Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-11


while he was collecting this data. he
was furnished With Information con,
corning the gambling halls BY David
1cnsen. formerly clerk OF the police
court. but now county attorney ~ We
hor county. According 70 MT Elder
Min Mr. Jensen asa not hesitate IN NiN-
ine this Information, and IN doing 20
has robbed himself OF the plea, used
i, successfuiN by former County At
,ornev N j Harris that ho did not
know gambling existed ia the city
Continuing Mr.. EldcrSin said. "A
week ago we had Eve gambling houses
runnino In ogden. Toward the end
of December. after little formal noe
tincation. certain gentlemen 81 the
green cloth marched 90 the city basllie
and. upou inquiry, learned that the
ritv wanted f2sg from each What
for2 they tlmldly suggested Then the
law was read which prohibits gambling
Within the city limits and within the
state limits. They were much surprised
10 learn Of those ordinances ana agreed
that the assessment was fair enough 900
view of the fact that what they were
doing was contrary the law. So the
money was left with tho clerk of the
court For S299 they had gained two
things. permission from the city 20 OPP
only and biatantly violate the state
and CITY laws. and also protection nom
the police of ogden against amy noisy
Interference with their law breaking.
Here are the names OF the men who
were charged with running gambling
houses iu defiance of law and openly
confessed their guilt by paying the
amount roquested w J Powers j. Il.
smith & Co. Creighbaum g. Petersen.
Burns g. Carter Reinwater g. Oliara.
"They were charged as | have stated.
II they were guiltlcss. / fancy they
would resent and fight the charge.
lie said that IN view Of the fact that
lawlessncss was going on openly and
denantly. the people are forced TO eth
or of two conclus iOns--that the officials
are incapable of coping with the prob
lem or that the officials connivc at the
open and default violation Of the law
As "a remedy for the existing condi-
tions. he suggests that gambling be leg
allied on the same basis that % Is IN
the state OF Nevada.
OFFICIAL CoNNIvANCE.
The pastor described IN detail his eS
pcrience with the officers IN a pretended
raid upon gambling halls and thus IN
Weighs against the insincerity OF the or
ficers:
"A further statement Is necessary.
our county and city legal departments
know ~ these open violations Of the
law. aud refuse 10 notice the matter
Perhaps the new county attorney wiz
do something. but whenever the mae
ter OF policc-pr0tected vice was presen
cd TO the last county attorney he would
always tell his informant TO hurry GU
like "a good little boy, and gather th"
evidence. he would be most happy "a
prosecute But he knew all the time
that there was no agency in Ogden or
weber county which could be enlisted
I'm the gathering VI evidence. The po-
lice Of ogden are not allowed 70 assist
la such ungcntlemanly proceedings The
shcriffs office looks askancc az such
unidentified ofiiciousness. You VIII mo-
tlcc that sheriff Wilson does not men-
ton a single arrest for gambling In his
annual report. No city officer. no county
officer win help It is not certain what
kind OF evidence Is needed. for every
one I'm the city, except one former coun-
Gilman and member Of the police CONF
mittee knows all about this protected
violation OF the law. And every month
these men come into the municipal
court, confess they are keepers Of gam
bling houses I'm direct violation Of the
law. and pay for the protection OF the