The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-04-27
District Attorney Baker Issues a
Notice Against Slot Ma
chimes in Kenosha County. i
POOL SELLING TO BE STOPPED
The District Attorney Throws a
Bomb Shell INTO the Ranks Of
Gamblers In Kenosha and Closed
Town May Be the Result

District Attorney Robert Verne
Baker threw bomb shell into the
ranks of the gamblers in Kenosha
county today when he issued formal
notice demanding that all slot ma.
chimes now in operation within the
limits of the county be removed with
in twenty-four hours.
It is thought that this is only the
starting of the crusade and when the
slot machines are removed it is more
than probable that the district attor-
ney will take shot at the pool SELL
ing in the city and put an end to this
form of gambling. Indeed, notice
to stop the sale of all pools was at
first included in the notice issued by
the county official, but he decided not
to bite off too big a bite for the first
trial and this was laid over until an
other time.
81 would rather be one termer than
not attend to the duties of the office, !"
said Mr.. Baker when he gave out the
order for publication, and it has
been reported to me that many gambl-
ing devices are now being operated in
Kenosha; added to this I have had
frequent complaints on account Of
amounts lost by race betting.'
The original notice as prepared by
| Attorney Baker was as follows:
Notice.
All slot machines in Kenosha coun-
| ty must be removed within twenty
four hours from each and every saloon
or place where the public is invited to
attend. All pool selling and book
making or business the purpose of
which is to register or record bets or
wagers or sell pools upon the result of
any trial or contest of speed of any
race horse, and any engagement to
receive or. forward any money bet or
wagered for any person at any race
track is forbidden by law and must
cease at once within Kenosha coun-
| ty."
ROBERT VERNE BAKER,
District Attorney. &
Dated April "a, 1905.
After considering the mag nitude of
the business done by the so-ca11ed
"bookmakers' in the city in accept
/ ing bets for the various tracks, Dis
/ trict Attorney Baker decided that the
race bet business had better be laid
over until the slot machine evil had
been eradicated. Hence the second
paragraph of the order was laid to
one side for the present, but Mr..
Baker stated that he would take it up
| later.
It is just possible that the bookmak-
ers would welcome the order of the
attorney, as it is said that within the
last few weeks the men have lost
large sums Of money by bets made in
this city and their losses for the
week ending on Saturday night have
been placed as high $4,000. 1t is
claimed that more than 1000 people
in Kenosha are daily patrons of the
| different books.
The slot machines which have quiet
1y been indicted to Kenosha saloons
are getting decidedly numerous and
there are over 100 now being used in
the city, while the number would be
nearly duplicated in the county.
Some of the machines are costly ones
but they will fall under the general
order for removal.
It looks now as if Mr.. Baker was in
tending a general crusade against
gambling of all sorts and if this is
the fact Kenosha is destined to be
a closed town for short time atleast.
The enforcement of the orders of
the attorney will be watched with a
great deal of interest.