The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-12-24
POLICE RAIDED THEM
TWENTY SEVEN CAUGHT AT 4
CRAP TABLE,
A GAMBLING DEN IS PULLED.
Police Demand That the Inmates Put Up
For Their Appearance Bond Made
to Cover All But One.-The Furni-
ture Broken.

The police made a raid at 1870 Sun
day morning on the gambling den kept
by Chris. Johnson in a room over John
Keating's saloon, and took in twenty
seven inmates. The whole thing was
done so quietly that it was only by the
narrowest of margins that one prom
inent merchant, two very popular
young society men and two aldermen
escaped the clutches of the law. They
appeared there and we're about to. enter
and only the warning cries OF those
inside the room prevented their get
ting into the net with the rest.
AS it was, one young man prom
inently connected last summer
with cycling events, went to the door
and asked for permission to enter. He
was admitted by policeman and thus
placed himself inside the spiders web.
Owing to the fact that some of those
caught gave the police fictitious names,
for the present none of the names will
appear in this paper, since it would be
manifestly unfair to those who gave
their real names. Then again, we know
as fact that some of the young men
were in a gambling den for the first
time, aud, therefore, the publication of
their names would do great deal more
damage than good. The lesson it has
already taught some of them is salu
tary one.
To begin the story of the raid one
must begin before the time Of it to find
the causes which led to it. A certain
young man of the north side had been
warned by his father that he must be
home earlier nights. The young man
paid little heed to the admonition and
Saturday night the pater famlias
started out to find him. Someone di-
rected him to go to the room in which
it was alleged the gambling den was
kept. Instead of going there it is said
that he notified the police of the place
and requested that it be raided.
They waited until the hour mention
ed ard Ill of the force, including all the
five men, having been collected to-
gether went up and very unceremon-
iously demanded admitance. They did
not stop to wait TOR favorable action
upon their application but walked
straight in and told everybody present
to stay there. Such scene as pre-
sented itself almost staggered the po-
lice. A lively game of craps was go
ing OH, but as soon as the police APP
peared it changed to game of guying.
Chief Stemm ordered all to remain in
the room and then announced that If
anyone had $40 for his appearance
Monday morning he would be allowed
to go. Then the guying commenced.
The inmates Of the room declared they
would not give him 20 cents and other
similar remarks. Finally the chief an
nounced that he could not accept less
than $40 apiece and the men began
oyer again. Finally John Heating
wanted to know if the chief would ac-
cept bond for 5000 from him to cover
the cases of all those present This
was agreed to and the names of all
those present were put down by the
police and everybody allowed to go his
| way.
While these things were going on
one of the police went to the
police office and secured putty
knife and large irregular piece of iron
and with these the money drawer was
forced open and the sum of $3.50
taken out. This was done it was al
| legged without the consent of the oper
ator of the place and without the au-
thority of any court. The gamblers
claim, therefore, that they have a case
of damages against the police.
Now, the men had all been notified
to be on hand this morning in Justice