The age-herald., 1899-10-01
BIG GAMBLING DEN
 RAIDED BY POLICE Located Over Exchange Saloon
 in Hewlett Block. TWENTY MEN ARRESTED Officers Forced an Entrance and Found Room in Darkness But Had the
 Place Surrounded-Lots of.
 Paraphanalia Taken
TWENTY MEN ARRESTED

A 12 o'clock last night a gambling room over the Exchange saloon in Twentieth street was raided by the police and twenty men were arrested and taken to the city jail, where a charge of gaming was dock eted against them.
 The officers effected an entrance by forc- ing open the front door and then passing through the second by means of skele- ton key. An alarm was turned on before the police entered the gaming room proper, but every outlet was guarded and only one man escaped. Those arrested were: M. E. Corning. Ed Lee, William Shepperd, Albert Lloyd B. M. Herring, J. M. Thompson B. C. Dryer, Charles Vest, J. J. Foster, J. w. Mason, George Wilkes, J. S. Surgett, A. R. Brother, William Ward, M. J. McDaniel, Dennis Rocks, W. ". Hooker and John Spruce.
 It will be remembered the police attempt ed to raid these gambling rooms three weeks ago, but failed on account of an alarm being turned in before the officers could pass the second entrance. Proftng by their first failure the police were in thorough readiness last night and entered the rooms from all sides.
 The Raioiin. Party
 Captain Weir, Lieutenant Donelson Off, cers T<irkley and Johnson formed the raid ing party and surrounded the place. Two of them forced an entrance through the front door while the other two guarded the rear entrance, through which so many escaped on the previous attempt of the police to enter. When Captain Weir and Officer Kirkley forced the outside door the guard rushed through the inner door and turned in the alarm In a moment the lights were turned off and the room was in complete darkness. This did not deter the police a moment, as they knew the rear door was guarded, On reaching the inside main room only three men could be seen. They soon found another door, how ever, which was securely nailed. This was forced open and the rest of the men were found in a small room The police officers say that when the alarm was turned in all the men rushed into this room and those on the outside nailed up the door. This was done in an instant. On the other side of the room was a "blnd' door be- hind which was nothing but the wall
 The Para phanaIia
 Thousands of chips, several decks of
 
 gambling devices were taken in hand by the police. Three policemen were required to carry the spells. Not a cent of money was found
 There were two rooms, and In each was dound peculiarly shaped tables with stacks of poker chips on them. In the main room there was faro table, roulette wheel, or "fan-tan," as it is sometimes called, and two large dice tables. In the smaller room there were only two tables and a large case for holding card boxes and chips.
 On one of the tables were two checker boards with the men" scattered promis- cuously. The object of this table was a puzzle to the police.
 Crowd Congregated
 When 1t was announced that the gam bling room over the Exchange was being raided an immense crowd congregated around the front entrance. Many tried to follow the police up the steps, but were peremptorily stopped. After the officers took charge of the rooms no one was al lowed to enter. The men who were arrest ed were taken down the steps in fours and twos, some riding in the patrol wagon and some walking.
 The crowd grew larger as the men were being brought down, and did not disperse until the officers had turned the corner with the last man.
 The following officers assisted In making the arrests: Chief Austin, Patrolmen Cole, Oldham, Shirley, Thompson, Hamilton and Adams.
 At an early hour this morning many of the men had made bond.