The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-16
POLICE AGAIN
RAID "DUG0UT"
SWOOp Down on H0odlumS'
Rendezvous on Jordan.
INTERRUPT CHICKEN STEW"
MEMBERS OF OLD GANG ONCE
MORE AT WORK.
INTERRUPT CHICKEN STEW"

Gambling games and dime
novel library have been formally
opened at the 'Dugout.'' on the banks
OF the Jordan river, at Twelfth West
and First South streets, and the gang
of youthful hoodlums has begun hold
ing nightly gatherings. a chicken stew
was in preparation when Sergeant Rob-
erts and couple Og officers broke in last
night, but the members Of the gang es-
capped through the blind passage which
leads to d trap door and affords a hasty
retreat. The ''dugOut" has been a rem
devious for youthful burglars and
thieves for the past two years, and last
winter the gang was broken up and
most of them sent to the government
Industrial school at Golden, Colo. The
gang which gathered nightly at the
cave last year was convicted of a num-
Der of bUrglaries. The members also
broke into the sub-postofice station
at Fifth West and Seventh South and
secured about $50 in pOStoffice funds.
The gang was captured in San Fran
cisco and brought back here and con-
Victed- This rendezvous has been the
source of petty crimes and where plots
have been Matched to commit burgIa-
ries and thefts. Many young boys have
been induced to spend their evening
a
or shooting craps. a library of dime
novels has been collected to furnish
reading matter of bloody exploits of
robbers and outlaws. The Dick Turpin
and Jesse James series and numerous
other books of similar character are to
be found there. and a great deal of
time is spent in reading them. The po-
lice are watching the place constantly
and every effort is being made to break
up the gang this year before il begins
operations.
Old Gang May Be Working
The officers were unable to locate any
of the boys last night, but it is believed
that some of the old gang are the ring
leaders and that they are corrupting a
number of smaller boys and Initiating
them into the gang At the gambling
tables considerable money exchanged
hands last year. and the boys put at
stake their cut of the plumber which
They. secured. Altogether the gang got
about $500 last year, and it was won
and lost over the tables. Besides this
groceries and coal We're stolen, and
some of the gang eat and sleep there
most of the winter
'Dugout'' Remodeled.
The ''Dugout' has been remodeIed
this year. and it has not only been en-
room
is about twelve feet square and is fur
nished with a stove, tables and hunks.
\ tin roof has been put in and held by
timbers so as to make the cave safe. A
small cut has been made in the wall
and a box inserted to keep books in. A
trapdoor has also been provided where
the members of the gang can come and
go. The II ain entrance leads into the
big underground room from the edge
of the water and is about FIVE feet in
| height \ place is provided just out
side the main entrance where the coal
I rs kept. 4 screen in the door about a
foot square is the only ventilation
given to the place. and is also used for
a lookout.
The police have received instructions
to break up the gang. which has evil
IDENTIFY reorganized. and the officers in
tend to arrest the boys. providing they
are able to apprehend them.