The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-05
TO WIPE OUT POOL ROOMS.
MIR. M'DONOUGH's BILL IN LINE
WITH HIS REFORM VIEWS.


Break Up Sunday Liquor selling,
the Gambling establishments ana
the Wide Spreading of Vice--His-
tory of Pool ROOms In Savannah.
One Here Now Pays a License Tax
of 5000 "A Year.
The news that Hon. John ]. McDonough
had introduced bill in the legislature
making it a mlsdemeanor to run a pool
room in Georgia was received with vary
ing sentiments IN Savannah. 10 the sport
ing element and the patrons Of the pool
room, or turf exchange, as it is called,
the news was received with expressions of
anything but pleasure.
For five years or more Savannah has
never been without a pool room at which
the betting fraternity could put its
money on the favorites of the track or
the prize ring, and even indulge in the
making of pools on election if it de-
sired. At one time, for a brief period,
there were two of these Establishments in
full play. There was evidently only
! enough business to keep one running at
a profit and the other soon suspended or
was bought out. For one pool room there
has always been enough business to keep
things lively. The customers have doubt
less been numbered by the hundreds, iu-
Guiding men from all walks Of life, and
while the betting has generally been small
as to the individuals the total amount
changing hands must have been quite
large on every race of importance. As
there Is racing all the time now, North
or South there is hardly a day without
the pool room being the scene of much
life at certain hours.
The first pool room here was opened
in 1888 Mr.. McDonough was Mayor at
the time A license of $500 was put upon
It, that being, it was stated, about the
usual tax on such places After a year
or two the tax was raised to $1,000, which
was paid just about as cheerfully as the
$500. In making up the budget for 1896
the tax was raised to $1,000. This was re-
garded as practically prohibitve. Before
the tax was collected, though, the Council
changed the tax back again to $1,000, at
which it has since remained. A much high
f'CNA
out of business. 1t was for this that the
1000 tax was favored by some Of the all
dermen of the Myers board. No further
attempt has been made in that direction
and the license has been taken out every
year at net cost of $500, there being
discount of 500 for prompt payment
Many lawyers have held and still hold,
that pool rooms can be broken up without
any further laws dealing especially with
Of ba
held that a city council can prohibit them
| by ordinance. An attempt was made to
suppress the one here while Judge Mac
| Donell was on the bench. Mr. w. j.
| Odell, the proprietor, was indicted for
keeping gaming place. When brought
to trial the point was raised by his at
! torney that there was no Georgia statute
| against pool rooms. Judge MacDonell
took this view of the case and the prose-
cution fell through. 1t was this that led
to the attempt to raise the tax to $1,000
Some time after this, Atlanta passed an
ordinance prohibiting pool rooms in that
city and revoked a license which had been
! issued for one. The case which resulted
was carried up to the Supreme Court
| which held that while no statute dealt
especially with pool rooms a City Coun-
| ell had the power in itself to prohibit
| them as a matter of good pubic policy
| ton as to the absence of a specific statute
and pointed out a way to prevent such
! establishments when desired. Mr.. Nc
! Donough evidently believes that the best
way to make sure of their adjustment
| is TO have general law passed prohibit
| ing them entirely in Georgia. In view of
| the strong church sentiment throughout
the state and the fact that there are but
a few cities where pool rooms could find
| . not n 10
| very much effort to put such a bill
through the legislature.
Church people in Savannah, and doubt
| less many others, look with disfavor on
the pool room now here and there will no
| doubt be a strong public sentiment in this
| city in favor of Mr.. McDonough's bill be-
| coming a law. Among business men there
| is a feeling that such place is apt to lead
young men occupying positions of trust
| astray. There is quite an element, though,
that would regret to see a law of this
| character passed.
| Speaking of the bill yesterday, a man
who is much interested IN politics, ex-
pressed the opinion that if Mr.. McDon-
| ough pushed the bill through to a passage
| it would lose him considerable political
| support, but on the other hand would tend
! to still further strengthen him with the
| large element that is attached to him by
| his position on the sunday Hquor selling
| question. If Mr.. McDonough should be-
| come a candidate for Mayor, as many be-
lieve he will be, the abolishment of the
pool room is regarded as more apt to be
an element of strength than Of weakness
| to him.
| As Mr.. McDonough has already
expressed himself as willing to run for
Mayor in January on platform of oppo-
sition to the sale Of liquor on Sunday,
which he declares is now openly and free
ly done, and to gambling establishments
which he declares are now in fun blast,
the passage Of his antl-pool room bill
would be in the line of his platform declar-
alton 1t Is intimated that If Mr.. MeDon-
ough runs he will add to such platform
a promise to close up many dens of vice
which have spread from their original lin
its to other sections of the city and null
| iinlied considerably In the past few Yenrs-