Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-02-16


tie of Hyomei. The inhaler lasts a
lifetime, while extra bottles, If need
ed, can be obtained for 80 cents. In
Ottumwa there are scores OF well
known people who have been cured Of
catarrh by Hyomei II it does not
help you. Sargent will return your
money in accordance with the guar
antee he gives with every outfit.
therefore to come with me on lit
tie excursion while we visit some OF
these haunts of vice that are SO flag
rantly tolerated by our police. This
trip must have been made before Jan
uary 20 understand, for on that date
the gambling houses were closed by
the order Of the police, so the news
papers say. We might begin almost
anywhere, but for convenience we will
stroll down East Main street till we
come to saloon popularity known as
lawless and offensive resorts. The
stairway is on the east of the saloon.
We find on entering the door from the
street that another door enters the sa-
loon from the hallway, a thing strictly
illegal as far as the saloon is con-
cerned, but very convenient for the
patrons of the place who wish to con-
tinue their nights revel after the con-
ventional hour for closing the lower
room has come. So when the bar
tender Is not on duty downstairs, he
is upstairs. running practically all
night. At the top Of the stairway,
lest the patron mistake the place or
fail to see some of the steps on &C
count of sleepiness or overindulgence,
there is blazing a bright electric light.
This light shows a door opening easily
into the gambling room conducted by
Bill Wagner, we say "Biu' in prefer
ence to William, for we find him to be
a good fellow, and worthy of the dis
tinction. Rumor says this house is
owned by a man very close to the Of
fetal throne Of our city, but never
mind, we are none the less safe on
that account You can look that mat
ter up for your own convenience.
A Recent Proprietor.
Now the genial Bill" who has been
connected with the gambling frater.
nifty of Ottumwa for many years has
only recently blossomed out as a "pro.
prietor" and everything evidences a
prosperous business and rosy future,
| To begin with, there is nothing gaudy
about the place. The floor is covered
with linoleum and plain, bright pa
| per covers the walls. A touch of in,
dividual preference Is seen in the mot.
such time honored ones as God Bless
/ H,1r ~ ~ To-
Without Mother" we find Checks
for Money and Money for Checks"
But the strictly ethical element is
not totally lacking for we read further
on mo Boys Under Eighteen Allowed
in This House" Assured now of the
high moral tone Of the place we feel
quite at home and cast around to find
the entertainment our host has pro-
vided for his guests. We find Bill has
his games we'll distributed and in the
hands Of skillful members Of the craft
Entering little front room we find
two draw poker tables located, par
TALLY screened from the rest of the
room. These tables are not lacking
their "kittie" to be sure. The kit
tie?" Oh, that is the little slit in the
center of the table through which
clicks the proceeds which go to enrich
the house. This particular pussycai
is said to have a voracious appetite
for she is always licking her lips and
looking for more, and knowing ones
say If the game only goes on long
enough, by the very nature of it, she
/ gets the whole pot These tables are
| the center of attraction for men who
are making an all night business Of
gambling.
The casual observer seldom sits into
the draw poker game for it is gener
ally too long for him. House men
that is men whose capital is furnished
by the owner of the gambling house
and who play for him for salary or
percentage of the winnings have
charge of the draw poker tables
Maybe there are two or three at one
table for the more house men there
are in the game the better it is fol
the house. The Sucker" may be E
clerk in some down town store, la
borer, teamster, travelling man, or
even business man. Perhaps, there
are several suckers" for they are the
men that bring the new money into
i the house.
Steadily Goes the Game.
| So steadily goes on the game the
kittie getting her share, the house
prospecting and the excitement grow
ing, but we cannot tarry. We mus
examine the rest of the house. Walk
ing back towards the alley the visit
or's eye is caught by substantial
looking safe, a wise provision, for al
the frequenters of such places hav,
not always clearly defined ideas touch
ing mine and yours, and hold-ups j,
gambling houses are not unknown
Besides as the house closes about fou
or FIVE in the morning it might not b.
wise for the proprietor to lay tempta
d ton in the way of the weak, by car