The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-18
Mayor Ward Will Have the
 ParaphernaIia Burned
POLICE BUSY YESTERDAY
New City Code In Effeot-WagonIoads of Gambling Devices Hauled Away. Considerable Excitement
 On the Streets.

the gambling houses of the city -Four large wagon loads of gambling fixtures, crap tables, were hauled away and Mayor Ward announced that there would be a bonfire tomorrow.
 Several raids were made simultaneously, and quite coup had been effected before the alarm was spread, and the members of the gambling fraternity could close up their places and vaeate.
 Four separate squads of policemen sal lied forth to put some of the new sections of the city code into effect. with the re- suit that a score of men were placed under bond, and the fixtures of the vari- ous places were destroyed.
 In addition to the places raided' the po- licemen visited a number of other clubs, where gambling was supposed to be going on, but found no one. All the fixtures had been packed up and put out of sight.
 The raids came like a small sized thun- derbolt to the gamblers. They attracted more attention than any raids that have been attempted by the department 'n several years past.
 The crowds were just leaving the matt nees at the theaters when the raids com menced. and hundreds of people congre- gated to see the finish.
 On Twentieth Street.
 The sidewalk on Second avenue, near Nineteenth street. was blocked for half an hour, and many people, especially women' were forced to walk In the street to get past. When the police moved their center of operations to the front of the Manhat- tan saloon on Twentieth street, between First and Second avenues, the people fol- lowed, 1ocking after the officers as they would to a circus.
 The plans for the raid were laid at 4 o'clock. Chief Wier summoned Captain Johnston, Lieutenant Eagan and number of policemen to his office and the details were explained. Mayor Ward issued in- structions that one of the large trash wagons of the city should be placed at the disposal of the chief of police, in order that the gambling apparatus might be car ried away.
 With plans perfected the four squads sallied forth Captain Johnston and Po- liceman Cornett raided an alleged gamb- ling house in the Morris Hotel, and as a result eight men are under bond to answer charges of being behind barred doors. Some of the fixtures were seized and carted away to. aid in making bon fire tomorrow.
 On Twentieth Street.
 Policeman Murphy and Norrell made similar swoop down on some of the rooms over the Palace pool and billiard parlor on Twentieth street, between Second and Third avenues. Here nine men were ar dfidaer1koo nnlhcersv ,ewered1. -ze rested and placed under bond, and the fixtures were piled on the wagon and taken to the graveyard for such things.
 Another party made two successful raids Lieutenant Eagan and Policemen Parker and Nix first visited rooms on the second floor of the building ajoining the Peerless saloon on Second avenue near Nineteenth street. It was while this raid was in progress that the crowds as- sembled.
 The same trio visited the second floor of the Manhattan saloon building on Twentieth stret, between First and Sec ond avenues, and three men were placed under bond? Fixtures were seized at both these places and the curious crowds watched them being loaded into the wagon with great interest.
 Policemen Burke, Hawkins and Hick- man climbed to rooms above the billiard parlor at 1915 Second avenue and found five men and some fixtures. These met the common fate.
 Chief Wler.
 Chief Wier seemed to play no favorites. He visited one place after another, direct ing the policemen in their efforts He also visited the third floor of the Peer less saloon the second floor of the Stag saloon, the alleged gambling house in the Opera House hotel and the rooms over the Senate saloon, but found nothing anywhere that would indicate that gam bling was in progress.
 In discussing the raid. Chief Wier said:
 "One of the sections of the code gives the authorities the right to break open any place where there is supposed to be gambling, provided some reputable citi- zen makes affidavit before the judge of inc police court that he believes gambling is in progress in that place. made out the affdavits today.
 "Another section makes 1t a violation of the law to have gambling fixtures of any kind behind closed doors, and it is also A violation for men to be in the rooms where these fixtures are kept We arc also given the authority to confiscate and destry any paraphernalia which we may capture in any place which we have reason to believe gambling is going on. These new ordinances give us the power to do practically anything to break up gambling.
 .sWe planned our raid today so that it would be a surprise and so that we would eo to all the places at the same time. This prevented the alarm being spread from one place to another, so that the men could escape"
 Mayor Ward is rendering his aid in the matter and says that bonfire Is q cer- tainty Monday.
 "You might say said the Mayor last night that any gambling fixtures brought to the city hall in the future will be used for bon fires"