The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-02
Waterfront Gamblers.

The waterfront is at present and has
been for some time past, troubled with
a pest of gambling. Waterfront buns
and loafers and Migrants of all kinds
and classes are in the habit of congre-
eating on the Pacific Mail wharf, the
Navy wharf and other Wharves for the
purpose of shooting craps" They are
a nuisance to all people who have le
ultimate business on the wharves, are
a bother to the custom house inspectors
when vessels from foreign ports are
here, as they have to be watched for
gin and cigars and so forth from the
steamers, and they make themselves
generally disagreeable to everybody
concerned. Sunday is as busy a day
with the waterfront gamblers as any
other day.
! There are several professional gam
blers among the crowd and they are in
the habit of making all the way from
s25 to 800 a day. each. Their victims
are the Woodworking stevedores who
coal and discharge vessels and who.
half the time, no sooner get paid
than they try their luck with the dice
and perhaps lose all their money.
/ The other day a gentleman and a
couple of ladies, evidently not familiar
+ with Honolulu's waterfront, were TAX
ing in the sights along the wharves.
They observed a wildly gesticulating
mob of natives, hapa-haoles, haoles,
/, Chinese, Japanese and Portuguese ap-
parently squa billing over something on
the wharf. Their curiosity naturally
excited. they approached to see what
was going on. About dozen question
able characters were squatted in cir
Gle handling silver and gold and rolling
out the dice which determined to whom
the money went. The circle was very
distinctly marked by the expectorations
of tobacco juice and the dust and dirt
of the wharf had been removed from
the inside of the circle by the constant
rubbing of hands on the ground when
the dice were handled. The loud and
emphatic language used by the partici-
pants in the game savored of the fore
castle and the swipes joint and was
enough to make the visitors beat very
hasty retreat and make them wonder
why such things We're allowed, above
all things in such a public place and
in the broad light of day
The few professional gamblers and
swindlers who operate the games have
spies posted all around the wharves
ana TOT DOCKS, in some Instances
These spies signal Immediately upon the
approach of a policeman and when any
of the police arrive on the scene the
games are no where to be found, al
though there are superfuous number
: of loafers and disreputable characters
: in evidence. attempting to look limo
cent and staggering up and down the
,wharves.
Two or three hacks do nothing but
wait upon the gamblers. One cannoi
help but recognize the hacks and the
gamblers, too, they are such familiar
sights on the waterfront and do bust,
/ ness in such an open and daring man.
: ner. The gamblers are in. the habit o.
/, starting game on certain wharf anC
: then, after they have cleaned out on.
crowd will summon one of their regu
lar hacks, which is sure to be loafinl
IN the neighborhood, and hurry to SONS
other part Of the waterfront and star
i another game. Yesterday. after
: gang Of crap shooters" had won al
the money in the possession of a Ger
$ tain japanese laborer on the water