Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-28
TWO AGENTS ARRESTED
Charged With Having Supplied Al
legged Gambling Devices.
Put in Their Pennies and Sometimes
Got Chewing Gum and
Sometimes Blanks.

Following the announcement of yeSter-
day that complaints had been filed with
the authorities relative to the penny-in-
| the-slot machines which have been placed
about the city. especially within close
| range of the public schools, where chill
dren were given the freest opportunity to
deposit their daily coppers. six store
keepers were arraigned before Judge
| Mullowny in the Police Court this morn
| ing charged with keeping a gambling de-
vice and fined So each. In addition to the
arraignment of these six men. two others.
Harry Black aand Isaac Smith. who the
police assert are the agents for the ma
chimes, were arrested by officers from the
first precinct station and will be ar
| raigned in the Police Court tomorrow
morning 1t is asserted the two men are
agents for the manufacturers and are
| responsible for the wholesale placing of
| the machines in the city during the past
several weeks.
The several storekeepers who appeared
in court this morning gave the following
names and addresses: Samuel Kaufman,
$50 F street southwest; Louis Ketstein.
124j Az street southwest; Albert Nor
WITCH 1st and o streets southwest: Judson
Stuart. 31Oh F street southwest; Charles
and Frederick w. WatZell. 18th and III
streets northwest. The place of business
of each of these is located close to
public school, and. 1t is stated during the
and changed their small coins for chew
ing gum or anything else in the stores
equal in value to their winnings.
The matter was first brought to the at
tention of Assistant United States Attor-
ney Ralph Given. and then the police of
the first precinct, who instituted an in
vestigation. AS result the authorities
were ordered to make many arrests
as possible of persons keeping the ma
chimes.
Wanted as Witnesses.
A. the arraignment of the six men this
morning, and in view of the arrest of the
two other men who are said to be agents
for the gambling machine. United States
Attorney Ralph Given said:
II have listened to what these men
have had to say in reference to the
gambling machines found on their prem
ises, and have come to the opinion that
they are the innocent victims f the
agents. who are now in custody and VINO
will appear before this court later. l am
inclined to think that none of them real
lied to what extent the evil of gambling
which car be played on the machine in
question will go among children, espe-
cially those who are in the middle grades
of the public schools, and If they had the
machines would not have been tolerated
in their places
1T is my purpose to use them as wit
nesses in two other cases, and as they
have assured me nothing more of the sort
will ever appear in their stores again l
recommend the court impose a fine of Sd
in each case"
Judge Mullowny complied with the re-
quest of Mr. Given, and, following the
imposition of the fines, told the defend
ants to be careful in handling slot ma
chimes of the character of those in ques-
ton and Others especially in their stores.
Every machine which requires chance at
the stake of a coin to gain something is
gambling" said the court .'and especially
so when such chances offer a reward OF
several times more the value of the coin
staked. There are very stringent laws
relative to gambling in the District. and
they must be obeyed. l am inclined to
think. as the prosecuting attorney does
In the present cases, that none of you
realized the danger you were placing the
children of this city in with these ma
chimes in your stores"
Winning Odds and Blanks.
The machines. several of which were
exhibited in court. have series of seven
or eight drops at the bottom large enough
for one-cent piece. which is slid into
an opening at the top. There are various
odds offered. running from two pieces of
chewing gum to % cents worth. This in
turn when won can be exchanged at the
store for anything in the stock of an
equal value. In addition to the winning
drops of the machine there are large
number of blanks.
1t is said that not more than two or
three days after the machines were set
up children crowded about them, and dur
ing the recess hours of some of the
schools in the city as many as fifteen
and twenty younsters could be seen about
them playing the drops to the extent of
every penny in their possession. Cond-
tions became such that the crowds about
the machines attracted the attention OF
citizens and finally complaint was lodg-
ed with the authorities.
A general order has been issued to bring
into court all slot machines of the char
acter found in the city.