Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-08-31
HEARING OF NOTORIOUS
GAMBLING CASE
Rev. EIdcrIoIn Tcstifcs Mayors Raid
Was n "Farce"--City's Big
Income From Vice.


city against ]. F. and II. A. smith,
proprietors of the Elephant saloon ane
club rooms on Twenty street. was
continued before Judge Murphy in the
municipal court on Tuesday. Detec-
tive James r. Pender testified to hav-
Ing been enga ged as an officer OF the
law In various parts OF the west for
the past 40 years and identified certain
roulette wheels and faro bank devices
On the courtroom as being the para
phernalia taken from the Elephant
house on the night OF the raid on Aug.
II. He also stated that one OF the
Smiths had asked for n receipt for
the articles and money which was con-
hscated
The Rev. Noble Strong Elderkln was
called to the stand for cross-examlna-
ton, Atty. T. ID. Johnson conducting
the case for the defendants. Mr.. Ell
derkin told OF the inner workings OF
the Betterment league. the purpose
OF which is TO help enforce all city
ordinances and to wage n ceaseless war
against all gambling saloon traffic,
prostitution, and other kindred evils.
He told of the plan for the raid. which
he strongly maintained was the sole
plan of Mayor William Glasmann At
first the league officers positively re-
fused to lister to the proposition of the
mayor but after several conferences 1t
was decided to let the citys chief ex-
ecutiye have his way In the matter. MIR.
Elderkin referred to the raid as a
farce" stating that gambling was
stlll going on every day and night Just
az II did before the spectacular demon
stration. IL has always been the inten-
ton Of the Betterment league to work
quietly and not to create a sensation,
Ms did the mayors bluff" He stated
that he knew the gambling houses,
which were under police protection, or
regulation, would have paid their usual
monthly fine of $500 each If let alone,
and that the city would have been bet
ter on without the raid The object Of
the league Is TO educate the people to
shun such places and In time II was
hoped that the thing itself could be
totally suppresse The league has 10
trustees who meet every wednesday
evening; the membership is about 400.
Witness was asked II he did not know
that Mayor Glasmann was Elected on n
platform which had gambling regula-
ton as one OF its strong points. and
that the mayor favored such regulation
and always did. Mr. Elderkin stated
that he not only knew this to be n fact
9 ut that he had heard many gamblers
state that they hoped and prayed that
Mr. Glasmann would be elected. At
this point Atty, Johnson cut in with.
And their prayers were answered
TO which witness answered Yes"
fines from gambling and other regu-
lated so-caled evils. aggregated over
$50. 900 yearly, ON the night of Aug 3,
when a committee from the league ac-
companicd Mayor Glasmann through
the gambling dives. witness stated that
the mayor had offered to wager that a
majority OF the MN frequenting the
dives would be foreign RS; but no soon
err had the party entered the Elephalt
gambling house than the mayor said.
The drinks are on me-" So overwhelin-
ing was the majority of Americans In
the house. Witness declared that he
was In favor of having nothing to do
with Mayor Glasmann In connection
with trying TO suppress gambling, and
in fact number OF the BetteI1nent
league officers were In favor of pro-
ceeding against the officars and city Of
fcials to meet this end. Several times
the examination veered little too near
politics and the court was compelled TO
call attention to this fact.
Desk Sergt. Hagbert Anderson next
testified to having been on the police
desk on the night Of the raid and OF
having booked all the parties arrested
J. A. Lampert. nightwatchman at the
saloon and lookout man at
the top OF the stairs leading TO the
gambling house, was placed on the
stand and troved to be very shitty'
avasive witness during the entire pro-
,eedinR, Mr.. Lampert protested his ig
norance as to what was going on on
The other side of the door which he
guarded. He has been a resident of
Ogden for so years. during which time
ne has been deputy sheriff, constable.
license collector, barber. etc, but he
denied having ever conducted n gam
bling house. Lampert maintained that
ne was employed by Smith for the
iownstairs work and by Bowman for
he upstairs work II was his duty to
Keep out thieves. robbers, cut Threats
Ind DRINKS but he feigned ignorance |
is to what he was guarding. Under |
-ressure he admitted having gone e. |
Heber Scowcroft and pleaded with him |
% intercedc with Smith for having al |
owed the raiders to enter the house un- |
'hallenged. stating that Smith would |
probably discharge him. Witness was
asked to state whether he had ever seen ,
/ playing card similar to one held by /
he city attorney and tried 20 create
among his kind in court by
'tatlng that he had often seen church
neople use them for parlor games. Wit
less admitted having gone 10 Mayor
ilasmann after the latter had gained
ldmittance to the house on Aug. and
tating that there was evidently some
mistake in his being there. The fact
nat he was guarding the door To a
arge. prosperous gambling dive was
'pught out, though only after half an
'our Of evading and lodging had been
nacted. The case was adjourned till |
Wednesday morning.