Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-10-07

Absolute Secrecy Is Maintained BY the
Officials, and the Policemen Are
Kept In the Dark Until the Last
Acknowledging into the Club.
The police have recently carried out
some sensational raids on big gaming
clubs. and II may be Interesting to
learn how these raids are effected.
This Is how Il Is done I'm London: AS
soon as the detectives suspicious have
been confirmed they apply 10 the com
missioner OF police for n warrant 70
enter. The warrant authorizes certain
officers mentioned by name 20 enter
the club In the name OF the king. Or
binary policemen are not permitted TO
carry out a raid, but the detectives
can call upon them for assistance at
the critical moment.
Absolute secrecy Is enforced right
up TO the moment of entry There Ia
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 a warning
TO his customers, and every veStige of
gambling apparatus will mysteriously
disappear and the raid fail. careful
ly planned ruse. therefore. has TO be
evolved which win disarm suspicion.
During the day a body OF reserve"
policemen will receive ii communica-
ton from the station that they will he
required TO parade at n certain hour.
and they meet with no idea OF what Is
expected OF them. They are drawn up
I'm line, and after names have been
called over they are dismissed from
the station one by one. with the IN
junction to be in the immediate neigh
borhood OF certain street ia "A couple
OF hours and not 10 get near the spot
before the prearranged moment.
The first officer TO appear on tbs
scene Is the one In charge OF the raid
He Is always disguised and usually
looks like a well dressed man about
town. He passes the club carelessly
but II is sufficient for him 10 learn
from n confederate inside thsi 80 min.
has commenced. \ policeman then
saunters 10 the corner Of the street
and stays there as though he were on
punt 4utu. not lltl tnC0. Is
the information OF the precise club 70
be raided secretly conveyed TO the at
tacking force I'm their hiding places.
while the club. unconscious OF its Inn
pending fate. pursues IT'S gambling
The first difficulty to surmount Is 10
get past the burly doorkeepcr II this
Is not successfully done the raid will
end in failure. Presently the sound Of
n drunken song is heard I'm the dis
lance. and two apparently rough look
Ing men come staggering along. AS
they near the entrance TO the club they
begin 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 doorkeepcr to 'come
outside like n man" and nj the same
time shouts out something about the
character OF the house The combat
ants continue lighting. and the officer
at the corner comes along and orders
them away. The men return. however
TO have 1t out with the doorkeeper'
The noise increases, attracting home
ward bound gentlemen I'm evening
dress. who gather round and urge the
men on.
The doorkeeper by this time ,pcome,
alarmed, for the rowdy crowd will
frighten away his clients rcrhaps
just at this moment n member of the
club arrives and seeks admission The
door is opened with the utmost caution
to admit him. Before he has time 70
fasten II the two officers hastily secure
| Ia m.
two combatants were disguised police
men and the onlookers detectives.
AS soon as an entrance into the club
has been effected the constable ut 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 he seen
up there, the men having been con
cealed among the chimney pots since
II was dark. The front door IS secured.
and the police form n guard around
the house. so that escape is impossible
Meantime the scene upstairs is one
or the widest excitement The gam.
blers. intent on business. had no. no.
ticed the scuffie I'm the passage. and
1 NA~ 'iASe lsleN EeI OF the
state OF affairs is when the door IS
thrown open and the officer i'm 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 endeavo,
to escape. They make for n? street
door, but baked in this direction. hur.
ry to all parts of the house 10 hide
The crestfallen members OF the club
are conveyed to the station. each I'm
the custody Of two officers. Then the
house Is searched for the gaining an
paratus. Every inch OF the place Is
examined, for gamblers have remark.
able contrtvances whereby they can
hide their apparatus in the event of
| being raided. Tops of tables are knock
ed OF. flooring taken up and walls
searched for secret cupboards. Yards
| or chalked string are regarded ms
prizes. and with these and more apnar.
ent proofs the case is ready for the
magistrate. The evidence is laid be- |