Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-13
GAMBLING
MUST CEASE
COUNTY ATTORNEY WILL GIVE
SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE
BACK ROOM GAMES.
TWO ARRESTS WERE
MADE LAST NIGHT.
A Poker Game Reported to Have Been
in Progress in a Main Street
Saloon.

When the county attorneys Office no.
titled the gambling fraternity few
weeks ago, that it would tolerate no
more gambling in the county, it was
evidently not joking. At the time that
notification was made a few persons
accused of conducting games had just
been taken into custody, and the notice
was given in order that others bent on
that particular brand of speculation
might profit by it and escape prosecu-
ton if they so desired. AS a result
of the notice and a few subsequent
raids. games that had been in operation
with a bold trent We're closed but
number OF small skin games of the
backroom garnet type were kept going.
One of these sames resulted in the
death of Steve Wells, whose murder
occurred in a cabin at the rear Of the
city hall last month.
About 9 or 10 o'clock last night Dep
uty Constable Wettingel of Justice Ar
nold's court raided James kanes sa-
loon at log North Main street and ar
rested two men named Hobbs and
Smith on a charge of gambling. The
officer was armed with a warrant that
had been issued on a complaint sworn
out by John Hogan. who had previously
notified the county attorney that a
poker game was in progress in rear
room of the Kane saloon. He told
the public prosecutor that on Friday
night he had taken part in the game
and that q misunderstanding had arisen
among the players. with the result that
he had been assaulted by some of the
gamesters and fairly Well thumped.
When the constable called at the sa-
loon last night to arrest the partici-
pants of the game, the door between
the front and rear room was locked,
but it was soon opened not. however
before the barkeeper mad given the
players the high sign, which consisted
OF three rapS in quick succession on
the bar. then an interval Of two seconds
and then three more rapS 1t was Just
like an alarm from fire box No. SO and
had the same effect upon the men in
the back room as an alarm of fire al.
ways has on the firemen. When the
door between the two rooms was opened
a few minutes later there was nothing
of a startling nature in sight, save a
few tables and about dozen men sit
ting about them. The rattle of the
chips, click of the jawbone and jingle
OIL Inc com, IL any there mad been, had
ceased entirely. Among those present
were Smith and Hobbs, for whom the
officer had warrants, and they We're ar
rested and taken to the county Jail.
The constable also had a warrant for
the arrest of man named Buchanan
put II Buck was present When the
officer dropped in upon the scene, he
succeeded in fading before he could
be spotted.
The county attorney announced today
that he intended to enforce the law in
regard to gambling and give especial
attention to Darkroom games, which he
considers are much worse than the
open games of the past. 1t is alleged
that these games are Conducted on the
sure-thing plan; that those who te
them employ boosters to go into the
highways and steer alf-drunken work.
lnsme1 against them to be fleeced.