The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-08-17
PROFESSIONAL
GAMBLERS
BUSY
(From Sundays Advertiser.)

\trOm Suuuay AuNeEtlsei.l
Four of the professional gamesters
of Honolulu who have frequently faced
the police magistrate on charges of
gambling, have been operating crap
loint in the basement of the now famous
Akwai building on Beretania avenue.
Yesterday when the place was entere0
by newspaper reporter to ascertain
first hand whether the gamblers were
in action, he found the joint going at
full blast. Willie Vida sat on one side
of the table with the "kitty' can
at ms left. George Kaea, who was
caught running crap game on the
Channel wharf last Sunday afternoon,
was on the opposite side in the place
occupied always by the dealer. Apo
Iona and George Kekipi, well known
to the police from a gambling stand
point, occupied places of vantage
around the table, which, while having
the form of the regular bowl ''7-1l'
tables of professional joints, was COM
posed of a blanket ingeniously contriv-
ed. Chalk was used to mark the num-
bers of the "field.'
For several months it was well known
that the gamblers were operating
table. Sometimes it was in one place
then in another, and it would be shifted
about frequently. But for few weeks
back the basement of the Akwai build
ing the one on the Eva end of the
building, has been occupied. Hundreds
of dollars have bpeen played over the
blanket at time. Reports are fire.
quent of heavy losses, one of the large
ones being registered during the week,
a young Hawaiian having been fieeced
by the experts.
The entrance was ingenious enough
to look like the work of expert Chi
nese gamblers The rear of the lanai,
which is several feet above the ground,
was used for getting in. This was
located under stairway leading to the
second story. Peep holes were bored in
the door which was provided with a
spring lock. just inside was the watch
man IS cubby-hole, where he guarded the
inner entrance and stood ready to give
the alarm Three boards removed from
the rear of the building gave into
the rear of store which opens on
Beretania avenue. This section of the
store was boxed in so that the flooring
could be removed for the installation
of narrow staircase. Ingenious ropes
led to alarm tin cans located in the
cellar.
When the reporter was looking around
for the entrance he stumbled upon il
when the japanese Waterman came out
of his cubby hole to talk to japanese
outside. The reporter Immediately felt
that this was the place he was looking
for, and he showed his foot against the
door and held it. The Japanese was
too excited to say anything or give the
ALARM and when he saw the reporter =
regular police badge he turned and fed
Passing through the two doors the
reporter and friend who acted as {
witness, looked down through the tral
door and saw the game going on, various
coins being scattered over the blanket
while one player was handling the dice
The reporter, after watching the gam,
for a short time, descended to tn,
cellar and looked over Vida s shoulder
There was hurried grab for money anC
dice. Kaea turned his face away, Ke
llipi fed upstairs, Vida who was strip
ped to undershirt and trousers, arose
and smiled sickly smile. The other
arose and started for the stairway
When the reporter espied the kitty box
hanging to the edge of the table an6
started up the stairway, Vida leapet
forward and said the kitty-boX would
MT go. He grabbed the reporter b,
the wrist, which unfortunately at tina
time. was injured and could not be used
and at the same time Kaea leaped for
ward. Both men exclaimed:
''Now, you re going to get all that
coming to you"
This was said in a threatening man
ner. The kitty box went back to vid
after short struggle, but some of tn
money inside remained with the re
porter.
This den has been frequently report
ed to the police. They say they hav
been unable to locate it. 1t was a
easily found yesterday by the reporter
as was the famous gambling joint /
the cellar of the same building on tn
opposite end about three years ag,
and which the police then said the
could not locate At that time abou
seventy Chinese were playing fanta
and paikau and heaps of silver wer
on the tables. In yesterdays gam