The Indianapolis journal., 1903-01-16
ONE WAY TO STOP GAMBLING.
Mayor Sat Down with "a Few Chips
and i'm Half an Hour Broke the Bank
Anaconda Standard.

Speaking of gambling" said an old
timer, after he had won three throws of
the dice, reminds me of little story. The
Legislature thought ii would be a good
thing to stop gambling i'm Montana, and a
law was enacted which meant that all
games of faro, poker, roulette and the like
every gambling house in Montana closed up
as tight the lockjaw for little more
than year. One day game opened up in
the eastern part OF the State. and soon
afterward another bank opened up snap
in another city, and one by one the cities
and towns fell in line, until faro. poker and
roulette were as easy OF access as they
were when the licensed gambling signs
used TO ornament saloon entrances. There
were arrests and hearings and continu-
ances and in some instances fines, but the
spirit seemed to dominate, and the gamSS
went on unhindered.
lone day the mayor of city called his
advisers together and they debated the
question. Ii was the unanimous sense or
the meeting that gambling must cease in
that city.
but what's the USE? asked one we'll
meaning alderman. We can arrest some
one, and that is all il will amount to-.
They are gambling in other cities-why
not gamble in our city? suggested another
We can't reform the whole State.
All right said the mayor. after all OF
his advisers had expressed their views.
Leave IL to me. I'll see If L can't stop
gambling in this city.
There was only one faro bank in the
city, and the mayor went TO the room where
the game was in progress and asked the
proprietor for $50 worth of chips. tender
ing his personal check for the amount.
I'VE don't take checks here. grunted
the mighty man behind the faro box, and
he resumed his pleasant duty of slipping
the cards out OF the box and raking in the
chips.
''The mayor went away and returned a
few minutes later with $50 in cash, which
he exchanged for faro chips. He asked the
mighty potentate who sat in royal dignity
behind the faro box TO state his limit.
oh, guess We'll let you bet your ROLL
THE mayor placed one SIS stack on the
six open and the other SIS stack on the
king coppered, and on the second turn he
doubled, shot em, and then he had siO0
This he placed on the nine, but the power
ful factor behind the box repudiated and
said the mayor should not bet his roll at
one shot. So the mayor accepted SIS
limit, and inside of half an hour he had
just $1,000 in chips. These he piled up in
front of the dealer, saying: III take money
for those
THE powerful factor. that mighty poten-
tate before whom the swamper and the
rounder bows in humble reverence, having
Iost MS dignity, condescended TO speak in
tones becoming a man, and said:
4" L have only s400 in cash. but I'll give
you my check for $500
Not on your ancient oil painting said
the mayor. still smarting under the sting
the dealer gave him when he refused TO
accept the mayors check for $50. You'll
give me cash for 81 .O00 and you amt going
to be long doing IL. either
A Ter hustling for an hour the dealer
and his friends managed to scrape together
$i,o0 which was given TO the mayor, and
then the dealer put the cards and box in a
drawer, turned the faro layout over. piled
the stools on top OF the layout, turned the
lights out and left the room, locking the
door after him and throwing the key into
the storm sewer.
bling In this town, and j did it, said the
mayor, merrfly."