The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-18
SALT LAKE is ONCE
MORE WIDE OPEN CITY
Gambling Games Running in Full Blast and Saloons
Do Rushing Business on Sundays
Chief Paul Admits the Conditions But Declares That He Unable
to Enforce the LaW-MayOr ThOmpsons Statement

I houses are going to open on CONNER
cial street and the near vicinity in a
few days The report has gained Wide
circulation that the gambling houses
are TO be licensed, so that the number
may be regulated. The gamblers and
the authorities both say they know
nothing of this, Chief Paul when seen
IN regard to the matter last night. said.
know or have reason to believe
that four or five gambling houses are
running in the city, but we can't catch
them. When 1 took charge of the de-
partment there were nine gambling
houses running. and I ordered them
closed. ! believe they closed. but /
know that there are houses that have
been running on the sly ever since they
were ordered closed the first time. III
the gambling houses are going TO open
wide, I don't know it. They certainly
have not been given any permission
from this department to open. nor any
hint that it would be all right. IL the
mayor has given out any such impress
sion he has said nothing to me about it.
and as 7 have had no orders to let them
run. / Will do my best to prevent both
the gambling houses and saloons from
keeping open.
Cau close IQem Dp.
at is folly. though, to attempt to
close up gambling or the saloons on
Sunday 1t can't be done. because the
officers can't get the evidence to con-
vict offenders. Even if we get into the
gambling joint and find money there,
unless we can swear we saw the men
playing we can't get a conviction. it
is the same way with the saloons; If
Ill s1rfrr
and swear it is beer or liquor they are
drinking, the case is lost ] tried TO
close up everything once and made a
monkey of myself i'm doing tit can't
be done
THE only way gambling could be
closed would be to make the fne so
high that the gamblers couldn't af-
ford TO take the risk of being caught.
But even then there would be gambling
on the sly. and the only successful way
of handling such matters is to allow
the houses to run open and have them
regulated. 1t is necessary to regulate
them. for in Salt Lake there isn't pat
ronage enough for a dozen gambling
houses. and if there are that many
here. some Of them are bound to be
robbing games to make an existence.
IT understand that four or five houses
are running AlAEf bHN 4 liak II AAeA 4itf
men looking for them. and they can't
find any evidence Of playing. They have
Instructions to catch all they can, and
we will make them pay dearly If they
can catch them. We don't propose TO
let them run if we can help il"
Mayor Thompson declared last night
that he was not aware Of any gambling
houses. running in this city, nor any
saloons openly violating the law on
Sundays. When assured by the reporter
that il was a matter Of common in
formation that gambling is going on at
certain designated places and Sunday
liquor selling is general, the executive
said IL was the first he had heard OF IL.
In answer to a further question as to
how he stood upon these questions,
Mayor Thompson said:
It don't know that It is a fact that
these violations are going on, but IF II
is true. it seems to me that the chief
of police is the proper one to go to to
see about it, IF these conditions exist
I shall surely advise the chief Of police
to enforce the ordinances to the best
of his ability. There are no favOrites
with me, and wherever men are
caught gambling they ought to be
given the limit
Mayor Thompson was asked If the
platform upon which he was elected
and stood pledged that gambling and
Sunday saloons would not be tolerated.
is still good, he replied that so far az
he knew the pledges Of reform are as
fully in effect as ever.