Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-23
Sunday Scene in Local Option Mont
gomery County.
BOYS And GIRLS DRINKING
Slot Machines in Full Operation
for Gambling.
SOME OF THE INCIDENTS

While the good people OF Washington
ware attending church Sunday, just across
the District line at Cabin John bridge the
depraved were rollicking in high carnival.
The day was not propitious for general
turning out, but there was nevertheless a
big crowd at the well-known resort, wh.re
everything goes. The place recalled the
early western mining camps, where no dis
tinction was made as TO men and methods,
and where everything was wide open all
the time.
1t was poor commentary on the morals
Of the capital city to witness the scenes Of
depravtty that we're enacted almost within
the shadow Of the great white dome bs-
meath which laws for the good government
of mankind are made. The frequenters of
the resort last Sunday were made up for
the most part of the lower strata Of society,
yet there were others present who are well
known In the business world of Washing
ton. and there was another class. as much
out of place 1t seemed rose in a swamp
young girls who cana on bicycles. stop
ping Just for a minute to get drink of
lemonade. The excitement of the place
seemed to intoxlcate them, and they tar
ried, many OF them to taste for the first
time this new sensation Of depraved socie-
ty. They stay perhaps to taste their first
drink OF tntoxicants. ending in the wild
orgies that too often form a part Of the
program at such resorts.
A reporter of The Star visited Cabin John
bridge yesterday and came away satisfied
at least that some stringent methods are
necessary to save the young men and wo-
men OF Washington who, either through
design or mistake are thrown in contact
with very undesirable company.
Inc stars representative arrived at the
resort during the morning hours Few
were present at that time and there was
no disorder. AS the day lenEthened into
the afternoon the lor 4
at O'Clock there ware fully 1900 in and
about the hotel. The majority were In The
Motel. where scenes Of revery were in
duiged in with an abandon that would have
put the Paris Moulin Rouge to shame
Slot Machines.
Three bars were kept going at full speed
dispensing drinks. and the reporter found 1t
oiiilcuit 10 get into either room. they were
so crowded. There were men almost at the
sunset of life, middle-aged men, those who
had but recently reached their majority
and, to the resorts great discredit, bows.
Boys. some of them certainly not over If
teen years of age. drinking with a brayado
that would have put an old topper to shame
WINE every available inch of room was
taken at the bar and an anxious thirsty
crowd was waiting an opportunity to get
served, there was even a denser crowd in
the back OF the room Here three gambling
devices Were being operated for the en-
Joyment and apparent loss of the onlookers.
The machine is the same that has been in
tero1cted In many states, and so paIpably
pad and unfair in its influences that the
highest courts in California have refused
to recognize its patent right 1t is other
wise better known as coin slot machine I"
INTO which you drop a Scent piece with
varying results. Upon Its face the ma
chine looks fair enough but it is ner
centage game of the most fragrant kind
where the house gets it ALL The machine
STANDS ABOUT hVe feet high and is made at
tractive by the use Of polished wood and a
beautifully designed disk which rotatas
upon an axis and stops upon certain color
Species of Roulette.
1t might he well to say right here that
the disk is under the absolute control of the
hidden mechanism, which, cunningIy con-
ceived. prevents the house from losing Left
to Its own rotations the element of chance
would be better for the players. There are
five co?ors represented on the disk The
white Is the most important Should the
pointer stop at that color the investor of
cents would receive for his pains twenty
nickels. There are but two or three
whites on the disk and while the re-
porter watched the game-somethins over
an hour-the color did not materialize The
red comes next in importance. 1t pays 80
cents to the man who has been lucky
enough to pick 1t out
The black returns 25 cents to the man
who has played that color and the yellow
anu green OTly return ~ cents. Each ma
chine was operated by a man, who for a
better designation might be styled the
Croupier,' since he calls out the winning
coiors In monotonous voice as he spins
the wheel. This machine is perhaps the
most insiduous form of gambling known
As the croupier very truthfully remarks
one color Is bound to win" In the excite
ment OF the game the percentage of chance
on the side of the player is never figured
He does not stop to think that the colors
of the wheel are made up for the most part
OF green and yellow partitions and that
these colors win most of the time The
crouper tells in a loud voice that the green
and yellow pay two for one. the white 20,
the red 10 and the black s. But this is lust
exactly what they do not do. The principal
invested each time is deducted from the
winnings. For example, the green wins
According to the croupier the lucky gam
bier should receive Is cents or to use his
own expression, two for one" But he
only receives 10 cents, and 1t does not take
much of a mathematician to figure out the
odds against him on such a basis of calcu-
lation But the idea Of money coming out
In excess OF that put in draws the crowd
and incidentally the nickels and the house
fattens. OF course. where each color is not
played. the element of percentage becomes
greater for the house: But such was not
the case Sunday.
There was a constant crowd about the
machines, and each color had a regular
patron. Now and then a new conner had
the temer1ty to put a nickel in the slot
been given an opportunity, whereupon the
latter waxed wroth, and the newcomer
was given to understand in plain language
that such Interference would not be toler-
ated. 1t was rather disheartening to see
the small boys playing this game many of
them perhaps getting their first taste of
gambling. treasuring up ideas of winning
and perhaps figuring ways and means
for obtaining the necessary capital with
which to take the chance.
Strange Sights.
And SO all the afternoon the crowd surg
ed in and out the bar rooms, each one of
which was provided with "slot machines"
spending the Sabbath drinking and gam
bling. The reporter marveled how all
this could be. in the face Of the prohibi-
ton laws of Montgomery county and
the state laws against keeping open on
Sunday. His mental query was answered
by man who said he had charge of the
bar rooms and was complaining bitterly
| to a gentleman on the amount of work he
was expected to do. Not conscious of the
reporters proximity. the gentleman asked
| the keeper of the bars how it was thew
| were allowed to keep open on Sunday
oh. they don't say nothin' to U.S."
How about your bill to permit you, to
U cell