The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-26
H|GDON'S MEN GO
AFTER GAMBLERS
Raid Made on Seminole Club
Last Night
A SCRAMBLE FOR EXITS
Large Number of Men Drop Through
Trap Door and Others Make Els
cape In Various Ways-only
Few Are Caught
A SCRAMBLE FOR EXITS

Sheriff Higdon created distinct sem
sation among the fraternity last night
when he managed to get two of his
deputies into the club rooms on the top
floor of the Seminole hotel building for-
merly the Gayety hoteD and arrested a
number of men for gaming and keeping
a gaming table.
Two craps covers and one "Klondyke"
cover, called the Old Army Came a
collection OF dice. some 1000 chips and
1856 in cash were taken charge of by the
deputies to be used as evidence. The
deputies also stated that roulette wheel
was in operation. but that men in the
place succeeded in getting 1t into safe
before the climax of the raid.
Access to the club rooms, which are on
the top floor, is gained by the elevator.
The stairway from the third to the fourth
floors is boarded up the partition having
a door in 1t, which was kept locked and
which the deputies broke in.
Two deputies succeeded in getting to
the elevator without attracting the sus-
picion of the alleged "lookouts" in front
They also state that they rang the bell
at the door to the club rooms and we're
admitted by a negro porter, who opened
the door for them after scanning their
faces. After being admitted to the place
one man went to table and alleges that
he bought chips to play in craps game,
while the other man fingered at the other
end of the room.
About this time number of deputy
sheriffs entered the hotel on the first
floor At this the officers who were in
the club rooms state that great scramb-
ling took place. following the giving of
signal that the deputies had entered the
building.
Deputy Beverly Chew stepped into the
elevator while Deputies Robert Collier
and Bert Roberts went up the steps on
the run. The elevator boy recognized
Chew and was inclined not to run the
elevator, whereupon Chew made him very
obedient by delivering a blow upon his
head. Roberts and Collier reached the
partition across the stairway and threw
their full force against it, having to do
this several times before it gave way.
Both are rather husky and stated that it
was one of the hardest doors they had
ever attempted to open by force.
In the meantime men were leaving the
club rooms in haste and in many different
ways. A number are said to have passed
the deputy standing near the entrance,
while others dropped through a trap door
and escaped. At the signal the two
deputies In the place informed the oc-
cupants that they were officers and to
remain quiet. Despite this the men in the
place proceeded to drop through the al
legged trap door until most of them had
left.
There were also, according to the Off
GERS, a large number of men In a room
In front of the elevator drinking No
arrests were made for violating the pro-
hibition laws. The men in these rooms
are alleged to have succeeded in get
ting away.
The affair created quite ripple of ex-
element, happening at an hour when the
streets were greatly crowded and quite a
number of people gathered about the
place.