Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-14
EXIT POOL ROOMS.
ORDINANCE WILL BE SIGNED By
MAYOR TODAY
HAS PASSED LOWER HOUSE
RECEIVED VOTE OF TWELVE GOOD
MEN n TRUE.
City Counselor MiddlebrOOk Declares
That the Ordinance Can BE En-
forced-PoolroOm Men Will
Continue Fight to the
Bitter End.
HAS PASSED LOWER HOUSE
RECEIVED VOTE OF TWELVE GOOD
MEN AND TRUE.

Mayor Jones will place his signature to-
day on an ordinance which, it is believed,
will build a Chinese wall around Kansas
City to the exclusion of all kinds of gam
bling. The lower house public improve
ments committee yesterday signed a unan-
imous report in favor of the poolroom or
dinance, and last night it passed the lower
house of the council without 4 dissenting
vote.
When the measure was called up Mr..
Lynch offered a substitute permitting the
operation of poolrooms, but charging a
license fee of So, 600 per year, and permit
ting no license to be taken out for a less
period than six months. The substitute
further provided that the regulation of
these rooms be placed in the hands of the
police commissioners, that a policeman be
stationed in each poolroom to see that
they were conducted properly, and that
minors and drunkards be refused admis-
sion. The penalty for a violation of the
provisions of the law was fixed at a fine
of $500. In support of his amendment Mr..
Lynch said:
The only effect of the original ordi-
nance will be to drive these poolrooms
over an imaginary line into Kansas where
they Will run just as wide open as they
run now, and where men from Kansas City
will go to spend their money. We cannot
suppress them, and since they must run
the city might as we'll nave a revenue from
them"
Mr.. Brinkley suggested that the city
could not legally license a place where
gambling was carried on and in this he
was supported by the city counselor. The
amendment was lost by a vote of . to .,
Moran. Lynch and Weidenman voting for
it. The original ordinance was then placed
~, tic C oua nd racaiyra1 tho lInaninlnIA
vote of the twelve members present. Be-
fore the vote was taken City Counselor
Middlebrook, by request, informed the coun-
Gil that there was no doubt the ordnance
could be enforced, as 1t had been prepared
with a view to covering all contingencies
that might arise.
1t is as stringent a measure to prevent
gambling as ever was placed among the
ordinances of a city, and if enforced by the
police will permanently settle the question
Of games of chance in this city. Not only
man who operates any kind of a device
where money or anything representing
money may be won or lost. but it also
person, the man who rents him property
In which to carry on a gambling device and
the man who frequents such a place for
for violating the ordinance or any part OF
it is a fine of $40 and the maximum a fine
of $500. the dose to be repeated as often as
letter of the law is carried out the police
have the power to abolish slot machines.
raid high five parties, where prizes are
played for, prohibit gift enterprises at
church fairs and break up the seductive
penny ante gatherings at private houses.
Louis Bliler, Bibbs and Oldham and 9TH
ers who are operating poolrooms in the
city were informed of what had taken
place, a few minutes after the ordinance
was passed. They have determined to tight
to the last, and will open as usual to-day,
and every other day. until the raids by the
| police b -in<again. If they are convicted in
the police court, an immediate appeal will
be aken, and another effort made to enjoin
the city from interfering with their bust
ness of fleeing suckers.
My first official act Saturday morning
will be to sign the ordinance" said Mayor
Jones last night. at will Immediately be-
come effective. and I shall then notify Chief
| of Police Hayes to close up every poolroom
in Kansas City"
Judge Henry has repeatedly decided that
the city should pass an ordinance. if it
wants to knock out the poolroOms.