The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-13
MONTHS LICENSE AT ISSUE
Change in Method of Making CoIIec-
tions Causes Mixup-Pos-
sibility of Arrests.

der of the county attorney not a card
has been turned, neither has a
roulette wheel buzzed since then and
gambling Of all kinds, that is open and
free gambling has ceased in the city,
yet there is an aftermath which is
causing more or less perturbation of
spirit to a number of men and the
best of feeling and amity do not OBJ
tain in quarters that until the order
was issued dwelt in peace and har-
mony. Faulty bookkeeping and are
lessness in keeping the records
straight seem to be responsible for
the mixup.
Now that gambling has really stop
ped it may not be wrong to admit
that until the county attorney heard
the rumblings from Helena more or
less playing for money was tolerated,
if not permitted because of an under
standing that existed between GER
tain of the city officials and the gen.
tlemen who love to toy with the tiger
and hunt him in his lair. While not
technically licensed, still gambling
was not interfered with, the considera>
ton being the payment of a regular
stipend to the city, through the chan
mel of the police court, and here is
where the trouble lies.
When the system of collecting
fines was first adopted the collec-
tions we're made once every 10 days,
as les was in the nature of a tentative
arrangement, necessarily made SO be-
| cause of the uncertainty that pre-
| vailed relative to the actions of the
state and county authorities, as it
was not known what they might take
a notion to do. AS time progressed
and no signs of interference form
those quarters were to be noticed, the
city became a little reckless and in
stead of insisting upon tri-monthly
payments relaxed it's rules to the ex-
tent of demanding only monthly con-
tributions, it no longer being haunt
ed by the fear that by being thus
obliging it would lose it's "rakeoff.
Under the new plan the ninth OF each
month was payday and the men who
were conducting games we're general
ly prompt in coming to the judges
desk and settling up.
In making the change it seems that
due caution was not exercised in
keeping the records and some OF he
men who contributed now claim that
they are charged with arrearages
! they do not owe. 1t all came about
through the insistence of some of the
aldermen, who aver that the gamblers
are indebted to the city in the proper
ton of their fines due from January
9 until February 6, the day County
, Attorney Harris issued his order to
the sheriff, leaving a matter of three
days to be deducted from the full
amount. Believing themselves to be
right and as good and dutiful alder
men determined that the city should
get it's pound of fesh," they called
the attention of the police magistrate
to the delinquency and demanded hat
the delinquents be brought to book
Now whether rightly or wrongly
it is claimed that like the famous
magistrate of Butte, Judge Mann is
a candidate for reelection and that
l naturally he does not care to make
l any more enemies than he need at
5 this particular time, as it is not such
l a far cry until the next election. Fol
somewhat lax in carrying out the in.
structions of the aldermen and has re,
Sorted to diplomacy to bring about the
object sought, instead of availing him.
self of his magisterial p%rerogative and
taking emphatic official action to com,
t pei payment. He did, however, &c
to the extent of asking City Attorney
=, Johnston to file a complaint with
r him against the men said to be in ar
t rears charging them with violating
: the ordinance against gambling
) With the complaint before him, he
caused word to be sent to the delin'
! quents that they were expected to
appear for settlement. Chief Dulin
was appointed messenger and he says
he delivered the judges message.
Here the matter rests.
The men named in the complaint,
or the most of them declare that they
owe the city nothing; that on the con-
trary they have a claim against the
municipality for the balance of the
fine not covered by the period during