law there will be no provision for
licensing gambling and the games can be
run without paying anything to either the
state or county. The city will however
have the power to exact licenses and will
get the money which has heretofore gone
to the state and county.
Joe Harmon, proprietor of the Avalon
gambling house. stated this afternoon
that he had not decided whether he would
close or keep running after July l, and
tho other gambling house proprietors are
in about the same position. IL IS likely,
however. that they will all get together
some time before the new law goes into
effect and decide what course TO pursue.
One of the oldest faro dealers IN Butte
said to-day that all of the gambling
houses in the city are making good money
in spite of their declarations to the con-,
trary and that the proprietors will not
close their doors willingly. he explained
that they would have already decided 20
fight the bill were 1t not for the fear that
after they have won their fight the city
council would step in and close up the
games by ordinance which could be very
easily done. A definite decision in the
matter will probably not be revealed for
some weeks.
The manager of the leading gambling
house in Great Falls was in Butte last
night and he stated that he proposed to
close up on July l.