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

Over John Lunkley's saloon, James
Hobbs conducts his place. Over Hen
bricks saloon Biff Wyatt and Bob
Lowden operate. Over Pete Maloney's
the Grow, brothers carry on their dark
deeds. Over Allison's Martin Neff and
Lafayette Wilson do thriving trade,
while in basement Kitten Young, a
colored man, makes himself agreeable
to his friends, Irrespective of race,
color or previous conditions OF servi-
tude."
Crossing the bridge we find the
South Side is not immune for over Ed.
Oswald's saloon William Barrows OPP
crates, while in the rear Of barber
shop Ed. Swift conducts place also
on Church street, suggestive name.
There has also been another run on
the South Side till very recently, but
as | understand the gentleman has
given up the business and turned his
face toward honesty and virtue will
not mention his name lest l should
embarrass him in his efforts to re-
| form.
Play for Cigars.
After making the round we may
feel the need of the gentle stimulus, a
i
| Miller's or Norfolk's on Market street
and instead Of paying for it directly
Istep into the convenient back room and
play a game for the same. want TO
say right here, that while these places
are not so fragrant as others it is
Question IL they are not equally vicious
in that they are kindergartens where
young lads take their lessons in the
| vice that graduates later in the evil
resorts I have mentioned. Now after
such tedious recital as I have been
compelled to give you, surely no one
can for q moment raise the question
as to whether gambling flourishes In
our city or not These nineteen places
are surely evidence sufficient.
We cannot refrain from turning
from this deplorable state of things to
that they permit these lawbreakers to
carry on their lawlessness with such
| impunity. Only two conclusions can
be drawn by sensible people One is
they are hopelessly incompetent and
| imbecile, or they are in completely
with the whole miserable business.
But you could not find a person In a
million who would believe that these
things are done without their knowl-
exist. They exist with their con-
sent. This leads us to make a further
investigation as to the relation of
the administration to this entire bust
ness. For this investigation we will
turn our steps toward the city hall.
First we will watch the lineup be-
fore the police judge to see If any OF
these offenders appear on the penitent
bench. Morning after morning it is
the same old nonotony DRINKS, tramps
minor offenders an occasional prosti-
tute, but never a gambler appears
That looks suspicious. Is not that
court there to punish offenders against
the law? Is it not melting out stern
justice. to minor offenders? Where
are these large. grave dignif1ed break
ers Of the laws Of the state and city's
ordinances? Conspicuous Of thei,
absence.
Inspect the Records,
But surely this thing is not per-
official recognition? To make our
selves donbly sure we inspect the
/ records of the police Judge and find
certain entries which have a. strange
look. I have here a copy of thai
record running back to November 1908
will not weary you with 1t all, but
will confine myself to the months o.
September, october and November o.
1904. 1 find the following gentlemen
are credited with paying fines Of So
each during the month Of September:
Harry Roberts, Henry Wilson, Johr
Brown, Ed. Mack, F. M. Turner, VIM
/ Wright, H. c. Smith, seven in all
i while Robert Johnson paid half thai
amount. In October the names run;
Frank Jones, II. G. Smith, William
Wright, Harry Wilson and Harry Rob
erts, each paying. $50, while Fred ant
Robert Johnson each paid $40.
~ In NOvernhar the record ring. Harry
Wilson, T. M. Turner, Frank Jones, FL
G. Smith, John Brown and William
Wright paying $50, and Robert John
son again paying $40. Now 1 want tt
call attention to certain features O.
these entries. While they are undoubt
eddy the sop that thrown to the cit,
to soften its asperity toward this vic.
very suspicious In the whole business
You will observe that these fines ar,
not entered in the names of the Of
tenders. There is no sort of similar
ity between these names and tn,
names of the gentlemen who conduc
the business / have described. 70,
: will search in vain in the books of thu
police judge for any record of punish
{ ment dealt out through him to Hern
Davis, Frank Erbacker, Bill Wagne
or any of the rest of the fraternit.
have mentioned as engaged in tn,
business of gambling. If the cit!
received a fine from these gentlemen
why is it not entered in their owl
names? If they do not receive 1t VIII,
| does? Another thing would cal
your attention to is this.
Seven or Eight Pay.
There is no record that more thai
seven or eight fines have been enteret
each month and as have shown
there are not less than nineteen me-
} doing business in this disorderly way
That is to say less than half Of then
are mulcted. If one-half is mulcte6
: why not all of them? If all are VIII
! does not the city receive the benef
Of it all? 1 pass these questions o.
!, for your consideration and wait 70
5 some one inside to give the prope
/ reply. The facts are the whole bust
, ness is utterly irregular, lawless an
shows the completely of the admins
, tration with the entire evil business
: For what right have officers anywa
to accept fines even in behalf Of tn
|, | cify to allow cartain mon tn viola +