The record-union., 1897-12-03
SLUG. SLOT MACHINES.
Fraud Which Threatens to Exter-
inmate Automatic Coin Devices.


In joke perpetrated in the ''levee"
district by two men high in the police
force is seen the doom of slot machines
| and slot machines. In this same joke 1t
is disclosed that the slot machines and
Slot telephones are their own most
deadly enemies and that their end is
suicide.
One morning last week a "levee" sa-
loonkeeper opened the drawer OF his
slot machine in the expectation of find
ing S15 in nickels, for the box was
heavy. He counted out the separate
pieces. There were 800 of them. To his
surprise and dismay there was not
nickel in the lot-the pieces We're
"slugs"
An investigation was made, and be-
fore night it was known that almost
every saloon on the "levee" had been
beaten by the "slugs" A second and
a third night brought repetitions of
slugs" in slot machines, and the sa-
loonkeepers applied to Lieutenant
O'Connor of the Harrison-street police
station and demanded that he discover
who was filing their slot machines with
'slugs" and getting good nickels in re-
turn.
Two detectives in the disguise of
trampS soon Skulked through an alley
to the back door of a saloon in the vi
cinity of Clark and Harrison streets.
1t was night, and the place was full
Of "hobos." The tramp detectives seat
ed themselves at table where they
| could see that the glass slide Of the
slot machine was filled with nickels.
Men and women of the "levee," thieves,
beggars and gamblers, played the
gambling device, but the glass slide
showed only honest nickels. Then came
two high officials of the police depart
ment in citizens clothes. Without
turning to right or left, and without
taking any notice Of the occupants of
the saloon, they walked straight to the
nickel gambling device. When the two
had departed the good nickels played
by the dregs of the "levee," together
with the bank" of the machine were
gone. The cash drawer and the glass
slide were filled with "slugs."
Within week the market was flood
ed with ''slugs,' procurable at 8 cents
hundred. Not only have the nickels
been counterfeited, SO far as practical
use in the slot machines is concerned,
but the penny gum machines and the
1O-cent telephones as well. The sales
are not openly conducted and the
source Of supply of the "slugs' is a
secret. Hundreds Of persons on the
''levee," however, know where to get
them and do get them, and the secret
source Of supply is supposed to be
known to number of policemen.
An officer of the Harrison-street sta
ton, when asked if he knew where the
nickel limitations used in slot machines
were to be procured, said: "Why don't
you make them? Shave off one side
of bar of soap so that you have a
smooth surface, put a nickel on this
and press the nickel into the soap with
a wise. Fill the hole with lead and
you have got your slug. Make one for
them telephone machine in the same
way with dime
The limitations of dimes have been
used to some extent in the automatic
telephone. Signs like this have been
posted on the automatic telephones In
certain drug stores in the city: ANY
one caught using slugs in this machine
will be prosecuted" Nevertheless eight
slugs, representing practically all the
receipts for ten days, We're taken from
the telephone of Twelfth-street drug
| gist last week.-Chicago Record.