The Saint Paul globe., 1900-02-07

w hcthCE ~ AS W 11CAP Out Ills
Efforts Looking for Renomina-
ton I'm a Few Weeks.
Mayor FHefers orders to Chief of Police
Getchell yesterday were to iraugurate a
crusade against gambling. War has been
declared on the poker rooms and keep
ers of such places have been notified to
quit business. All other forms of gamb-
ling will also be suppressed. the police
claim. and hereafter sports looking for
chance to risk a little coin at cards,
dice or other games will have to take a
west-bound interurban car Even If the
courts will not convict those arrested,
Chief Getchell says the police will con-
tinue raiding places where cards are
played so that In time the patrons will
be frightened away.
Detective Christensen has not yet fer
reted out half of the places where 1t Is
claimed poker Is played. it is claimed.
Men about town say any one who wants
to sit in q quiet game of draw" can
find accommodation in many cigar stores
and saloons, while regular poker rooms
are being run in half dozen blocks
down town and several good stiff games
running In hotels. All Of the games, how
ever must shut down. according to Chief
| Ge tchell. Detective Christensen called .
the proprietors Of some OF the poker
rooms yesterday and notified them to
| stop the gambling. Why he did not take
along License Inspector McIntire and
half dozen Ducas station policemen and
raid the places he dropped into is not
| in nj In, y>f q In
quarters that a general raid before the
''tip" had been sent out might result
| disastrously to some one friendly TO
| Mayor Kiefer. Griffin was the only man
| the mayor didn't want shown any con-
| sideration. In one place, at least, 1t is
| claimed Christensen showed favorltlsm,
es it Is alleged he walked in upon party
| playing poker and after watching the
| game long enough to lead him to think
! it was poker, pleasantly called the prov
prietor aside and Informed him that the
game must be broken up No effort was
made to arrest anyone or conilscate any
Of the paraphernalia in use.
This incident happened at George w.
| Dayton's cigar store, 416 Wabasha street,
where a congenial party, before table
well supplied with chips and cards, are
said to have been zealously Engaged in
| trying to win each others chips. De-
|
door Of the room where the game was
| going on, and after watching several
'jack pots" won and lost. without inter-
| fering, ordered the game stopped. Inc
| PLAYERS did not know Christensen, but
! when the little fellows identity was re-
vealed there was hearty laugh. De-
| tective Christensen declared that gamo-
ling would not be tolerated any more ana
gave 1t out cold that in the future a vio-'
| 1o%u T,,aa q raid nv the
police without further warning.
! IT is a matter of conjecture whether or
| not Mayor Kiefer is out with g blur
to close up the town tight for the rest OF
i his term, after standing for everything
| for twenty-one months. It has been un-
derstood, heretofore, that gambling coula
flourish so long as no "kicks were al
/ lowed to become public. ana the chahse
l of heart on the part. Of the mayor mas
! completely mystifed those who thought
they enioyed the favor Of the city's chlef
| executive. That the crusade against
gambling viii close some CT the resorts
/ Ia doubtless true, but some Of the more
.astute proprietors Of poker games insist
| that they will be allowed to run just Tue
same. -, ,,, oe
Grsfin,s second trial on the charge OF
| conducting a gambling resort was ye'tei-
+ day set for Friday Feb. 16.
/ Mavor Kiefer's new chief OF poHce
| thinks it was unusual leniency that was
| extended the colored men arrested IN the
raid on the alleged gambling resort at
] et1, Fast Third street, Monday night.
when the prisoners were arraigned In the
municipal court yesterday. and all but
! the alleged proprietors Of the place re-
| leased on $40 bail. This amount Of bail
| was refused at the police station when
the men were arrested. and because the
| court saw fit to accept so small sum
| Chief Getchell is of the opinion that the
| municipal court does not show DISPOSE
ton to back up the police department IN
| the reforms desired to be accomplished.
I William Leggins, one Of the alleged
proprietors of the resort, was released on
| $50 bail, while E. w. White, also an al
/ legged proprietor. was required to put up
| only s25. The usual bail would be SlOO in
! each case, so the police claim. "Hotfoot.
George Williams, Charles Chinn. M. w.
| Bell j. T. Ellis, ]. w. Johnson. Henry
| Stevens and s. R. Johnson put up $40
| EACH The case was continued until to-
| day.