The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-04-24
CRAP GAMES
BLOCK THE
SIDEWALK

Did you ever see a real exciting game
OF crap?
Just drop up in the italian colony most
any Sunday and you will have that privi-
lege. and II you have any spare quarters
and dimes that you want to lose you can
get into the game, too although II is
not at all likely that you will be privi-
legged TO handle the bones, unless YOU
can put up a pretty good bluff that you
are lucky.
It Is a game that one does not want
10 be too lucky at, however for IL gives
rise 20 unpleasant remarks about loaded
dice cheating. etc. that are unpleasant
for an honest" gambler 10 swallow. The
fellows who were playing yesterday were
bound 10 have 20 crooked work in theirs
and discswded bone dice entirely, using in
stead a transparent pair OF a pink tings.
For a long time it has been pretty
widely known that there was a very
lively crap game in the Italian colony.
not far from where Dean street crosses
Atwell's avenue, the cellar where IL took
place being run by relative OF certain
wcll-knowr politician, and that the afore-
who runs the place
There was no need Easter Sunday 20
seek a cellar 20 play the seductive game.
which requires but two dice and some
nickles. dimes and quarters and larger
pieces OF money also. To be sure you can
play with pennies. but they were not
popular Sunday, one player saying con-
temptuously. give EN- to the kids
when another would-be sport tried 10
ring in a small handful Of the chicken
feed.
PLAYED on SIDEWALK.
The game was located on the sidewalk
i'm front OF lOl Dean sureet. at the corner
OF Spruce and Dean. and only a short
block from Atwells avenue. II started
early IN the afternoon and was going
nearly all the time tho daylight lasted,
and sometimes dollar or more would
change hands at n throw Of the dice.
There were about Il or rs I'm the party.
the plungers' ages ranging from l6 TO 2S
and with swapping of fingers and Come
Seven" and Come Eleven" they en-
livcned the throws. betting quarters 70
dimes that the man would throw some
particular number. and so common and
varied were the bets that IL took only
a few moments 20 dissipate a weeks
salary or make II look worse than thirty
cents"
As soon as a player was cleaned out or
drop out and there would be another TO
step into his place. and still the excite
ment was kept up 10 n fever heat
one fellow who evidently knew where
10 get stimulants on Sunday kept at
tempting 10 butt into the game by picking
up the dice. but he was speedily cuffed
and cursed into obscurity az often as he
got enough courage 10 try II again.
The chaps who stayed in the game all
through. and whose winnings must have
been considerable. did not advertise the
fact but on the contrary denied H. and
called attention 20 the losses which they
had suffered for, as previously stated
81 does not do 10 appear too lucky or IL
will be attributed TO something more than
chance.
The Sunday game seems 10 be a feature
Of the day at the colony. for tho good
people OF the neigh borhood do not venture
TO insist on walking on the sidewalk but
make a long detoT into the middle OF
the street to avoid disturbing them.
Just what would have happened II n
policeman had put in appearance is hard
10 state. but one did not show up. so the
gamesters did not have 20 face that con-
tingeucy.
OTHER CRAP GAMES
Tho colored folk who arc devotees of
the game. have n recognized place on
South Main street whore they understand
they will not be molested 81 they gather
10 throw the bones and wager their
nickies dimes and two-hit pieces from
morning tin night.
The ''newsies' are also addicted 20 the
game. an. occasionally two or three OF
them get together IN an alley and bet
pennies TIN copper comes along. but IL
isn't often that this form NJ gambling is
permitted in the downtown section on
the street. whatever else is allowed to
60 on there
To those familiar with the palrnv days
in New York. where the East Side young
sports were won't % assemble on n nice
smooth sidewalk and shoot craps" yes
terday's picture had very familiar side.
and thev are willing TO declare that In