Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-04
CHASE FLOATING GAMBLERS
Chicago Police Attempt to Prevent Betting
on Races Out in Lake.
ATTEMPT TO MAKE ARRESTS IS EvADED
Men Leave on Another steamer and
Spectacular Enort TO Capture
Them on Their Return
Fails.

CHICAGO Aug. 3-Gamblers intent upon
playing the races, and policemen determined
to prevent all race track betting on the
high seas, furnished today on Lake Mlchi-
gan a unique and spectacular gambling
raid The police and gamblers raced around
the lake, first into Michigan waters, then
close to the shores of Illinois, and then into
the jurisdiction of Indiana, the one seeking
escape and the police determined to cap
ture them at all hazards. The net results
Of the day for the police were the capture
Of fourteen weary marine gamblers who
floated ashore a. South Chicago in a launch.
All of the others after a hot chase by the
police in a numbering fire tug escaped TO
Indiana Harder, Ind, and made their way
ashore outside of the jurisdiction OF the
Chicago police.
Chief OF Police Collins announced two
days ago that he would no longer permit
the operation of the floating pool room
| City of Traverse. He asserted that he
would arrest all the gamblers when they
attempted to board it, claiming that they
were about to commit an Illegal act which
brought them within police jurisdiction.
Gamblers Win First Move.
! The gamblers circumvented the chief of
/ pplCt at Nilt uulStl ny CAUSING the steamer
| City of Traverse to be run out into the
lake into the waters of the state of Indl-
ana, where it lay all through the morning
Large details of police were placed on the
| shore guarding the approaches to all OF the
docks from which the gamblers might make
| their way to the lake. 1t was the eXpecta-
| ton Of the authorities that the betting fra
| ternity would leave Chicago on the City
Of Traverse, but instead of this a small
! excursion steamer named the Eagle had
been chartered and the gamblers, walking
| past the police embarked and started for
the City of Traverse, which was rolling
around in mid-lake. The police were power
less to intercept any of the excursion
ists," as they called themselves and with
deep chagrin watched them sail away to
place their money on the races.
The announced program Of the managers
of the floating pool room was that all pas
sengers would be landed at the foot Of
| Ninety-Second street in South Chicago,
where the Calumet river empties into Lake
Michigan. Chief Collins, baked in his at
tempt to prevent the sailing of the gamb-
lers on the Eagle, transferred his forces to
Ninety-Second street and posted them
along the shore in such a manner that it
would have been practically impossible
for any man from the City of Traverse OF
the Eagle to set foot on shore and escape
arrest.
Spectators Caught in Trap.
Late in the day the Eagle steamed into
the harbor at South Chicago, loaded with
200 men who were anxious to reach the
shore. AS soon as the boat was well in
side of the first bridge It was swung be-
hind 1t. With escape to the lake cut of
by the bridge and no possible chance of a
safe landing on shore, the case of the
gamblers for a time looked desperate. The
Eagle circled around and around in the
harbor. footing its whistle in frantic fash
ion for the bridge tender to turn the bridge
and allow it to steam back into the lake
The police stood on the shore and laughed
| feeling confident that 1t was only a ques.
ton of time before the passengers Of the
Eagle would be in their power. A small
insignificant mud scow happened along al
this critical moment, however, and blew it.
whistle as a signal for the bridge to open
The bridge tender was compelled to swing
the bridge and the Eagle, planting its bow
squarely in the stern OF the mud scow
crowded it closely as it passed through
the bridge and then made run for tn,
open lake and freedom.
AS soon as the police discovered the ap
proach of the mud scow and realized tina
the bridge must open, they made a rush fo
the fire tug Yosemite, and by the time tn,
Eagle was entering the waters Of the lax,
the tug was tearing after 1t, loaded dowI
, with policemen.
The Eagle, however, steadily drew away
from the tug, and after run of ten mile'
, the police gave up the chase. The Eagle
! landed at Indiana Harbor, its passenger
returning to Chicago by train.
Gamblers Did Not Gamble.
Before the arrival OF the Eagle at Soutf
Chicago a small launch named the Panther
came in. bearing a number of gamblers
from the City OF Traverse and severa
fishermen. All the passengers of the Pan
Their were lined up on the pier and com
PEELED to stand in a heavy rain while the
police weeded out the fishermen from tn,
"excursionists."
Fourteen men who could not prove tina
they had been fishing were loaded into thu
patrol wagon and carried, to the police sta
ton.
The gamblers who returned 10 Chicago
I this evening declared that, even though thu
police had arrested all the passengers Of III,
3 Eagle, they would have found It impossibl,
to prove a case against them, as the wire
, less apparatus refused to work Throughout