The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-01
DOOM OF SLOT
MACHINES IS
TOLLED IN CITY
Gambling Devices Are Now
Fit for Nothing But
Old Junk
Chief of Police Orders Law En-
forced and Also Puts Ban
on Dice

Slot machines are things OF the past
in san Francisco. The ohsequies We're
performed last night and today several
thousand mechanical gambling devices
are Mt only for the junk pile
AT midnight the ordinance prohibit
ing slot machine gambling went into
effect. All day yesterday in hundreds
Of cigar stands and saloons in all parts
Of the city there was a continuous
whirr. Of reels and steady cIink OF
coins as the devotees of the machines,
tempted by the unusual bats held out
10 them. attempted the impossible and
tried for the last time 10 defeat the
goddess OF chance.
The lid is down tight Under in
structions from Chief Of Police Cock
every policeman in the city. is respon-
sIbIe for the absolute enforcement Of
the anti slot machine law on his beat
Not = card machine nor. a dice game
can be operated within the city limits
H-hether rewards are offered in money
or in merchandise. Incidentally q few
several scores more Will probably go
out Of business within the next few
weeks.
No LAW EVASION
There is scarcely a chance that any
open attempt viii be made TO evade
The law or TO raise a test question.
The last hopes Of the proprietors who
had planned TO introduce a new dice
same as a substitute for the card ma
chimes were dashed yesterday when
chief Cooks sweeping order was made
10 include this particular form Of gam
bling. Several rooms engaged under
The guise Of clubs" for the continu-
snce Of slot machine gambling have
been spotted and arrests viii be made
The minute an attempt is begun to
put machines in operation.
The bigger cigar dealers. as well
the proprietors Of the legitimate to-
bacco stands and saloons have gem
orally accepted the new law philo-
s0phically, and even, in most instances,
gladly. In such places. where the ma
chimes have carried only conservative
award schedules and where they
have been used merely as trade stimu-
lators and not primarily as gambling
devices, the pcOprietors admit that
they are perfectly willing TO do with
operation OF the machines. they say.
have not been large.
Il is only from the curbstone gam
bling stands that the cry Of rage has
come. There are hundreds OF cigar
stands where no pretense has been
made Of carrying on a legitimate bust
ness. and where every cent OF profit
las been derived from the machines.
That was never better illustrated than
yesterday. when the clerks in some OF
the stands around which the crowd Of
machine players were thickest made
no attempt 10 wait upon customers
seeking only a straight purchase Of
goods.
DICE LAYOUTS PLANNED
Until yesterday a number OF these
independent stands, where nothing
more was offered than top heavy
specials" and play backs, had prepared
10 replace the Slot machines today
with dice layOuts. A new card dice
was recently prepared for this pur-
pose. a set consisting Of five dice in
the shape OF dOdecahedrons. Ten Of
Of the i faces Of each OF these dice
bears the miniature fac-simile of a
playing card, the two remaining faces
being rounded of. Each dice contains
ihe combination OF cards used on the
ordinary slot machine, so that the five
dice together carry 50 cards Of the Or
binary deck Of playing cards, the jack
0f hearts and 10 Of spades being alb
sent. as on the reels Of the card ma
chimes
When Chief Cook learned that il was
the intention Of a number Of dealers
10 put these dice upon their counters
today he requested an opinion from
District Attorney Langdon upon the
legality Of such 2 device, and received
q answer the following letter:
In my opinion the use OF such dice either in
Tire throwing Of them in the playing Of
~ merchandise OF Tor promise 10 give cigars
merchandise IN any place open 10 the public
view. where two or more persons are present,
is violation Of that ordinance.
WILLIAM H. LANGDoN, District Attorney.
n A GUnst & Co. and the United
cigar stores company, the two largest
retail tobacco dealers of the city, REL
moved the slot machines from their
many stores last night and viii make
no effort TO substitute any other device
or game TO replace them.
TNSTRUCTS Statesmen
Vice President Milton II Esberg of
the Gunst company issued a circular
letter to all managers and statesmen
Yesterday instructing them TO give
their entire attention TO straight sales
business. J. A. Burns, superintendent
az the Pacific coast stores of the United
cigar stores company, declared that
ais concern was glad 10 do away with
the machines and expected a larger
business than ever before. These two
companies alone have discarded about