Truth. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1901-1908, 1905-08-26
CLOSE UP THE JOINT.

If there is any reason WHY the Dia.
mond saloon should not be closed up,
those IN charge ought to show cause.
This joint is on First South. near West
Temple, and was the scene of one of
the most bare-faced hold-ups on last
Thursday evening that was ever per-
petrated in this or any other CITY.
James Rice, of Stevens Point. Wis.
was enticed into this place by two
strangers who induced him to shake
dice Explaining that it was Just for
run, the trio began shaking, when
finally, one of the men asked Rice
how much money he had on him.
Rice foolishly produced his roll,
amounting to $500, in three 500 bills.
one $50, one 500 and a $40. Immedi-
ately the money was produced it was
snatched by one fellow, who passed it
to his confederate and the two made
quick get away. When Rice started
to run after them he was stopped by
another thief, who claimed to be the
proprietor of the place and who ac-
cused him of gambling, at the same
time grabbing him around the waist,
thus giving his pals a good chance 70
escape. After they had a good start
he let go and disappeared through the
back door Rice lost no time in re-
porting the matter to the police.
One Wilkinson, a bartender, was
standing in front of the bar during the
time the play was made. According
to reports he made no effort to stop
the men and permitted the affair to go
For this reason and this alone we urge
that this dump be closed. Men who
will permit innocent strangers being
robbed in the raw, cold blooded man
ner this man was robbed, should be
driven out of business and out of the
town. There is justification enough tc
warrant the chief of police going dowI
and closing the shop without further
notice. No excuse offers for it's con
tinuing longer. Rice may have beer
wrong in going to a saloon, but there
is no statute against it and he was en-
titled to protection when he was in
side at the hands of those in charge
1t is the sort of work that initiates
against Salt Lake City. An affair
such as this one will give this city {
bad name everywhere. Travellers anC
newspapers will circulate the repor
that the town is filled with thugs ant
that no protection for the unwary eX
lists. The police department canno
afford to have such a condition of af
fairs and the way to check it is; every
| time man is robbed in a saloon, tC
close it. The decent whiskey sellers
would not permit any such affair anC
| the dive keepers ought not be allowed
| to. Close this joint up, revoke its Ii
cense and never again grant one fol
the same place.
Truth regrets this incident because
of the consequences that will follow
and because the man lost his money
Because this city is not an abode OF
thugs and hold-ups; because it is not 6
city of dives. We get this class occa
sionally for they will drift in here, bu
as rule Salt Lake is a good place to
| live in. Protection to life and prop
erty are as good here as in any city Of
| its size in the world. But this reputa
| ton will not long continue, if such
things as this are allowed to pass un
challenged.
We regret to say that we can sec
nothing in the conduct of this barten
der to justify us in the belief that he
| is entirely innocent in the matter
| Plenty of men have been convicted o.