The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-07
In PAWTUCKET TOO.
Many Agents Ply Their Trade and
Gather Money OF Policy Players.

Pawtucket, Aug.7.-Pawtucket is held mp
being a city free from many kinds OF vice,
chief among which is gambling. Somewhat
over year ago the order was sent out 20 the
owners of gambling rooms that business
would have TO be suspended and for u time
those who wished TO cut the cards or play the
wheel had to go to other fields.
There was one form of gambling, however.
which the order did not put a stop to-polcy
playing-and on this account the hackers of
the game have been coming money without
any pretense TO secrecy.
The Rhode Island policy king. Eugene
Angel OF Providence, saw fertile field in
this city, and he at once introduced his
agents among the barber shops saloons and
sporting places.
Previous to the advent OF Angell's agents,
the game had not much of n hold on the
young men of Pawtucket. hut now the play
ers are numbered by the hundred, and they
played so literally that the men who started
as agents for the Providence monopolist de-
cided 10 branch out for themselves.
They were successful, and some Of their
friends who saw what an easy way IL waste
make living also became bankers until
now there is no lack Of opportunity for any
one wanting to drop. his money into the pock-
cts of the men who superintend the drawings.
At present Angel has large clientage in
Pawtucket, so much so, in fact that his rep
resentative. a man by the name of Stephen.
son, can afford to have n local branch office,
which Is situated i'm the heart of the city in
the Gardner building, at the corner Of High
and Main streets. This building has always
been occupied by some such tenant.
The agents of the bankers make n round OF
the city in the forenoon and do their collect
ing for the day. Their headquarters seldom
visited by the players, the latter would be
ashamed TO have some of their friends know
where they spending their money.
In the course of "A week hundreds of dollars
change hands as the result OF this law viola
tion. and when il is known that some OF the
bankers are great personal friends Of officials
in the police department ii shows that the
police cannot be ignorant of what is going ON.
One of the most successful banks il operated
by a prominent Fifth ward politician, who has
his headquarters in the building opposite the
foot Of Broad street.
Now, this banker has pretty trade, nc
cording TO all accounts, and his success was
painted in such glowing manner TO a saloon
keeper in the same ward that the latter also
opened a bank, and he is at present doing
fair business and is making money on the un-
suspecting players, who, for the most part.
suppose that the game is on the square.
The saloon keeper is well known to the po-
lice, and there IL considerable speculation as
to why he should be allowed TO take the
money from people by such method
When the drawings are made in Providence
snessenger is dispatched to this city with
the duplicate slips, and they are then sent
around to the stores and shops where the
agents have collected their money.
And that's about all they do send around,
as the dough" is about scarce as some OF
the gigs which men have played for months
with the expectation that some day they will
make a big haul and break the bank.
The agents in this city have become so well
acquainted with the players that they know
them at once, and so it Is seldom that an
agent has to solicit from new customers, the
players doing the drumming up by getting
some Of their friends interested in the game.
The players in this city now for the
most part young men. as the older players
have found that 1t IL almost an impossibility
to beat the game