Evening star., 1897-03-20
MODERN GAMBLING DEVICES.
Correspondent Graphically De-
scribes Some Prevailing Methods,

To the Editor Of Th&. Evening Star:
Ten years akb there was "bookmakine"
or 'poolselling" pface on nearly every busi-
ness block In Washfngt on. Pools were made
on horse races, base bali and everything
else containing an element of chance or
uncertainty. "A large percentage of the
earnings of labor went TO the support of a
vicious horde of turfmen and other
sports and their parasites. Those were
gala days for gamblers. The downfall of
many young men can be attributed directly
to those convenient gambling hells. Con-
gress was prevailed upon to grant relief
and the act of April 26, 1883, drove the
bookmakers from the city, some OF them
transferring their business to the more
congenial territory Of an adjacent state
few years later the anti-lottery law
broke up another nefarious business which
fed principally upon the poor and ignorant.
ashngton ceased to be gamblers
paradise Dame Fortune presided princI-
pally in the clubs of the rich in more
public and promiscuous assemblages mas
spirit Will crop out in every community un-
less grand juries and good citizens are al
ways alert. Ever since Adam and Eve
tered the fruit market to speculate in
futures, mankind has been trying to devise
some means by which wealth be OBJ
tanned without labor. Even at the present
time and in spite of vigorous prosecution
the colored specuiator dreams of a golden
harvest from crap policy" but the
swell gambling places of the present day
are the bucket shops"
There are many honest stockholders.
Those who actually buy or sell and deliver
stocks, grain, provisions, etc. are really
commission merchants, and as such they
are as respectable and useful as any other
class of business men. But there are others
who never actually buy or sell a share of
stock DuShpI a paY
blers, and the law SO brands them. The
Ferson who makes business of taking
bets as to whether the price of wheat will
rise or fall is fully as much a gambler as
the race track man.
These people promise wonders in their
circulars, and for a time they may pay
large dividends Co., so as to lure their
victims into making heavier Investments
1t is said that the government has excud-
ed many of these schemes from the use of
the mails; but their agents may be found
everywhere under various guises. The So
called private wire Is often fraud, and
the ticker is one of the conspirators TO
fleece the public. 81
The bucket shop man does not earn legiti-
mate commissions. He rakes In your mar
gins. and what you, pay for puts and
calls" The investor :.puts'' up his money
and the pseudo-broker calls it his own
It Is thought that the ACT of January 81.
1888. prohibits bucket shops along with all
other forms of gambling.
The following provisions are quoted from
said act. I'D volume Statutes -at-Large,
page 411:.
Every person who shall in the District
of Columbia set up or Ecep any gaming
table, or any house, vessel or place land
or waite. for the purpose or gaming =
or any kind of gambling table or gambling
device. adapted, devised and designed for
the purpose of playing amy game Of chance
for money or property, or who shall induce,
eEtice or permit any person to bet play
at or upon any such gaming table or gam
bling device, or on the side or against the
keeper thereof shall. on eonviction. be ad
judged guilty of misdemeanor. and shall be
punished by imprisonment for term of not
more than five years" ~
"An games, devices ori eontrivances at
which money or any other thing shall he
table within the meapingNof this act. and
the courts shall construe the preceding sec
tions literally. so as to prevent the mischief
intended to be guarded against"
This latter section shows that Congress
intended to suppress all forms Of gambling
and the act of 1883 has, believe, been con-
strued by the courts 10 cover any kind of
betting or gambling.
If sustained by juries and popular senti-
ment the authorities would perhaps invoke
the aid OF the act of January 81, 1888, to
break up some OF those places whose capi-
tai consists principally of fine Office furni-
ture. gtlded signs and unlimited nerve"
No person doing a.legitinate stock COM
mission business would object; and this
form of temptation would be removed from
the public, which would be specially merci-
other peoples money. Almost without ex-
ception the defaulter will be found to be a
gambler.
THOMAS W. GILMER