The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-14
nha radarntion,s Ietter.

The federat!on's letter to the mayor
and chief of police were handed to them
on Tuesday evening. December 8. when
the officials conferred with the follow
ing representatives of the federation:
Rev. j. L. sooy, Rev. D. A. Cunning
ham. Rev. Joseph speers, Rev. NJ. w.
Buck, Rev. c. II. oliphant, Rev. Samuel
schwarm, Rev, c. E. Clark. Rev. c. b.
Graham, Rev. j. Waters. Rev. C,
Blakeiy. Rev. r. r. Bigger Rev w, j.
Hardness, Rev. j, H. Malony' The
letter was as follows;
a. t. Sweeney, Mayor; VIM. NJ. clem-
ans, Chief Of Police;
Gentlenen;--We arc committee from
the Federation OF Churches, an orsuIl- s;Il.
cation recently perfected In this city
AS ministers we represent a large con-
gtltuency. our object In calling upon
you at this time Is one which we DeneVe
10 be In the interests OF the city'S wei
fare.
ii is an undlsputed fact that garnb-
ling in various forms is going on " our
midst. One form OF this gamOilns IS
In the operation Of what is known as tne
"Slot Machine" How many suen ma
chimes are now in use we are not aDle
TO say; but we tind from consulllns .aS taS
police records that a fine was collecteu
on foriy.one such machines last june
or thereabouts. The number has un-
doubtedIy greatly increased since that
date.
This form OF gambling Is so intatuat-
Ing that Il Is running hundreds OF our
young men. and even boys, Complaints
have come 10 us from families that the
entire weekly wages OF the bTead-earner
have been risked and lost In thcse ma
chimes, frequently Of a Saturday hishL
IN many other cities they nave beeh
banished by Official order--notaDly Sln-
Ohio; Louisville, KY, Parkersburg' w.
Va, not to sneak OF certain eastern
cities, In scores Of other plnces they
have not been allowed to have even q
beginning.
We fnd the statutes OF this state are
very explicit on all kinds OF gaining oe'
Vices, and that the penalties for the Vlo-
latun OF the same are very severe.
Furthermore. the ordinances OF the elty
cover all such gaming In the tollowins
language: ut shall be unlawful Tor any
person, whatsoever 10 keep or eNhlDlt
within the city, any table, instrument.
'''N JIG VI AH4tlAEf uBNA AbA tAAN
gaming, or on. by or with which money
or other articles may be lost or won; or
70 keep within this city any games OF
chance or skill by, or nj which any
money or other articles Of value may be
lost or won: nor shall II be lawful for any
person TO keep n room, building, arbor'
booth, stand, shed, tenement water
craft or float. or TO rent the same to be
used or occupied for the exhibition or
keeping OF any such table, instrument,
device or thing. or for The playing there
In or thereon OF any such game. Laws
and Ordinances city OF Wheeling, p, 2iS'
Sec. ~.
We canot Hnd that this ordinance wns
ever repealed or IN any particular mod
fled.
Now, gentlemen, no one disputes the
position TINT the enforcement OF these
statutes and ordinances is with you, the
Mayor ana Chief Of Police Of the city
Mayor Butts, whatever his motive may
have been, did enforce the Ordi-
Nance against the slot machine
during his administration. The chief
or police acknowledges that h'
cNn, on his own warrant make ar.
rests. md this hnB been done over gno
over again In the history OF the police
force. To you, therefore. gentlemen
whom the citlE0ns Of Wheeling have
honorcd With their confidence, we looE