Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-01-24

About IL years ago Wilmington was
Infested by all kinds Of gamblers, policy
players being in the majority. At that
time ex-Judge Ball was the City Solicit
tor, and the cleaning out which was in
stituted was SO complete that since
then all forms of gambling have been
kept as shady as possible. Poker and
keno joints are no longer run and regu-
lar policy dens are comparatively few.
However, the old gambling spirit has
risen again in the bosoms of the ma
jority Of tho ''culed persona 80 in
clined, aud once more the little slips on
which are printed the pink and blue
numbers can be seen 10 the possession
Of many colored men, Great care is
taken to maintain secrecy. The system
Of playing permits the hazardiug of
from one cent up to dollar or more.
The slips are printed with the numbers
that come out in the drawing, IL num-
bers IN a row. Some policy organiza-
tions have four rows to drawing and
others use but tworows. To play policy
one must select two, three or four
numbers ranging from one to n. Those
plans OF playing are known as two,
three aud four number rows To win,
the numbers ono selects must all come
out 10 one row. Tho winnings are in
+, proportion to the number of numbers
2 played. Ii two numbers are played the
play er gets about 20 for one, that is IL
he plays five cents on two numbers be
gets 81 IL those two numbers come out
in one row. II he plays three numbers
and they win he receives 100 for /,
and on playi ing OF four numbers the
percentage is about 500 for /.
This System OF gambling is the
favorite among oolored people, even
icing preferred to "craps. - 1t Is one
OF the biggest money making schemes
for the hackers of 1t that can be found
anywhere. Take 100 persons, each of
whom selects different combination
of figures and it is safe to affirm that
not one Of them will win one time in
ten.
The policy makers custom is easily
solicited. The people now operating
policy playing ip..Wilmington are repre-
sented by colored man known as a
walking BOOK" 1t is the business OF
tlis representative to go over certain
route each morning and afternoon and
receive the stakes and numbers which
the customers wish to play. These
numbers are taken to the policy shop,
wheie the money Is also turned over to
those IN charge OF the gambling.
A reporter of Every Evening ap-
preached oolored man at Fifth aud
Tatnall streets on Thursday and asked
where he could place little money for
policy playing. go way man." was
the reply, what know bout policy
playingY"
He was told that he might not know
anything about it. but that a little
money was N need OF being risked.
The reporter remained on the corner
end SHIRT time afterwards we'll
dressed colored man approached and
said: mice weather. isn't itY" The
reporter replied in the affirmative, sus
peoting the negro's mission. The con-
versatlon proceeded little further
when the negro suddenly Asked
Say; mister, did yo' ever play any
The reporter told him that he had
and was willing to play some more.
The negro then drew out o little book
and asked whether 1t was desired to
play '.de dead row. de beef row, de
crazy row, de dog row, de chicken row,
or what pa ticular row. The reporter
gave him combination of figures and
the negro deposited the money in bis
pocket, told the reporter 10 meet him
tomorrow mo'nin', and walked away.
Happening to lie in the nsighborhord
Of Eleventh and French streets the
reporter went up to an old oolored man
and asked him II he could play little
policy anywhere In that vicinity
"Well now, boss" he replied, "dat's
sumthin' done know much about. lis
"a 'spectable culled pu'sun / is, an
done know nothin' bout gamblin'."
The reporter produced coin and TOLD
the negro il he would place it on policy
he could have half the winnings His
eyes lit up as he said:
What numbahs are yo' goin' to
play, sah?''
The reporter selected 6-l6.26.
Good lawd, honey he exclaimed,
'dose numtahs nevah will cum out.
Yo' oughter to had played 17-28-30.
OATS sure ting fob tomorrow
COMM"
WELL" the reporter said, "the
reason I'm playing these numbers Il
that | dreamed about them last night. >
4 look OF awe came into the eyes O.
the old negro as he exclaimed
Good hebbins, mister, eff 20
dreamed dose numbahs. dey's sho' tt
win, an deys mo dan sho cause 70
dreamed dem in de dark of de moon. '
He went off telling the reporter wher
@ meet him again.
Although the reporters money wal
at stake he SLEPT soundly that nigh
and had no troublesome dreams. The
neat morning he called boy from tn,
street and sent him to get some laundr,
from oolored washer woman. The bnl
came back with the laundry and SAID
''Sny, boss, dat wash woman Of your
is policy crazy, see? / goes dere fe
yer laundry an she tells ne dat il
tell her tree good numbers. she't
divide de winnin's wild me. Say, she's
bug on policy, she is. y
In Lord street one night this weel
the reporter heard the following con
yersation:
''Say, Joe, what yo' play today?"
"why l played de chicken row singh
In de no'nin' and doubled on it in d
aft'rnoon.
de dead row."
Then Joe said to woman standing
near:
..Say, Liz, can't be yo' man?''
go way, yo' hoodoo,'' said Liz.
II don't trabel wild niggahs dat can
win on de dead row once week any
how. Yo's dead one yn'self yo' is.
The colored people Of Wilmington ar
being fleeced right and left. Thei
manner OF selecting what numbers t
play is indeed laughahle. What the
consider the best and most assuring
determine the numbers, is to drear
of them, and many druggist has bee
surprised to have colored oustome