Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-10-30
BLIND POLICE
SEE NO GAMBLING.
But the American" Party Does
Not Let the Department
Trouble the Sports.
MORE THAN THIRTY GAMES.
Those Who Would Daily With Dame
Misfortune Have Little Placed
In Their Way.

DO you know whether or not there
are roulette WHEELS and faro laxouts
operating over the Occidental saloon
on East First south street and over
Mulvcy's place on East Second south
street,"
The question was asked George A.
sheets, chief or detectives of the Sals
Lake police force this morning, His
reply was:
III couldn't say, L don't know
whether games are running there OF
not because / haven't been there IL
see.'
That there are two or more gambl-
ing devices of the Kind named in OPP
Grafton in this city, and that there
are more than so poker games coins,
day and night in the business CEN
ter Of this city. there is no doubt
whatever. II the police don't know
1t. 1t Is because they don't want to.
That the big games have been rum
ing steadily is doubted, but that they
have been running recently as las,
night is quite certain.
me american party of course
wants to stand in with the gambling
element, and to do so the little pas
time OF "bucking the tiger is winked
at. Games have been permitted to
run undoubtedly for the purpose of
securing votes and the "American''
party does not overlook the chance
OF securing help from the criminal
element.
That the police do not know these
games are running is too absurd to
'1N.a- a
the fact several weeks ago and pub
llshed the story of a young man from
the southern part Of the state who
dropped" $1,000 going against tho
wheel. After the expose the wheel
was put out of commission temporari-
~ but now. on the eve of an election
the powers that be in the city permit
the gamblers to make few honest
dollars
Mark Clays Of Bingham, a man who
poses as a hot sport, a prize fight
referee and who figured in divorce
with the proprietorship of the gam
bling house over MulNey's East
Second South street place. 1t is not
alleged that MulNey has anything ia
do with the game except TO play il
IL he sees fit. "A fellow named
sometimes door tender OF the place.
This man is a worker for the .Ameri-
can party and at one time was a
special policeman, but he served a
term in the county Jail for criminal
assault upon a young girl. He admitted
his guilt and was given months i'll
Jail
Any person with roll" who
wants lively game might find what
he is looking for by going to a place
under the Wilson hotel where Jack
Foote, well known gambler, was
want to hang out.
The place over the Occidental on East
First Souti, street has had game
running off and on for many months.
1t is leased to George Fitz and Tom
Mccoy, said to be a former prize
fighter. Here the click of the chips
spinning around the numbered wheel
may be heard. Any one with money
who wants to take a fling at the games
will find no difficulty in getting into
any of these places. If one desires a
milder game, such as stud or draw
poker--well, it would take up much
valuable space to give a list of the
places There are more than 30 and
the police know it. One can find a score
of them going on Second South street
at the rear of saloons and there is not
even an attempt to conceal ne fact.
While the police have boasted that
the town is clean; that crooks have
ming, the town has not been and Is not
clean, crooks are plying their trade
from petit larceny to safe cracking
and gembling joints are running. There
are, In addition to the places mentions
ed, several so-called colored clubs, and
some white ones that are nothing less
than gambling dens. One or two little
poker games have been interfered with
but that was only for Il bluff.
1t is said that the crooked roulette
wheel and faro layout conf1scated by
the police many, many months ago.
belonged to Mark Clays. 1t Is not
claimed that the game running now is
crooked but In view of some of the
losses there is big chunk OF suspicion
in the minds of the knowing ones. The
gambling devices confiscated by the
police are now stored in the basement
of police headquarters. With the faro.
layout there is a bit of delicate mech
anism by which the operator can easily
rob the players. Under the table there,
is spring and by pressing the same
a small snake tongue can be operated
so as to be thrust into the box holding
the cards, extract a card and put 1t
back again after the play, and it Is so
#cleverly arranged that 1t is impossible
for the players to see it.
The roulette wheel is supplied with
a crooked device also. BY pressing
against drawer in the table, a Sec
ton OF the wheel is thrust out so as to
throw the little ball from the groove
on the wheel and make it fall almost
at any place desired by the operator.
Several weeks ago the police were
notified that game was running In
building on Conmercial street Of
ficers said they would investigate but
later they renorted nothing doing. One
OF the officials, however, said that whila3
the game had been running it was not
heing operated at that particular time
The gamblers were quiet for short
time, but now, lust before election,
their games are winked at because the
American" party needs the votes of
the gamblers and the criminal element,
generally.