The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-12
in NEWSPAPER ALLEY"
ICE CREAM VENDOR DOES o BE-
LIEVE IN GAMBLING.
Boys Lose Their Money and His Trade
Is Dsmaged-He Ii Accused of
"~saueaIing" to Police.

While a big newsboy called Grip was
trying to make Little joe with a pair Of
dice and a half dozen ragged urchins stood
nv with pennies and nickels in their hands
ready TO take all come bets Detectives
Gerber and Lancaster walked down News
paper alley" the other day, and the sight
of the minions Of the law caused most of
the PLAYERS and sightseers of the lively
Gran game to scamper I'm all directions.
The dice were left lying on the pavement
and two or three of the boys who could
not get under way in time 10 escape the
detectives stood their ground and professed
innocence of any wrongdoing. The dice re-
posed peacefully on the ground and looked
as innocent as two Jumps of sugar. while
scattered about were pennies and nickels
to the amount of 20 cents. Detective Ger
Der picked up the pieces of coin and the
dice and turned TO one of the boys and
asked If they belonged 10 him. The boy
looked as If he had never seen dice before
and said they were not his property. No
owner was found for the money, and after
the parting remark IF we catch you fei-
lows shooting craps again we will send you
I'm" the detectives left.
For over an hour before the arrival OF
the detectives the scene around the crap
game was animated. One big colOred lad
mad "A strip OF oilcloth on which was printed
the numbers 4. .. 3. ). = and 10, known in
'toontzology' as the come points and also
as the high and low numbers. The son
Of Africa took all bets from l 10 10 cents.
and he ruled the game with a hand OF
ebony. making the boy with the dice
''chuckle them in his hand while he in
duced the boys with odd pennies to place
them on high or low numbers. The dice
passed around several times and two or
three Of the boys Went broke. \ small
chap who rolled the dice with his left hand
had lost all his pennies but FIVE. and when
the treacherous cubes came around TO him
again he placed the 8 cents IN a large,
freckled brick and said. Shoot IL all"
There was a scramble 10 cover the bet.
as lefty" had been unlucky and could not
throw "A natural or make an easy
point" He whispered gentle words TO the
dice and went through other lamentations
10 make them roll his way. He rolled the
dice over the pavement and cried natural
50 loud the other players trembled with
fright. But natural failed 10 show up.
and instead TWO large skies. known a. y
dozen raw stared at the boy and he was
a bankrupt with only two moon editions"
which he bundled under his arm. He
wended his way toward an adjacent street.
where, with tears In his eyes. he told
benevolent people that he was stuck" and
asked them to buy. After selling his shop
worn stock Of papers he rushed back TO the
game and the tickle goddess OF fortune
smiled on him and he almost had the game
wound up when the detectives arrived.
one OF the most vigorous professors
against the crap game Is a man with a
/ Hungarian face and q little red cart who
sells ice cream To the boys in the alley at
one cent per taste. lie claims that all the
boys patrOnizc his wagon IL there i no
game. bat when they congregate around
the dice most OF them are left without the
price and his business is damaged. I'm his
wagon are about half "A dozen cans filled
with ice cream OF all the colors OF the rain
! bow but having the same flavor. and for