The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-30
WAGES WAR ON BUCKET SHOPS District Attorney Wants
 Them Closed. COMMON GAMBLING DENIS Dr. Craft Would Have Prohibition
 in Washington. Many of the Prominent Society wom- en of the Nations Capitol, are
 Declared to be Regular
 Gamblers.
nY ALFREp ,. sroFER.

bucket shops" in operation in this city, and seemed determined to close them up. or send the proprietors to the penitentiary. It is claimed that un- der the law passed several years ago by Congress these institutions come under the head of gambling concerns, and the charge Is made that the pat rons of the places simply bet upon the rise and fall of the markets. Not bushel of grain, bale of cotton or legitimate share of stock, 1t is al- legged. changes hands--in other words, the officers of the law insist that the plungers might just as we'll sit down at a table with pack of cards and play poker. hearts. ''old sledge" or any other game at which the cash stakes are put up.
 There are twenty-five or thirty of these concerns denominated bucket shops In. number of the Southern and Westetn States laws have been passed abo1ishing the establishments. They were held by the legislatures to ly demoraltzing to the cities m which they were located The bucket shops'' combination ins North Carolina tested the law in tN highest of the state courts and after being ruled against and brought the case to the Supreme Court of the United States It was ar-
 
 General of North Carolina came on to represent the commonwealth but was taken sick just after reaching Wash fngton. A young man only twenty three years of age, who was an assis- tant in his office was substituted. This young man is Mir. Clark, son of one of the justices of the Supreme court of North Carolina, He graduated here in law only last June, and 1t was the first time in the history of the highest Judicial tribunal of the land that the Justices permitted 6 lawyer who had not been at least three years in sprac- tice to be admitted and present an ar- gument. This youthful disciple of Blackstone acquitted himself so well that the solemn and learned jurists seemed pleased that all precedents had been brushed aside in order to favor him. decision In the case will prob ably be rendered when the Supreme court meets again in October.
 "Hand B0okD Gamblers. r Hand book" gamblers appear to have been completely run out of Washington. The Evening Star started the crusade against these fellows Then it was taken up by the law offi- cers of the District A flourIshiug business was done for a number of years by the "hand book' men. Not many years ago Congress passed a law that bookmakers should not operate in thls city Only at the Spring and Fall meetings of the Washington Jockey Club are they allowed to do business. Those races take place at Bennings. Some years ago over in Virginia just across the Potomac river two outlaw race tracks were in full blast. lot of old plug horses were raced the year round-in the heat. cold. in the rain, in the snow, any time simply to have an excuse that racing" was going on. Adjacent to the courses there sprang up a vile resort known as Jackson City. It was simply an aggre- gation of low down saloons, dance halls, and poker joints" Men were | robbed right and left, and murders and l cutting scrapes were frequent During | the administration of the late Governor | chas. T. OFerrall of Virginia, the | atention of the legislature was called | To this blot upon the old Dominion, | and a law was enacted that wiped out l the tracks and the dens of iniquity | generally. Hundreds of young men, and old men, too became financially | and morally ruined while the gambling | was at its height on thee Virginia side | 0f the Potomac. Nearly every case of | and dedication that oc- ,urred in Washington was directly traced to the habit of misguided men |
  long bridge" After these tempta- ions were removed. some gamblers started pool room over there. For several years they did a flourishing business in taking bets on races all ,ver the country Finally that was 'queIched by the Alexandria county Finally an attempt was made to establish the same sort of a place in Montgomery county. Maryland ust few hundred yards north of the District of Columbia line and easily reached by street and steam cars. That had to go. for the Maryland offi- ;ials made it too warm for the pro- noters of the scheme.
 women as Gamblers.
 The gambling element is strong among the women of Washington. One woman in this town is notorious on ac- count of her winnings at private houses In poker games, and since 1t has be- has taken up that game also. She is the widow of a man who many years lgo was famous as a high official of the government. This woman has the he weak sisters whose money comes easy. She is said to win in a night l anywhere from $20 to $75 at cards. The next day she is quite apt to drop in at | down town bucket shop" and try ler luck in stocks. grain or cotton. Her among people who know her $ that she makes enough at gambling to maintain a mighty comfortable nome here. and every now and then she takes European trip. The woman s handsome, unusually well educated, | s polished and thoroughly up to date, and such female has no difficulty in getting in with the monied danes and naidens who like to be considered 1ashy and right in with what is called he brass band" set. Mrs. Blank has he knack of getting 'em in. and charges for it.
 Rev. Dr. Wilbur F. Crafts and his wife have returned from an extensive rip to the Orient. The Crafts are re- formers of the ultra type. His rever- ence is never so happy as when en- gagged In a red-hot fight with Congress )r the District authorities. His idea is hat lots of things go wrong at the na- ions capital, For years he has en- to abolish the sale of liquor s head of what he styles in fact the | Reform Bureau, and the District of Columbia and the United States are not large enough for him. Ills idea now is that the opium habit must be broken up throughout the world He has been in the Philippines ;ince he left Washington. Word comes l rom Vancouver, British Columbia, where he has landed. that he finds the Filipinos are using more opium than sver. Congress passed law to pre- vent It's importation after March 1, 1908. The Doctor has heard that ef- 'orts are being made to extend the time 70 that the natives can taper off He s opposed to their taDerinE. and de-