The herald., 1896-03-08
EYadlng an Ordinance

EVduluR an OrutuauCo
EDITOR HERALD: Nearly twelve months
ago the city council passed an ordinance,
the effect of which was to close all the pub
lie poker rooms then running under the
Ruise of "cluh rooms," by fixing a penalty
of fine and imprisonment in all cases
where poker is played with the adjunct of
a "kitty," "drop," "take-off," "rake-off,"
etc. In fact, 80 stringent was the intent of
this order, and SO broad and comprehen'
sive its language that it was rendered
clearly illegal to conduct game OF poker
from which the owner, proprietor, mana
ger or any other person or persons inter-
derive any benefit, income or emoument,
either directly or indirectly. In short, eva
sion was rendered utterly impracticable.
So we'll did the clauses of the ordinance
cover the ground that all the men engaged
in running "club rooms" and "poker joints
and they were not few-immediately
closed up their places and went out of
"businesS." This stagnation continued
for two months or more; and the "round-
ers," "boosters," "chubbers" and habitues
of the "poker rooms" suffered all the dire
extremities OF hard times, while the erst-
while sleek and prosperous ''housemen"
and proprietors, thus shut Off from the
benefits of the silent, ceaseless "kitty,"
began TO feel the pinch which accom-
panies an interrupted revenue; and
casting about for some loophole OF
evasion. one of the most venture
some of the former "propHetors" opened
up place on First street, in all essentials a
counterpart of the former "club rooms"
now interdicted under the inhibitory ordi-
nance, excepting in one noticeable particu.
lar. The "slot." or opening to the "kitty"
had been sealed. But as this pioneer
had no ambition to devote his
time and purse to catering
to the convenience of poker players gratis,
he devised a novel method of cultivating
revenue from the game, independent OF
the gagged. imperative "kitty". One of
the end of each half hour would call for
new deck of cards. When they were placed
on the table each player would be assessed
10 cents in payment thereof. As the
games usually run seven-handed this
would result in receipt of 20 cents for
the deck--a very handsome return for
cards, costing but 81 dozen packs.
Well, the other club room men in town
kept close watch over this pioneer
for week or SO, and observing
that he was not interrupted by the authori-
ties in the conduct of his business, it
was but a brief spell until nearly
all the old-time proprietors had re-
Opcucu EOheT dlIl SoNcrdi LcW
men were also tempted to engage in
the vocation. Today there are in tue
neighborhood of twenty of these so-called
club rooms or poker joints in full blast
in the same locality, and under
practically the same conditions that year
ago provoked the indignant complaints of
our citizens and operated to cause the
enactment of the ordinance referred to in
the opening clause Of this communication.
Some Of the dens maintain in separate
room one or two battered pool tables, or
shelf supporting three or four boxes OF
cigarettes, thus masquerading as billiard
halls or cigar shops. But stop the playing
of poker in the dark, foul back rooms of
these "joints," /" and see how quickly the
sheriff lock would decorate their street
fronts. Another reprehensible feature at
tached to such places as possess pool
tables is the alarming extent to which boys
under the age of eighteen years frequent
the resorts. Almost any afternoon and
early evening crowds of minors congregate
to play pool, and are coaxed or inveigled
into "blue-ball" games, which is q petty
gamble where each player pays five cents,
and the one pocketing the blue ball draws
down the pot, less some 20 per cent de-
Quoted for "the house." While the sum
seems small, each game will average but
two or three minutes duration, and an
inexpert player can lose two or three
dollars in short while. OF course, very
few boys of tender years can afford to
spend such sums of money daily; and the
temptations of the game undoubtedly urge
many boys to petty thefts at home or dep
relations abroad. and at the same time
implant in their characters the damning.
polluting taint OF the gamester, which may
cling through after years and wreck
the brightest and most promising
futures. Very often, too, along late
at night - or, rather. during the
early hours of morning, have seen boys
under age seated at the poker tables in
some of the lower. cheaper forms of the
game, opposed to old, experienced and
crafty gamblers who were teeceng them
out of their dimes and quarters. 1t is bu.
step from the pool tables and the 'b,ue-
ball'' game to the back room and the game
of stud poker. and any one familiar with
the ardent, boyish temperament knows
how easily most boys may be persuaded to
take that step.
A tour OF these club rooms situated on
the ground floors along Main street, be.
tween First and Second, and on
First between Main and San Pc
dro streets will serve 10 arouse the indig-
nation and disgust of any right'minded
citizen. Dirty aud foul beyond descrip-
ton; reeking with fumes of tobacco DER
head and sticky with spittle and unspeaka-
BILE filth under foot; crowds of men from
the lowest. most degraded buns, beggars,
pimps and thieves to the small tradesm an
and mechanic, all gathered around the
soiled greasy tables, and over all human
buzzard that is taking away the major por-
ton of their money each half hour for
cards and the privilege of breathing the
poisonous atmosphere.
Anyone who will carefully read
the ordinance, and then observe the
method of conducting these games will see
at once that they are running in direct
violation of the Language and spirit of the
law. Why, some of these places derive a
gross revenue of over $1,000 monthly from
the sale of cards!
The only reason that the rooms are tol-
Grated, in my judgment, is that no one has
made complaint against them or any of
them. Under the act as 1t stands upon the
city statute book it should be a matter of
comparative ease to hermetically seal each
and ev cry one of these iniquitous dens that
pol!ute the atmosphere in The very heart of
our city. The petty thefts and crimes: the
poverty, penury, unthrift and misery; the
domestic woe, and the contagion of moral
plague which springs up as like from the
soil of these illegal and wholly undesirable
joints, is incalculable, indescribable and
beyond power of expression.
Imagine four or five tables running
eeven.handed games at vi. 40 an hour and
figure the total receipts. If any player OBJ.
jects to this high-handed robbery or de-
murs at the extortion he is quietly "cashed
in'' and the 'houseman'' usually some
burly. husky individual better employed at
carrying the hodD cries out, .'Another
lucky seat for some good player"
The purpose of this law was to abolish
the "kitty" and thereby destroy the unholy