The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-30
KANSAS NEWS.
who Will Get the Money, Is a
Campaign Issue.
In Kansas City, Has, There Is
a Disappearance of Funds.
JNO.DOE
1t Means That Some One Is
Getting About $4,000.
Would Pay More Than Half the
City's Expenses.
C~OLLECTEDBY JNO.DOE

Kansas City. Kan.s JAN 30--A
strong hght is being made In this city
to have the revenue collected from the
gambling houses, slot machines, policy
games and privileged institu-
tons go into the city treasury.
This statement is somewhat start
ling to the man who naturally sup
poses that these revenues go to h
city treasury here. However, the
money has been collected with
larity and with equal regularity it has
disappeared. At least none ever
reaches the city treasury. The matter
has become an issue in h
now being carried on between Mayor
T. B. Gilbert and William Merriam,
the contesting candidates for the
mayoralty nomination before the Re-
publican primaries to be held Feb-.
ruary 4 Merriam promises 10 turn
ali money collected from such places
into the city treasury. Mayor Gilbert
promises no change from the policy
which has been in vogue in the last
eighteen months
be derived from the places which have
been allowed to operate during the
last eighteen months without any
benefit TO the city is much larger than
ordinarily supposed. 1t would pay
more than one-hal the running ex-
penses of the city government. Inc
city government expense are ABOUT
R4GIs00U d IE4As 4H(
which are now allowed to run and pay
revenue that does lot reach the city
treasury are as follows:
Five hundred slot machines.
Prior to Mayor GiIbert's term as
mayor a fine of from So to $40 was
assessed against each slot machine,
or an average of about $3.50 on each
machine operated TakIng as a basis
the number now in operation n city
should now receive $3,750 a month
from that source, but it receives moth
ing. Every man operating a slot ma
chine pay each month for the priv
ilege of operating it. but none OF 1t
goes into the city treasury.
There are also fifteen gambling
houses of different kinds which run
openly and without interference and
are said to a for the privilege on an
average of $125 each This money Is
collected by a John Doe" and it is
not known what John Doe" does with
the money, but it is known that he
has strong influence somewhere, be-
cause the people are not disturbed by
the officers whose duty it is to enforce
the law This would mean a revenue
of $1.S75 a month to h city from
the gambling house provided the
same system of hning them was APP
piled as is the case of the Joints"
This would make the fines from slot
machines and gambling houses net
the city $5,625 a month, or Just about
as much as is collected from the
Joints It would mean $4,000 a
year. more than half enough to pay
the running expenses of the city.
There is nothing secretive about the
operation of these places. The pro-
prietors understand they will not be
interfered with. A man who is styled
John Doe" calls on these places once
a month and the proprietors have to
''dig."
The gambling Institutions are in a
trust If a man wants to open a gam
bling house, policy game or a slot ma
chine he does not go to the city or
county officials for the privilege. He
sees the manager of the trust" and
hxes a basis of settlement and opens
his shop. If he does not get the
privilege before he opens his place he
is closed up in short order. That has
been h case with the ~proprietors of
policy games. Two men pay for the
exclusive privilege of operating the
policy games. Several have tried to
open Independent games, but they
were arrested and their wheels con-
hscated- The men who have the ex-
elusive privilege are not disturbed.
The issue in the present campaign
Is not to close these places. but to pay
into the city treasury the money col
lected from them.