The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-12
POLICY PLAYERS.
Details of the Game Explained
in Police Court.
How s'Numbers'' Are Sold Here
in Topeka.
AN EXPERT WITNESS.
EXPERT WITNESS.
Policeman Abe Henderson EX-
plains the Details.
He Played the Game GA Long
Time Ago."

The Topeka police are wrestling with
the men who run policy" There is
only one man who is sure to win at
policy and that is the man who owns
the outfit-he cannot lose. The proceeds
come from colored people, children and
men with small salaries.
The methods of working the game in
Topeka came out in the trial of ]. w.
Anderson, a stout negro who was a
state house janitor during Governor
Leedy's administration, and who is sup
posed to be employed by stouter negro.
George Dupree. Anderson was the
henchman who sold numbers. 1t de-
veloped that everything rested upon the
shoulders of Anderson. He sold num-
his honesty the players depended to
find out whether they won or lost
those who testified had never seen a
drawing.
Four young white men and ex-Police-
man Campbell were on the witness
bench. The four young men work in
laundry in North Topeka. They were R.
J. Stewart, Arthur Lee, Frederick Grant
Stewart said he had bought tickets
from Anderson several times.
Did you ever win % was asked.
'"The first time I played 1 won As
cents, but I never won after that"
When 1t came to the -examina-
ton, Stewart was asked if he had ever
seen the game played He said he had
not.
How did you know it was policy?"
was asked.
Il was told that it was"
did you ever see a drawing?"
mo, SIR
How did you know whether you won
or lost?"
and told me I had won As cents"
LAS a matter of fact, you don't know
hot I1ar- 1r7f 7faf0
mo, did not see it played"
The examination of the other young
men from the laundry was similar TO
that of Stewart, except that none of
never bought any tickets. The men
paid from five cents to 80 cents for their
tickets
At this stage of the proceedings it
was necessary to have an expert to tell
how the game is played and Abe Hen
derson, a negro policeman with as much
muscle as an OK and a face that would
brighten an evfl-doer into repentance,
down in the witness chair with the
grace of a bear and a. look of confidence
turned full upon the judge.
Did you ever play pOlicy?" asked the
prosecuting attorney.
Yes, sab; years ago." replied Hen
derson.
You understand the gamer"
Eyes, sah.''
well. sab, it is just this way. You
put rs numbers in a wheel. Then fell
lers run around and sell numbers.
There are two drawin'S a day-One in
the forenoon and one in the afternoon.
In the forenoon u numbers are drawed
out of the, wheel and in the afternoon
IL comes out If you have three of the
numbers that comes out of the wheel
among the numbers you bought you
win $40 in the forenoon; in the after
noon you win only SO.
Now you see,'' continued the ex-
pert, 1.-The three numbers is called a
gig and the gig catches So If you
have two of the numbers drawed from
the wheel you get As cents, and that
is called a saddle When you get three
it is called a saddle and gig and you
really get s10.45. That is how the game
is played"
His honor deemed himself sufficiently
enlightened and fined Anderson SIS. He
drew a sigh of relief, but this did not
pay his fine. and his attorney drew UP
an appeal bond.