The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-01
THE GAMBLERs' KLONDIKE.
1t Is Not in the Placer Mines, but in
the Town Of Dawson.

SEATTLE Wash, Aug. 31.-The Cana
dian government is opposed to gambling
1t refused to tolerate it at Rossland, Brit
ish Columbia. when that city was the talk
of the civilized world few months ago.
1t is now believed that an order will be is
sued before winter sets in making 1t
crime to gamble at Dawson City. AS yet
no such order has been heard of. The
mounted police have received their instruc-
tions, and have gone to the far north, and
1t is safe to say that this winter gambling
will be the occupation at the Klondike.
The police of this city say that a million
dollars will change hands at Dawson City
this winter over the roulette, poker, crap
and faro tables.
The town has been invaded by a half
dozen of the greatest gamblers that ever
ran games on the Pacific coast. Some of
them have already reaped golden harvest,
and will be back here before another year
goes by with more gold than will be found
in the pack of any single miner A few
days ago party of six gamblers arrived
IN this city. They came from Montana and
Immediately took passage northward on
one of the steampships bound for Dawson
by way of st. Michaels.
They won't do any business" said
local detective to-day. They are all sure
thing men, with records back of them and
guns in their pockets They will try their
crooked work at Dawson City; there will
be meeting of miners followed by a hang
ing party, and the friends of these gam
blers will never hear from them. The
miners of the north want to gamble but
they don't want to be robbed. And they're
right The gambler, even If he runs fair
game, gets all the miners money in the
end"
Harry Ash is the king of gamblers at
Dawson. story has just reached here
that he has made deal with the mounted
police whereby he has all the gambling
privileges at Dawson. Il is his intention to
permit others to run the houses and pay
him a heavy percentage. Ash left this city
a poor man less than two years ago. He
is now wealthy. One man who knew the
business he was doing at Dawson reported
in Seattle that Ash is to-day worth over
100000. Before next spring he will be
millionaire. Ash is an old Pacific coast
gambler. In the boom days of this State
when town lots, which at present may be
purchased for $50 sold for $4,000, Ash was
In his glory. He had games going in all of
the boom cities. He spent money as fast
as ne made it. and when the boom died his
fortune was gone. He continued to make
the sound cities his home until two years
ago. Then he went to Juneau, opened
game and made a little money. Then he
proceeded to Circle City. There he made
money. He wrote to a friend here that he
was making a fortune.
In the spring of 1895 Curly Munroe. one
OF the gamblers or the coast, and man
who had the reputation of being "a bad
man with the gum" conceived the idea that
the miner of the far north wanted a
change: that he needed little recreation
during the long winter months to break the
monotony. Munroe had been IN Juneau He
came TO this city and made contracts with
thirteen gOod-lOoking variety actresses to
go north with him. He got them out of the
dance halls but refused to take a woman
unless she came up to his standard of beau
ty. He took them to Juneau. and there
informed them that he proposed to land
them at small place near what is now
Dawson City. The women protested, but
Munroe insisted, and, as the women had no
money, they consented to make the trip
over Chilcat pass. They We're the first
women who successfully reached the Yukon
by the overland route. At Circle City Mum
roe met Ash. They formed partnership,
opened a dance hall and saloon and cleared
several hundred dollars a night.
The news came of the finds at Dawson
City Munroe caught the fever, sold out to
Ash and went north. He was followed by
has conducted his gambling games and
dance hall at Dawson City. Some of the
women deserted him, few married, others
went into the restaurant business and sew
eral returned TO civilization because they
could not stand the hardships of the north.
A man in this city received letter by the
steamship Portland. which told something
of the details of gambling in the Klondilxe.
Ash is making money so rapidly that he
doesn't know what to do with it," the
writer says. "Hesanticipates making 81 900
to 81 500 a day when winter comes on. If
had a good roulette outfit could make my
fortune in less than year. Other gamblers
are doing it, Another man l know is
getting rich. He runs square game. the
miners know it, and every night his place
is filed with men, each of whom loses from
$40 to $780, IL miner makes any money at
gambling, as some of them do once in
awhile the game is doubly patronized for
weeks | know of one man who lost $4,000
at the table. and another mana Swede
from Iowa, who had $1,000 when ne arrived
who is now willing to work for SIS per day.
He owes his loses to the gambling table.