Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-24
South Omaha News
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To the officers and active members of the
Municipal league belongs the credit for clos
ing tho gambling houses Saturday night.
Business men generally support the action
Of the league and many expressed the opin-
ion yesterday that these haunts OF tN tiger
would not again be open for some time. The
raid Saturday night was complete surprise
to the gamblers and the players. As rule
the play Saturday night Is heavier than any
other time during the week. and the night
of the raid was no exception as tully 2oO
men were divided up between the three
houses While the projectors OF the raid
obtained the object desired. that Of closing
the houses and arresting the propretors. the
details were poorly looked after, and that ac'
counts for the fact that little of the furniture
in the houses was captured. However II Is
thought that there is enough evidence against
the propretcrs to make a good case in the
district court. The gamblers arrested Sat
urday night were all admitted to bail pend
ing a hearing today.
Members Of the Municipal league have been
considering this action for some time In con-
nection with impeachment proceedings to he
commenced against Mayor Ensor. 1t is un-
derstood that the mayor is to be arrested to-
day upon warrant charging him with
gambling, members of the league asserting
that they have tweuty-one distinct charges
OF this kind against his honor. In speaking
about the matter to a reporter yesterday the
mayor said that 1t was nobodys business II
he played cards, II was his own money he
was spending Further. the mayor said that
he thought the Municipal leaguers would
have a hard time proving that he gambled
As for the proposed Impeachment proceed
ings. Mayor Eusor said that he could not
see what charges the league could bring
agarst him that would warrant his bene
impeached. He said that he did not legalizc
gambling in the city although personally he
did not object to one or two houses running
About a year ago the city council passed
a resolution taxing each gambling house $50
month for the privilege of running, thle
sum to be paid in advance. The records
SHOW that when the resolution was put to a
vote the mayor called President Mulaly to
the chair, and the resolution was put bv
Mullaly and passed. The mayor announced
at the time that he did not propose to go
on record as being in favor OF licensing
gambling.
collected, at least the city treasurer's books
do not show that each house paid in it's $50
each month. The policy shop has never paid
a cent into the city treasury, although reso.
lutions have been passed by the council di-
recting the chief Of police to collect the
money or close the place. The chief never
carried out the instructions of the council
because he was under the orders of the,
mayor number of small games in diff
ferent parts of the city were never called
upon to put up a sum of money each
month-only the large houses operating on
N street being taxed.
Reports have been in circulation for some
time to the effect that the gamblers paid
Mayor Ensor money for protection. and it
was stories of this kind that started the
hunlclpll league Investigation.