The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-09-08
AGAIN AS TO GAMBLING"
Another Reply From Mayor George
B. Cromer to The Herald and
News.

News: 1t is a long time since you
practiced law, and as your investlga-
ton OF the law OF bucket-shops bears
OF great haste, you may be
partly excusable for making mis-
leading statements. I say only part
ly', because any reputable lawyer
could have told you that there is
no law in this state that forbids the
business of the exchange or bucket
shop, and no law under which the
business could be punished as gamb-
ling.
Our statute laws are divided into
civil code and criminal code. The
civil code treats of civil rights such
as may be enforced in the civil
courts, and the criminal code treats
of crimes and misdemeanors that are
punishable in the criminal courts
I asked you to point out law
under which I have the power to
punish the business Of the bucket
shop as gambling and it's customers
as gamblers. You cite me the "civil
code' and decisions under it. Be-
hold, lawyer! Civil code! AS if
anybody ever heard before of punish
ing gamblers under a law laid down
in the civil code.
Exchanges or bucket-shops are IL
censed throughout the state and do
business all over this country. For
tunes are quickly made in them and
as quickly swallowed up. The law
that you cite simply holds gambling
contracts, or purely speculative con-
tracts in futures when there was no
actual in cntion to deliver the goods,
cannot be enforced by suit in the civil
courts. But the law does not forbid
the Business and the law therefore
treats it as legitimate.
You pretend to see inconsistency
in the statement that license could
be denied to business that is legit-
innate. Let me remind you that under
the old barroom system the law re-
barded the liquor business as perfect
ly legitimate, but town councils had
the power to refuse to license 2 bar
room.
You say that the gentlemen who
were arrested deny that there was any
money on the table and state that
they were not summoned to appear
before the mayor on the day that they
were tried, nor ar any other time"
The policemen say that those self
same gentlemen asked them to plead
guilty for them.' and the testimony
was that they were summoned to ap-
pear. And I say now that If any OF
those gentlemen will appear and
swear that they were not playing for
money, l will remit his fine and dis
miss his case.
Again, you say, We did this re-
me:nbering that on a former occasion
he denied us the right to be heard
in his council" So there is where
the shoe pinches. You are consist
entity following your practice Of nag
ging at me without printing the
facts of the case. # you feel that
you were treated unjustly when you
were required to take your gasoline
tank out Of the street. publish the
facts and let the public Judge.
You recall that betting on baseball
go. 50 open thar one or the preach
ers made it the subject Of his Sun
day morning discourse" I had heard
that there was gambling at the base
ball games and at number OF other
places in town. but a preachers SER
mon is not legal evidence But you
have so good memory for St. Mat
thew that ii is surprising that you
do not remember that the same
pastor, at the same time, and in the
same sermon preached against gam
bling in the club-rooms over your
office.
1t is drol, and little funny, to see
you suddenly leap to the front as Il
moral refOrmer. But it is also graft