The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-23
GAMBLERS
CARNIVAL.
Officers OF the Law Allow
BOokmakers and Their
Associates to Vic.
late State

Gamblers of every stripe held
high carnival at Wawaset Park
yesterday afternoon. Their fragrant
violation of the State laws was
known to the Wawaset Driving As
ISOLATION, which organization was
conducting a race meet at the track,
a dozen mounted pclce officers,
whose evident duty it was to pre-
vent the mischieyous youngsters
from sealing the fence, and State
Detectives Bernard ]. McVey and
Walter Witsil, all of whom, for
some astonishing reason allowed
the bookmakers and their ''sweat
board" associates to- rob Whining
tonians of several thousand dollars.
The park was a yeritable gam.
bler's joint, and there was no at
tempt to conceal the fact. To the
right of the grand stand the "Mon-
te Carlo was set up. The officers
of the Driving Park Association in
the Judges stand near by, had an
unobstructed view of the game and
evidently found pleasure in the slo-
gan, Come along, gents, YOU make
sport with me and I'll make sport
with you," which was sounded by
a corpulent individual whose earn
ings totalled perhaps $1,000. Close
to him was another gambler who
fleeced many young men at
''sweat."
Then there were two bookm akers
who also had a big day. These
gamblers were unknown to Will
mingtonians. yet the young men Of
the city, allured by the stacks OF
silver coin and the rolls Of bills,
which the law breakers deity twist
ed about their finger ends. dropped
their money in game which tho
professional gambler only fully I'm.
derstood.
Encouraged by the earnings Of
these gamblers and the temporary
licensing of their nefarious business
by the police department, two Will
mingtonians set up an "under and
over 7" game, which also netted a
handsome sum.
To these particular young men,
their game produced somewhat the
same sensation as would a vacation,
Heretofore they were. compelled to
gamble in secret. but they had an
"otf day yesterday and they made
the best of it.
Of course there were many lovers
of clean horse racing at the park,
to whom the gamblers and their
business were as disgusting
stencil. Detectives and police Off
GERS were not appealed to to stop
the law breaking, because it was
presumed they knew their business.
But they were evidently in collision
with the gamblers, for at no time
was voice raised against the BUSH
ness which heretofore has been
punished by heavy fine.
The temporary sanction by the
Police Department OF the wholesale
gambling was the subject Of much
harsh criticism during the after
noon. The fact that several officers
have been mounted, principally to
break up the gambling which is
carried on by boys on the lots about
the city, while the same officers al
lowed full hedged gamblers to revel
in their crime and to teach the small
boys, who managed to get over the
fence despite the "vigilance' of the
police and who naturally made
their way to the gamblers perch,
was beyond human understanding.
That the minds Of the young boys
could be poisoned, was evident to
the gamblers. for on several occa-
sions they lost sight of their ILL
gotten gains long enough to order
the boys out of the crowd. But tho
boys we're not being ordered away.
They enjoyed the satisfaction Of
knowing that it the police depart
ment allowed the gambling to exist,
the boys were likewise entitled to
the privilege of looking on. And so
the mind Of the boy whose inclina-
ton it is to "shoot crap" or to con-
duct any other game which the po-
lice have frequently prevented boys
from INDUCING in, received another
injection Of poison from the gam
blers' mouths, and if gambling here
after 1ourishes 'on the quiet in
this city, it can be fearlessly said
to have received fresh impetus on
the Wawaset driving track yester-
day, when the Police Department
positively laid aside its cloak of JUS
tice and openly violated it solemn
and sworn duty.
CHEF DoLAN WILL INVESTIGATE.
To reporter of the REPUBLICAN
Chief of Police Dolan said II have
received neither report or COM
plant of gambling at the races. l
took it for granted that as there was
no report Of gambling the first day,
there would be none yesterday.
The Wawaset Association is liable
for gambling if carried on as re-
ported. An investigation will be
made.
A WARNING FOR THE FUTURE.
The Wawaset Driving Association
intends to give another race meet at
the park on July 4, and it is prob
able that bookmakers will apply to
the Association officers for the priv
ilege of gambling on that day, but
if the privilege is granted by the
Association officers, the. REBUILT
CAN hereby warns them that it will
vigorously prosecute any or all tor
permitting the laws Of the State to
| be trampled upon in this wise.
Should the police officers who will
be on duty at the park on that day,
sanction the violation of any State
law, the REPUBLICAN will make a
! formal charge against them before
the Board Of Police Commissioners,
with the view of removing them
from the police force.
And we feel satisfied that we will
have the earnest assistance OF the
law abiding people of the city in
Jour behalf.