Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-09-07
THE BUCKET SHOP ISSUE.

The meeting of city council Monday
night, says the Rock Hill correspond
ent of the Columbia State, was prob
ably the most interesting and remark
able session ever held by this body in
the history Of the town. 1t was gen.
orally understood beforehand that the
bucket shop matter was to be discuss
ed and there were quite a number of
spectators and interested citizens pres
ent After disposing Of a few other
unimportant matters, the bucket shop
question was brought up and quite q
lengthy and heated discussion followed
in which Mayor Roddey the aldermen,
Attorney Wilson, one Of the bucket
shop men and number Of citizens
took part. Although only one member
Of the council, Mr.. w. H. Wylie, came
out squarely with Mayor Roddey
against the bucket shops, there seemed
to be a change of sentiment among the
other members of council against the
shops before the meeting adjourned and
it Is very evident that the death knell
Of the bucket shop business in Rock
Hill has been sounded. Those men,
bers Of council who did not take firm
to be understood as being opposed to
any form of gambling. They took the
stand, however that the bucket shops
had never been a nuisance to them and
so far as they knew they were not
gambling houses and unless these
things were proven they did not feel
justifiable in taking any action against
them. The ball was opened by the pre-
sentation to council Of the following
petition by w. M. Dunlap, ESQ.,:
1--WE, the undersigned citizens OF
Rock Hill, realizing their demoraliz-
ing effect upon the business interests
Of the city, do respectfully petition the
city council to revoke the license or
licenses heretofore granted to the
stock exchanges or bucket shops now
in existence and licensed by the city
of Rock Hill. We believe that such ex-
changes and bucket shops are
nuisances, and that in accordance with
section II Of the charter of the city of
Rock HILL the city council has the
right to revoke their licenses and
should, for the protection Of the busi-
ness interests Of Rock Hill and vicin-
ity, close the said exchanges at once"
This paper was signed by thirty-six
Of Rock Hills prominent citizens in
Guiding bankers, merchants, statesmen,
ministers, manufacturers and others.
In presenting the petition Mr.. Dunlap
stated that he had been encouraged to
do so by the fact that Mayor Roddey
and Alderman Johnson had promised
that they would vote to revoke the Ii
cense Of these men and use their infiu-
ence to abate the nuisance provided
four reputable citizens would sign a
petition certifying that the bucket
shops were a nuisance in Rock Hill,
and that he did not stop at four names,
but had thirtysix signatures to his pc
tition. Mr.. Johnson explained that he
told Mr.. Dunlap that he would vote
and use his influence against the buck
ct shops provided as many as four men
would come to him with the proof and
convince him that the shops were a
nuisance. He did not consider them as
such, and he as a member Of council
voted to license them. He knew the
nature of their business when he did
so; they were not transacting any bus
iness other than that permissible un-
der the license, therefore he saw no
cause for taking action. Alderman
Reid took about the same stand as Mr..
Johnson and while Messrs. Craig and
O'Neal did not express themselves at
that time, they did have something to
say later and took very much the same
position. Mr.. Owens was not present.
AS before stated, Mr.. Wylie came out
teeth and nail against the exchanges,
Mr.. Johnson claimed that the mere
statements of citizens that these places
were a nuisance to the town and the
presentation of a petition to that ef
feet was not sufficient proof and would
not be accepted as such. He contended
that these charges must be proven.
This contention was sustained by City
Attorney w. B. Wilson, Sr. He held
that a petition signed by 1000 citizens
would be no good without proof of the
charges, and that the defendants must
first be tried and convicted before ac-
tion can be taken against them. w.
NJ. Dunlap, Esq, said 1t was absurd
to say that citizens in presenting
petition to council for the abatement
Of Il nuisance must furnish proof and
convict the parties before council could
act He had never heard of such a
demand being made by council when
similar petitions had been presented to
that body A heated debate between
the two attorneys followed and many
points of law, both legal and illegal,
and otherwise, were discussed. A sur
nrise, however. was sprung when
Mayor Roddey. who stuck firmly to the
position he has all along taken in the
matter against the exchanges, called
I'D two of Rock Hills most prominent
and reputable citizens who on their
oath. testified that they had engaged
in the game Of poker and that they
had also done business with the bucket
shops, and Of the two they considered
the latter by far the greater evil. Mr..
T. L. Johnson had had much expert