Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-20
LONDON GAMING DENS.
The Way the Police Descend Upon
Them In a Raid.

Them In a Raid.
The police have recently carried out
some sensational raids on big gaming
clubs, and it may be interesting to
learn how these raids are effected. This
| Is how 1t Is done in London: AS soon
as the detectives suspicious have been
confirmed they apply to the commits
sioner Of police for a warrant to enter.
The warrant authorizes certain off,
GERS mentioned by name to enter the
club in the name of the king. Ordinary
policemen are not permitted to carry
out raid, but the detectives can call
upon them for assistance at the crit
cal moment.
Absolute secrecy is enforced right
up to the moment of entry. There is
no excitement at the station on that
day, and the men on duty have no sus-
picion Of what is in the wind. Plans
Of the house are drawn and carefully
studied by the raiding officers, for the
doorkeeper Of the club is prepared at
the slightest alarm to send warning
to his customers, and every vestige Of
gambling apparatus will mysteriously
disappear and the raid fail. A careful
ly planned ruse, therefore, has to be
evolved which will disarm suspicion.
During the day a body Of reserve"
policemen will receive a communica-
tion from the station that they will be
required to parade at certain hour,
and they meet with no idea Of what Is
expected Of them. They are drawn up
in line, and after names have been
called over they are dismissed from the
station one by one, with the injunction
to be in the immediate neighborhood
If certain street in couple Of hours
and not to get near the spot before the
prearranged moment.
The first officer to appear on the
scene Is the one in charge Of the raid.
He is always disguised and usually
looks like a we'll dressed man about
town. He passes the club carelessly
nut 1t is sufficient for him to learn
from a confederate inside that gaming
has commenced. A policeman then
saunters to the corner Of the street
and stays there as though he were on
point" duty. Then, not till then, Is
the fnfdfmation of the precise club to
be raided secretly conveyed to the at
tacking force in their hiding places,
whIleSthe club, unconscious Of its i'm
vending fate, pursues its gambling.
The first difficulty to surmount is to
get past the burly doorkeeper. If this
Is not successfully done the raid will
end in failure. Presently the sound Of
a drunken song is heard in the dis
6s6hce, and two apparently rough look
|f68 68snen come staggering along. AS
ifear the entrance to the club they
~ "a : disputing and soon come to
blows The doorkeeper peeps through
the wicket and orders the men away.
One Of the men rushes at the wicket
and challenges the doorkeeper to "come
outside like a man" and at the same
time shouts out something about the
character of the house. The combat
ants continue fighting, and the officer
at the corner comes along and orders
them away. The men return, however.
to "have it out with the doorkeeper."
The noise increases, attracting home
ward bound gentlemen in evening
dress, who gather round and urge the
men on.
mi 4 49, ffIan hn0nnTnnQ
harmed, for the rowdy crowd will
frighten away his clients. Perhaps
Just at this moment a member OF the
club arrives and seeks admission. The
door is opened with the utmost caution
to admit him. Before he has time to
fasten it the two officers hastily secure
the member and rush upstairs. The
two combatants were disguised police
men and the onlookers detectives.
AS soon as an entrance into the club
has been effected the constable at the
corner sounds his whistle, and before
the sound has died away the whole
neighborhood Is alive with police. II
the house boasts Of trapdoor on the
roof, the flash Of lanterns will be seen
up there, the men having been con-
cealed among the chimney pots since
it was dark. The front door Is secured,
and the police form guard around
the house, so that escape is impossible.
Meantime the scene upstairs is one
If the widest excitement. The gam
blers, intent on business, had not no
ticed the scuffle in the passage, and
the first intimation they get Of the
state of affairs Is when the door Is
thrown open and the officer in charge
calls on them to regard themselves as
his prisoners. Then they realize their
position. The tables are overturned,
and card counters and money roll all
over the floor as the members endeav-
Or to escape. They make for the street
door, but, baked in this direction, hur-
ry to all parts of the house to hide.
The crestfallen members Of the club
are conveyed to the station, each in
the custody of two officers. Then the
house is searched for the gaming ap-
paratus. Every inch Of the place Is
examined, for gamblers have remark
able contrivances whereby they can
hide their apparatus in the event of
being raided. Tops Of tables are
knocked off, flooring taken up and
walls searched for secret cupboards.
Yards of chalked string are regarded
as prizes, and with these and more ap-
parent proofs the case is ready for the
magistrate. The evidence Is laid be-
fore him, and the proprietor and men,
bers are charged and the sentence
passed or a heavy fine imposed on the
prisoners. Tit-Bits.
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