The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-06-30
OLD KING FARO DEAD
Butte Buries the Crowned Head at the
Hour Of Midnight.
GAMBLING HOUSES NO MORE
The Last Turn Out of the Box at
the Combination Was a Loser
for the Game - Tin
Horns Kick.

Butte. June s0.-Public gambling died
In Butte at midnight tonight. While
the new law on gambling does not go
into effect until July !, II has been the
custom In Butte for more than a year
to have no gambling on sunday, and
SO. while in Helena and Billings and
other parts OF Montana gambling Will
continue until Sunday night or Mon
day morning, IL stopped short In Butte
at L. O'Clock Saturday night.
Not in years has there been a llveller
time In Butte than the last night OF
faro gambling. IL looked like the old
days Only two gambling houses We're
open-the Combination and Avalon.
The Board OF Trade shut up last Tues
day and the others had closed before
The two gambling houses which stayed
to the finish did rushing business all
the evening and turned the tables over
with n crowd eager TO play.
AT five minutes before Il o'clock a
number OF old timers went through the
gambling houses. Judge Newkirk was
one Of them and told about how he and
Jim Talbot opened the first faro table
In Butte some 25 years ago. AS the
hands OF the clock neared the hour OF
le o'clock, the playing grew heavy. The
limit was taken Off on some tables. and
one young blood was playing faro at
$50 a card at three minutes before l.
o'clock. The Combination closed be-
fore the town clock struck IL.
The last turn at the first table in the
Combination was a loser for the pro-
prietors.
The upstairs game was kept going
until nearly morning. but the public
gambling houses down stairs was
closed-probably forever The bar will
be kept running for the present. and II
is likely that the poker games will con-
tinue for while. but faro gambling is
stopped.
At the Avalon the game ran three
minutes longer than in the Comblna-
tlon. the clock being that much slower
One veteran gambler. when the games
closed, held out one red check on cash
ing In and said he was going TO hold
that as "A souvenir on the death OF
faro In Butte. There was talk Of hold.
Ing faro funeral Sunday. but no def.
mite arrangements were made- for 1t
The Avalon bar was closed with tbs
tables and everything was off. Tn,
Avalon was closed tight as soon as tht
crowd got cleared.
Matt Slater. behind the bar at the
Avalon, said: Take drink with me
This Is the last deal"
The whole room drank on the bar foi
last drink In the Avalon gambling
house. The lease Of the present propri.
etors runs until July 10. and It Is not
known what character OF business will
20 into the old stand then. The new
law makes II crime, punishable by q
fine OF not less than $500 or more thar
1000. to carry on or conduct any game
OF faro. monte. roulette. lanquenet
rougc-ct-noir. rondo. tan. fau-tan. stud
horse poker. seven and a half, draw
poker or any banking or percentage
games played with cards. dice or de-
vice, for money. checks. credit or any
representation OF value. and any per.
son who plays or bets at or against
any such prohibited game or game:
Is guilty of mlsdemeanor.
No test case will be made by tn,
Butte gambling house proprietors
They seem to be pretty well satisfied
to quit. Some of the gambling hous,
employees and those who have made ;
living out Of gambling for years kicl
hard and say II ends Butte as a livel,
town. There Is no doubt that thcr,
Will be very many quiet resorts wher,
gambling will be carried on secretly
In fact II Is claimed by the gamblIn.
people that some Of these places ar,
already running. II will be the faul
OF the city and the county officials an,
not OF the law II these places are per
mitted 10 run. II Ia likely that Their
will be a big increase In the numbe
OF concert and beer halls as a conse
quence Of the stoppage OF gambling.