New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-08-09
TO STOP GAMBLING.
Governor Higgins Says He Wants
only Evidence on Which to Act.

Governor Higgins before leaving the city for
BLOCK island yesterday declared that ig ne received
my authenticated evidence that gambling
going on in New York City he would have Il
stopped the same he had caused suspension Of
the gambling houses In Saratoga. lie seemed much
irritated that his motives in stopping gambling In
Saratoga should be impuened and misunderstood
and declared with considerable emphasis that he
from another
When the Governor was told that gambling houses
were running almost openly in this city ne said:
have no evidence Of that: II you or any one elss
presents s eX1dence that this condition Of affairs
az once There may be great Influences in the
gambling houses will see that they are shut. III
my orders are not carried out some official head
The Governor was also asked e he proposed to
do anything about the allegations that gambling is
going on in Albany. He replied;
Gambling going on In Albany? I never heard OF
H. l have lived there for some years and surely
proof that gambling Is going there I shall see
snV ntbsF s C6 IN na1y county as quickly IN
that gambling is the same one place as the other
respect ~ ''''S
The gambling element knows that the Governor
has the power to remove the Sheriff OF this county
without hearing. and this fact alone caused
sieeplessness among the gamblers.
IF the Governor should come 70 Broadway, then
what?' was the query put 20 the Broadway sport
ing fraternity. The answer came that they would
nave TO shut down at Others said. WHO says
the towns wide Open?'' The fact remains. how
ever, that, whi:e the lid may be at Saratoga in
little old New York the wise ones can take 2
chance at any game they wish From the Battery
10 The Bronx. from the ocean 70 the Hudson
River there pOOlrOOms galore and the click of
the little ball as II jumps over the ~. where the
chips are piled high and settles softly into the
"skiddOO number, g. can be heard in many places
The financial district Is Overrun with pOolrOOms
the majority OF which handle only s. commissions
depending on the roulette wheels 70 coax the small
change from the pockets Of the sporting element
TO all appearances the downtown gamblers are
'on the square" and in playing the ponies the
wheel their patrons get run for their money"
The book on the races always Is written to show a
percentage in favor OF the house and the odds on
the wheel against the player.
The percentages look small but every turn of
the wheel adds its mite TO the profits Of the house.
Even when some punger doubles his stakes in a
strenuous endeavOr 10 get back what he has lost
and his number up the loss is soon recovered
In the increased patronage which always follows
the report Of big winning Easy money is the
lure which brings the fish within the pOOlrOOm net
well known broker speaking of the increase of
pOOroOm gambling in the financial district lately
said yesterday:
Several days ago my assistant cashier got a tip
on the e., races He could not 60 to the track 20
room across the street. His horse won. IL was
winnings on 10 az the roulette table Had he lost.
and the odds were IS to that he would. my office
would have been money In, but for once the little
ball dropped in Is and he took S. $50 away from the
table. The next day az frequent intervals one or
another Of my employees would disappear, some
times for an hour at time. I kept my eyes open
and found that my assistant cashiers good
luck had infected the office stan with the gambling
fever. even heard the messenger boy asking the
junior clerk 20 put quarter on the q for me-
To make long story short my employees are cut
ting down on their luncheOns these days, but see
the pOOlroOm men buying wine uptown every night.
The s1,750 velvet has taken wings and my assist
ant cashier sad