The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-02-16
GAMBLING
STOPPED
Police Raid Konahi
Chinatown
Games.


would permit them to conduct gam
bling openly on account of the day
being the first of the Chinese New
Year, and daylight had hardly made
its appearance before dozens OF small
tables laden with gambling devices,
were in shape. BY eight o'clock
hundreds OF people We're gathered In
the lanes leading to the Chinese thea
ter off Hotel street and to the Chinese
theater off Liliha street.
For several years 1t has been the
custom for the Chinese to gamble
openly in these lanes on the first day
of the year. The law has usually been
reefed up for day in order to permit
what Is almost a national custom to
be carried out by them. Last year
Gov. Carter, then Secretary of the
Territory, and High Sheriff Brown
swooped down on these places and
stopped the sport. Yesterday the
High Sheriff early issued instructions
that these men should not be allowed
to conduct their operations.
Very early in the day Officer Renear
and several others visited the lane
leading into the Hotel street theater.
The place was packed with people, all
surrounding numerous small tables on
which the game known as Russian
War" a gamble with big odds in favor
of the bank winning, was being
played. Renear scattered the Chinese
right and left. One gambler became
moments scufile and Renear started
to push his opponent through the
crowded lane and out into the street
A couple of hundred Chinese immedi-
ately commenced to shout and made a
rush for Renear but as it happened
that there was no leader among the
crowd riot was averted. The Chi
nese stood in groups discussing the
affair and roundly scoring the police
Iol DREAMING UP lltll SdllltS VII udy
so sacred to them.
Leaving Hotel street the officers went
to Liliha street IRON the street
nothing could be seen of gamblers
there but the police found that the
long lanais H. back of the big lodging
houses on each side of the theater were
crowded with natives who were putting
up their good money in order to assist
the Chinaman in celebrating his New
Year. This game was stopped. The
police returned to Hotel street and
found the gamblers there at the game
again. Renear got an axe. He
smashed one table in twinkling and
moment later the Chinese had all the
other tables out of the way.
In the theater play was in full
blast Several Chinese in gorgeous
costumes Were on the stage and were
about to kill each other with their
wooden swords when the police enter
ed. There We're few people within,
children, and when the police ordered
that the play stop and that everyone
leave the theater there was consterna-
tion on every hand. A Chinese actor
dressed as a gladiator of the time OF
Confucius, with bare breast and fond
ling knife about three feet long,
turned in panied surprise as an inter-
prefer shouted that the play must stop.
Several days ago an execution was
secured against the owners of the the
alter for a sum of about sl,7OO An
appeal had been taken which acted as
n stay of execution. The appeal was
knocked out in court yesterday and
the execution was again in force. But
the play people could not understand
such kink In their affairs and there
was considerable noise before the thea
ter could be closed, An old actor sad
ly approached the front of the stage
and lighted three sticks of punk which
We're intended to ward off the devil
until the actors could again present
their story on the boards. Poor actors
sorrowfully left the theater. At the
best of times their wages are but lit
tie better than those of men working
the New Year treat by the closing of
the theater filled their cup of bitterness
TO the brirl.
But the closing of the Hotel street
theater gave fresh impetus to the one
on l-iliha street. The latter was crowd
ed all uGy and during last evening.
During the entire day the police and
gamblers played hide and seek. The
police would no sooner break up one
game and start after another than the
first one broken up would again be go
ing In full blast.
The club-houses in Chinatown enter
tanned great many people during the
day. Business houses We're closed for
business but open for the reception OF
visitors and I'm each business place,
whether small store or large one,
dainty Chinese refreshments were serv-
ed for callers.
Every young Chinese in Honolulu
seemed to have lei around his hat.