New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-08
POLICY SHOPS MUST GO.
HARM DONE THE POOR BY THIS WORST
FORM OF GAMBLING

OF policy. came up for hearing to-day before
the Assembly Committee on Codes. In defence
Of the measure there were present W. NJ. K.
Olcott, Captain Goddard. George Moore Smith.
Robert c. Cornell and Theron G. Strong
On the opposing side was James Oliver. form
erly member OF the Assembly. Perceiving that
he would have TO fight the bill single handed.
Mr.. Oliver at first asked that the hearing be
adjourned. He complained Of not being informed
in time. When he found that this argument
failed to convince the committee he appealed to
its symnathies by saying he suffering Sc
verely from the grip. In spite of all his plead
ings, however, the hearing continued.
In defending the bill Mr. Strong read from
letter which had been sent to him by SUI
preme Court Judge who had favored the
measure
II demand that he file his letter. interrupted
Mr.. Oliver, before Mr.. Strong had hardly fin
ished reading
1T is a personal letter" was the answer, land
decline TO give Mr.. Oliver chance to find out
who has given Judgment against him in ad-
vance This bill is in the interest of the poor
Continuing. Mr.. Strong said:
The earnings of these people are to be pro-
know TO be the most unfair and criminal form OF
gambling. The present law in regard TO this
manner of loopholes for the vioIators to escape
conviction. The proposed bill remedies these
defects 1t is specific. 1t will go to the root.
Not only will il reach the officials themselves,
but all who in any way abet the evil. It viii
even make the owners of houses responsible for
renting their property for these games. It also
strikes at those who own the paraphernalia
ployed in this mode of gambling. It is a law
which will be. in its effect, deterrent.
W NJ. K. Olcott said that he had come before
the committee to speak against the rottenest
and most vicious form of grand larceny perpe-
trated in New-York
PROFITS OF THE PROPRIETORS.
When he spoke of a certain district in the
city of New-York where games of policy were
played on almost every corner. and Mr. Oliver
offered TO name the streets, Mr.. Olcott replied:
I do not need your help Mr. Oliver. I hap
pened TO be connected with an examination OF
a certain police captain against whom the
charge had been laid Of permitting policy play
Ing in his precinct. In the investigation made
a thorough search of this very district and
found that the average policy shop took in
much as $50 a day. Mind you. this was in one
of the poorest districts of the city. In order
to understand how widespread this evil had be-
come I will say that the maximum bet in all
these places was five cents Therefore the aver
age number of people frequenting any shop
about six hundred. Out OF the $50 paid in
only about 50 SO paid back to the winners.
favor Of the proprietor. At a game OF poker
between gentlemen friends the players are sup
posed 10 have even chance. How, then,
about the poor devils with only paltry pile Of
pennies as their sole capital. playing with only
one chance in ten? For this reason say that
this kind Of gambling is nothing short of grand
larceny
But Mr.. Olcott." interrupted Mr.. Oliver.
cant person rent a house for the playing Of
policy and yet be innocent OF any knowledge Of
the fact?"
Almost everybody knows where these games
are being played" was the answer.
But there some that do not know" re-
torted Mr.. Oliver.
them" replied Mr.. Olcott, everybody knows
these things except the police Perhaps you
can state the reason why. Mr.. Oliver" Then
he continued:
Mr.. Oliver also knows that in this bill we have
hit on one way stop policy playing. He knows
that If it becomes law IL will keep the
money of the poor in their pockets instead of
in the pockets OF his client "AT' adams The
Investigating Committee told by MAGISTRATE
Arnold that it was almost Impossible TO convict
anybody. Even after testimony has been ad-
duced apparently sufficient TO send the policy
man 10 JAIL the Magistrate is compelled to dis
charge the prisoner.
LIVE IN LUXURY.
Captain Goddard followed. He sought to prove
by mathematical demonstration that the game
of policy always unfair 10 the player He
adduced the familiar example of 4-11-44 He
said:
have lived in the tenement region for more
than a year. and know for fact that the poor
are the easy prey of the policy games Those
who run these games. however live in luxury
In a word, the policy men live and grow fat on
the blood Of their unwilling and miserable vic
TINS criminal lawyer of high repute in New
ork told me once in unguarded moment that
we could never get the best of policy until we
drew bill on the lines of the Burglars Tools
DILL and so We have drawn a burglars tools
/ bill l have letters from Controller Coler and
Abram ;. Hewitt, which both read in favor Of
the Dill Mr.. Coler says that the evil of policy is
that it reaches the women and the Children
Furthermore it extends its impoverishing in
huence 10 the poorest of novels. was shown
in the trial Of Captain Martens. Women pawn
their chidrens' clothing TO get money TO play
this game.
You can't stop this sort Of thing" interrupted
/ MI oliver It's all the country. It
stretches from Maine TO California"
Then let US set example in this State was
/ the ready answer. I'VE never stop 1t II we
You don't understand me, gentlemen" said
/ Mr.. Oliver when Captain Goddard had finished
speaking
/ 1 not here to defend policy or smuggling
/ gentlemen. I not ashamed to say that
/ present in a professional capacity I admit
! that I have clients among prizehghters AS 70
/ gambling pure and simple say that some
/ of the most successful and the most respectable
men in the country began a career of fortune
j by gambling al the start. Our universities some
/ of them, have funds in their endowments which
4 have come from lotteries. The lawyers object
/ TO this bill because they don't want the code
disturbed Now. think that altogether too
much haste IS evidenced in pushing this bill
! along without a second hearing.
IN executive session the committee decided not
/ to grant the request for adjournment No
action will be taken, however. until next week
THE TEXT OF THE BILL.
Mr. FalIows's bin provides as follows:
! Subdivision IA person who is the owner land
/ intendent Of a house, building. tenement store
4 shop apartment IN which a gambling or banking
/ ages superintends or assists in controlling man
aging or experimenting any device. book, paper,