El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-05-30
CRAPS AND CRIME.
Effect of Closing Down Gambling in
Memphis.

Memphis.
Memphis Commercial-Appeal.
Craps and crime is . double jointed
theme which the police have beef dis
GUESSING since gambling closed down.
Crap games were closed by the police
Crime decreased, and when the police
began to think about reason for the
thing they found that large portion
of the negro population in the tougher
parts of the city had skipped out.
Their occupation was destroyed when
the police closed the places where the
negroes with smooth hands met to roll
the homes. 1t Is estimated that at
least 250 negroes left one section of the
city, and that other sections where the
bla man do thrive have lost in pro.
porti n. When gambli' g is wide open
In Memphis there are generally under
the eye of the police about forty crap
dives. Negroes gather around these
places in droves and q very large per.
centage of the crimes committed by the
crap table. Memphis has furnished
many scent tragedies. 1t is fact OBJ.
served by the police that at leas,
Is per cent. of the crimes committed
by the negro element of the city are
due to quarrels over some small amount
VIII CHI mas been staked and lost in q
game of craps. The negro who shoots
craps for living is thoroughly i'm
moral, and 10. ing always inspires him
with disposi ion that would not stop
short of murder if circumstances were
favorable Women, of course, play an
important part in the game, because
they make q hero out of the fellow
who throws the dice with most success,
while the man who fails loses not Onl Y
his nickel bus that affectionate respe ct
which money inspires among his fe-
male assocfa es.
1t is passion with the negro.
Shooting crops is a stronger g. imulant
with him than anything he drinks,
Negroes have been known to pass I'll
r %ESs the IN dice, s"10' frequ snsiy
while attempting 70 make their
ooint" they see m drunk with the ex-
element of the moment. 1t ia under
these circumstances that the negro il
made most de perate when he loses.
And his desperation will manifest it.
self in an outbreak Gf violence If any
thing happens to excite him further
Even after the excitement has dice
and his boiling blood rolls back into
ooler channels, he does not forget the
sting of defeat, and if penniless alb
SOluLcly Guo CuduCeS oE0 Ludb ne WILL
take advantage of the first opportunity
to steal u stake But few things are
too desperate for the average crap
shooter after he has staked and lost
his sll-his money, his reputation
among his kind and his love. Murder
would not be too bloody for him if it
would place him again where he would
have an equal chance with his asso-
ciates at the crap tai BILE.
And hence it ls that the police have
figured that at least 25 per cent. of the
crimes committed by negroes can be
traced direc' ly to the use of the square
bones. A greater percentage of crime
is caused in this way among the ne
groes than by any other one thing
with but one exception. 1t is est'mat
cd that women cause at least so per
cent. of the crimes committed by ne
RrOes Toe remaining 25 per cent. is
divided between whisky, cocaine. beer.
and innate meanness.
Whether the police are correct in
their theory about the decrease in
crime since gambling WAS closed or
not, the facts stand out that way, as
fewer arrests have been made and few
or crimes have been committed.