The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-09-01
CRAPS
GROWING
OBSOLETE

Why is It that the colored boys
are gradually giving the bones q back.
capping and are taking up the flip
ping OF cards instead?" asked By.
stander in the municipal court room
yesterday when a party Of negroes
were taken there TO enter appearance
to the charge OF gambling via the
| bone route. There was nothing In
the court room TO cause the question,
but nevertheless. the query Is declar'
et to he we'll founded.
And right there is nice little aues
tion that may be viewed with general
agreement and satisfaction from sew.
eral standpoints. But the real ques
tion Is, Is the Guthrie negro, or any
other negro. giving up that inherent
hereditary heirloonl iight--no not
right. but perhaps hauitiye CUSTOM
Of snagging his fellow colored by "a
twist OF the wrist and the consequent
toss of the bones?
Ii the word Of some of the local
policemen is.to be believed there
nave bene mole negroes arrested foi
g3mbling by the card route during
the past year than in all the rest OF
tie history OF the city. And In near
| ~ every instance have the boys been
caught monkeying with poker. the
game which all men are supposed TO
know. but which no man really nnder-
stands.
II would be nothing else than nat
ural for coiored man. when forsal1.
ing the honss, to begin with the cards.
but it does seem strange that he
should begin with the meanest game
M once. perhaps this is because the
poker game Offers more gambling Ia
a minnte than does any other card
game In almost as many hours Us
either kill the other fellow or break
Yourself ii the whole crowd Is game.
The only interest that comes in bok.
CT game Is in the size OF the kitty
ever hear OF anyone playing in Il pok.
er game just for the pastime? Hard
l..
Among the eolored boys who. do
gamble the penchant Is a whole lat
stronger than II Is among the white
boys. A gambling negro simply cant
qGit--as long as he has any money.
Therefore ii is but natural that when
he begins TO think the bones too slow
game he picks up the dear I'D south
ern game OF poker.
But how any negro can leave on
bone Singing for the quicker and
more enlightened game OF poker is
: 4.tf4s4srAftau nj ma Oh ltnts
effeci. II has been conceded for ages
that the colored mans hands tlat Is.
the one who has tae propensity. is
peculiarly fitted and adapted to the
covering OF dice aud the 3nger board
OF q banjo. Anyone who has ever
cen q negro perform with either
knows that the old saying Is pretty
nearly true.
so. II tie negro gambler is going
,n tor poker there must be 0 reason.
t can't hardly be that tae game can
be played in more seclusion than eau
game OF craps About the only space
needed for either Is that which Is
taken up. BY the congregation. 1t
can't be that the deck affords more
room for the accompanying weapons
Of war. because three or four razors
may be carried IN the space occupied
I by q pack. And II can't be for lots
OF OF ler things.
J II may be that the "cleanin' can
be a little quicker along the flush
line. Another thing that may be sig
nlfioant Is the fact that it's but few
bones against many times more cards.
/ One absent bone-hut who wants 10
withhold square, and who doesn't
wish TO sneak a card?
/ II may be that the gambling negro
aving taken great oifense at tue
passage OF TIE Jim Crow law and the
/ grandfather clause and sundry other
measures which he considers detfl.
! rental, Is beginning TO show nnwont.
ed skill in the lines OF progress, this
IN order 10 allay all Thoughts for fartil-
1er enactinents.
Anyway, it's certainly a remarkable
age when the negro gambler cuts
Loose from the bones To take slip
- poker