The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-29
Gambling ROOMS CLOSED
Mayor Issued Orders
to Police.
GAMBLERS GIVEN SHORT NOTICE
Must Close and Stay
Closed.
SUPT. SCREVEN SILENT.
minister's Are Satisfied.
REGARD THEIR CRUSADE A VICTORY.
Were to Have Gone Before the
Grand Jury.
SUPT. SCREVEN SILENT.
minister's Are Satisfied.
,EGARD THEIR CRUSADE A VICTORY.
Were to Have Gone Before the
Grand Jury.


poker rooms were lonely and deserted.
Roulette wheels and crap games silent
for the first time perhaps in years.
This state of inactivity on the part Of
the gamblers was not due to any sudden
wave of moral reform, which had swept
over the fraternity. nor to the lack Of will
ing customers, albeit the latter have dwin-
died decidedly in numbers since the anti
gambling crusade was begun.
This unusual state of affairs was due to
an order from Mayor Myers conveyed to
the proprietors of the gambling rooms by
the city detectives. The order was issued
to Superintendent of Police Screven by
Mayor Myers yesterday morning before
his departure for the North and the order
specifically stated that the detectives were
to be used in enforcing it's provisions.
The gamblers could not have been more
surprised had a meteor dropped out of the
heavens and exploded with such force as
to smash every keno, faro roulette table
and other gambling paraphernalia in Sa-
vennah into smithereens. Could this be
the same Mayor Myers who, three
times, declared through the col
umns of the Morning News that he
knew of no gambling going on in Savannah
that the city had no power to suppress 1t,
even If it should be made known to him.
and that he did not believe that the police
force should be used for such work. 1t was
no wonder that the gamblers regarded the
detectives who conveyed them this infor-
nation with doubt and surprise and were
at first inclined TO look upon the warn
IL f1I-. I,
learned. Notice 10 close and that promptly
was given them in dead earnest, and they
were given to understand that the order
would be enforced to the letter.
The detectives began circulating among
the gamblers some time during the after
noon and by ocoCk every gambler in
the city had been put on notice hat his
business must come TO a standstin. AS a
rule very little is done in the way of bust
ness in the gambling rooms during the
day and Il was not until after nightfau
that the news begun TO spread of the
strange mishap which had befallen the
gamblers. Even then the news spread
slowly. Business has been slack with the
gambling room since the agitation reached
its hight, and the unwaver.ng deVotees of
the green c$oth do not as a rule seek their
favorite resorts until the night has lost
something of its youth. The closed doors
with which they met in seeking the tenn
pies of the goddess Fortuna proved some
thing of an enigma, and explanations were
at once sought for. This was not far to
seek as many of those who would other
wise have been administering at the green
tables could be seen standing around the
streets discussing The situation gloomily
and wondering what had happened to
them.
No Explanation Given.
Naturally an explanation was sought oil
this nn1XnnefaA occurrence MaUOr NV.
ers having left the city yesterday at
O'clock for New York, 1t was impossible
to obtain from him an explanation of hi.
sudden change in policy towards the gam
bling question, though naturally he was
looked 10 as the one from whom the eX
PLANTATION should properly come 1t wa!
learned that the Mayor had left the city
partly on account of business and partly
on account Of the serious illness of his
brother, Mr.. Sligo Myers, now residing il
New York, who has never recovered from
dangerous operation performed upon hin
some time since to relieve some interna
trouble. This relieves the Mayor of tn
charge of having fled the city in order t.
avoid explanations of his sudden and, i
must be said unexpected change in pol
icy.
In the absence of the Mayor Alderman
Tiedeman, as chairman of Council is act
ing Mayor and DISCHARGES the duties o
that office. When seen in reference to tn
matter, Alderman Tiedeman promptly ac
knowledged that such an order had beef
issued. When asked for an explanation o
this sudden change of policy on the par
of the Mayor. Alderman Tiedeman sal.
that he preferred that any statement OF
the subject should come from
impossible to reach the Mayo
at this time and Alderman Tedemal
was urged to give some explanation.
You were aware that such a step wa
to be taken?" he was asked
Yes" he replied, there was a consul
tation between the Mayor and severa
members of the board on the subject yes
terday afternoon. 1t was not a meetin
of Council. The Mayor Simply requisite
several of the aldermen to meet him a
his Office. The discussion was purely in
formal. The order for the closing of In
gambling houses was framed a this meet
ing. / believe, however that 1t was no
given TO the superintendent Of police unit
to-day"
As to the tenor Of the order Alderma
Ttedeman said: AS l remember IT,
instructs the superintendent of police L
have all the gambling houses notified {
c.ose their doors within twenty-four hour
and TO remain closed, and that in cas-
OF their failure to obey this order the cit
would proceed against them to the ex
tent of its authority. The Superintendent
was also instructed to use the city detec
tves in enforcing the order"
Does the order apply 10 oil forms O
gambling or simply TO policy shops?" AL
derman Tiedeman was asked.
1t includes all public gambling" he re
pied, such as policy, keno, roulette. far
ana poker rooms. All these places are or
dered to be closed.
suppose the gamblers should defy tn
CITY and continue business anyway"
IN that case replied the acting Mayor
the run authority of the city win be ex
eIelsed to enforce compliance with IN
0roer' AS to the exact extent of the CITY
authority IN such cases there is some dl
y ''s'oh Of opinion. but shouldN any opposi
q