New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-27
WITH LONDON GAMBLERS
Elaborate Precautions Taken BY
Police in Making Raids.


sensationa! raids on big gambling club,
and II may be interesting 10 learn Row
these raids are effected. This is how 9
is done In London: As soon as tn, detsc.
,ives' suspicious have been confirmed the,
apply 10 the Commissioner OF POlice for
warrant 10 enter. The warrant authorize,
certain officers mentioned by name 10 enter
the club in the name Of the King Ordinary
nolicemen are not permitted 20 AIRY Oh,
raid. but the detectives can can UPON
them for assistance AZ the critical nnornen,
Absolute secrecy is enforced riah; ID %
the moment of entry. There Is no excite
ment at the station on that day. and the
men on duty have no suspicion Of what IA
in the wind. Plans Of the house are l,awn
and carefully studied by the rs1ng or
GERS. for the doorkeeper Of the club Is pre-.
pared AT the slightest alarm 20 send a
warning 10 his customers, every ves,ige Of.
gambling apparatus will mysterously dis.
appear and the raid fail. 4 carefully
planned ruse. therefore had 70 be thought
out which will disarm suspicion.
During the day a body Of reserve"
policenen will receive a communicative
from the station that they will be required
IA parade at a certain hour. and they meet
with no idea Of what is expected Of them
They are drawn up in line, and after names
have been called over. they are dis missed
from the station one by one. with he In
junction 10 be in the immediate neigheor-
hood Of certain street In a couple oi
hours. and not TO get near the SPOT before
the prearranged moment.
/ The first officer 10 appear on ths-scene is
the one i'm charge OF the raid. He always
! disguised. and usually looks Ike a well
dressed man about town He uasscs the
club careleesly. bit it is sufficient FOR hm
/ to learn from A confederate inside that
gaming has begun. A policeman then saun-
! tiers TO the corner Of the street, and stays
there as though lie were on 'point' duty.
Then. not till then, is the Information Of
the precise club 10 be raided secretly cor
veyed 10 the attacking force in their hiding
places. while the club, unconscious 4 its
/ impending fate, pursues its gambling
/ The first difficulty to surmouEt Is 70 get
nast the bury doorkeeper II this is not
successfully done the raid Will end In fail
ire Presently the sound OF drunken
song is heard in the distance. and two ap-
parently rough looking men come stagger-
! ing along As they near the entrance 10 the
club they begin disputing and soon come 70
blows The docrkeeper peeps through the
, wicket and orders the men away. one OF
the men rushcs AZ the wicket and chal-
lenges the doorkeeper 70 come outside Ike
q man" and az the same time shouts out
something about the character Il the house.
/ The conlbatants continue hghtng and the
officer al the corner comes along and orders
them away. The men return however. 70
have il out with the doorkeeper The
noise increases, attracting home"ard bound
men in evening dress, who gather round
and urge the men on
The doorkeeper by this time becomes
alarmed for the rowdy crowd VIII fHgnten
away his clients Perhaps just n this no.
ment a member OF the club arrives ard
seeks admission. The door IS opened with
tie utmost caution 70 admit him. BEFORE
he has time 10 fasten II the two ofhcer'
hastily secure the member and rush up
stairs. The two combatants were disguised
policemen and the onlookers detectives.
/ As soon as an entrance into he club nas
been effected the constable ~ the corner
sounds his whistle. and before the SOUND
| has died away the whole neiehborhood Is
alive with police. II the house boasts OF
trapdoor on the roof the fash OF lanterns
will be seen up there, the men having been
concealed among the chimney pots since i
was dark The front door is secured and
the police form 4 guard around the house
so that escape is impossible.
Meantime the scene upstairs Is one OF the
widest excitement The gamblers intent
on business. had not noticed the scunie n
the passage. and the first intmation they
get Of the state OF affairs IL when the door
is thrown open and the officer in charge
! calls on them TO regard themselves as
prisoners Then they realize their pcs =
ton. The tables are overturned and cara
! counters and money roll all over the hooi,
as the members endeavor 10 escape. Iney
make for the street door, but baked IN
this direction, hurry 10 all parts OF tar
house 20 hide
The crestfallen members Of the club axe
conveyed 70 the station, each m the cus'2-
dv of two officers Then the house IS
searched for the gaming apparatus. Every
inch Of the place is examined. for gamblers
have remarkable contrivances "nerepy
they can hide their apparatus N ne event
of being raded TOPS OF tanies ar
knocked off. flooring taken up and walls
searched for secret cupboards. Yards OF
chalked string are regarded as prizes, and
with these ana more dppdtVhl VI -Oie Wy
case is ready for the magistrate The evil
dAnce is laid before him and the proprietor
and members are charged and the sentence
passed or a heavy fine imposed on the
prisoners.
nounce BIZ a bald statement thar acting
under warrant from the Commissioner OF
Police Inspector So-and-So entered such
and such a place but the public have 1T
lie idea Of the skill daring and excite
rent Of tie raid.-Tit- Bits.
-11~,x, -,