New-York tribune., 1900-03-11
GAMBLERS LIE LOW.
POOL ROOMS ALL CLOSED
YESTERDAY.
GARDINER MAKES A BUSTLE AND DE-
CLARES HE WILL PROSECUTE
RESORT KEEPERS
LANDLORDS

RESORT KEEPERS
LANDLORDS.
Complaint having been made that ths
premises No. ......... street, of which Won
are reported to he the owner or fessee A.
kept as a disorderly house, you nre herehx
noined' that before holding you to your
liability under the criminal INV for IN.
keeping and aintaining of this nuisance
an opportunity will be afforded you to avafi
yourself of the statute herein annexed, BIZ
means of which you may abate the nuisance
yourself. In the event of a failure on your
part to take Immediate action, shall .ubmtt
the complaint against you to the Grand Jury
for their action. ASA BIRD GARDINER
District Attorney
All over the city the poolrooms were closed
yesterday This fourishing branch of vice sus
pended business promptly at the word Of COM
mand. That word did not come from the police
IL came from so much higher up that not even
the big gamblers dsregarded IT, The word
came at noon, and by 1905 the Oldest fire.
quenter could not make bet. Sentinels at the
doors turned all comers away. Gambling houses
OF other kinds were told to shut up or do bust
ness only with old customers and in the most
guarded style Liquor dealers warned to
keep within the law and serve drinks only with
meals after II o'clock last night When
Chief Devery told of this he would only
say that he was glad the poolrooms had saved
the police the trouble of closing them by closing
on their own account. De Lacy's rooms, at
No. 33 Park Row. and other downtown pool
rooms. at No. lis Nassau-st., and Nos 152 and
146 William-st.. which have never before closed
when the reform wave has run high. were silent
and deserted yesterday afternoon. De Lacy's
did not close even In the trying days Of the
Mazet inquiry, it is said.
1t is sweeping transformation scene and the
gambling situation is full of high lights and deep
shadows. The decent citizen. who deplores the
prevalence of open gambling houses where
young are enticed into bad habits is
pleased with the almost certain prospect that
there will be much less gambling In this city
for some time TO come than there has been for
long time past. and the we'll TO do proprietors
of gambling houses pleased because they
know that large numbers of their small fry
rivals will be closed up by the police until the
present gust of popular Indignation shall have
blown over; for Tammany seems 10 have be-
come suddenly conscious that it has reached
that limit beyond which 1t cannot outrage the
feelings of the right thinking people OF this
town with safety. This is evidenced by the
sudden and complete closing of the poolroons.
On the other hand shadow OF angry gloom
broods the Police Commissioners and the
principal police officers. because they have been
forced to incur much public odium. ridicule
and execration for their liberation OF vice, with
out having the consolation OF handling anything
o
crumbs which fall from the groaning table Of
the Gambling Commission" and the men
higher up in Tammany Hail. And because
this commission met yesterday and revoked
lot of licenses temporarily. still deeper shad-
ows rest on the many small proprietors of little
gambling and other illegal resorts who. hav-
ing paid their initiation fees and dues regularly
to date, must still be closed up in Difference TO
the revival of public Indignation; and what Is
SLofr
under penalty of never being allowed TO open
again.
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS PLAN.
A third class of persons will be plunged into
CONSERVATION to-day. These are the owners or
lessees of real estate which is let or sublet to
proprietors of illegal resorts of all kinds Ac-
cordng to a plan of the District Attorney. for
muiated yesterday, large number OF these
complacent landlords will find circular letter
in their mail tomorrow morning, signed by
Asa Bird Gardiner. informing them that un-
less they take immediate steps TO oust these OBJ
jectionable tenants from their premises COM
plants will be made against the landlords to
the Grand Jury This may not be considered
such terrible threat. after ALL by those who
understand how the present District Attorneys
office Is conducted Many worse things can
happen to man woman than to be in
dicted Pigeonholes fairly cape for indictment
papers in the District Attorneys Office. but IT Is
the bothersome publicity attending an tndict-
ment that will sting and stain and stay wnen
the crime charged is that OF profting by the
rentals drawn from vice with disgusting resu-
Iarity and satisfaction.
Assistant District Attorney Mcintyre has been
placed by Colonel Gardiner in charge of the pro-
ceedings which have been practically ordered by
the March Grand Jury against Illegal resorts.
and was busy yesterday preparing subpnnas
for persons alleged to be conducting such places
One Of his first steps was telegraph TO Super
intendent Burr of the Parkhurst society re-
questing him TO turn over all evidence he has or
may procure of persons violating the law by
keeping disreputable houses or otherwise. He
declined to make public the letter written to
Mr. Gardiner by Dr. Parkhurst on Friday. Mr..
Mcintyre assured the reporters that II evidence
could be procured to show that such violations
were occurring the infringers of the law would
be prosecuted to the full extent and their places
closed.
As for landlords who lease their premises TO
such tenants Mr.. Mcintyre said the penalty. on
conviction was fine of $500 years i'm
prisonment or both. Before proceeding against
any landlord notice would be sent TO him or
her. in the language already quoted, warning
him 10 get rid of his tenants and quoting the
law which empowers him 10 do so. II Is con-
tanned in the following extracts from the Code
of Civil Pr .-edure:
See 223l. A tenant lessee at will. or at suffer
ance for part OF year, or Tor one or more
divided portion OF q house other dwelling, and
his assigns undertenants or legal representatives
mised premises or any part thereof are used
occupied a bawdy house. or house of assignation