Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-28
O'LEARY, BEATEN,
QUITS GAMBLING
Chicago Chance King" Long
Immune, Offers Fortress
for Sale.
SAYS REFORM Is VICTOR
Admits Agitation for Suppression
Has Cost Him Millions In the
Past Decade.
SAYS REFORM IS VICTOR

Chicago, Nov. 2s.-James OLeary,
who has seen reform waves come
and go for years without his gambling
business being interfered with, for the
first time acknowledged defeat yester-
day.
He declared the investigation that
was being conducted by the civil serv-
ice commission had ruined his busi-
ness. The statement was made when
he appeared at the county building
with a proposition to sell his gambling
establishment to the county to be used
as an emergency hospital.
All he asks for the place Is sec, 1000,
less than the amount of many single
bets placed there in the palmy days
Of gambling il Chicago.
UNTIL RECENTLY IMMUNE
The OLeary fireproof and bomb
proof establishment at 41s3-41s5 South
Halsted street, built many years ago
and remodeled several years ago as
further precaution against police in
reference, never was subjected to
real raid from the police until recent
ly, when Herman Schuettler, assistant
chief of police, was placed in charge
of the gambling squad.
The history of the far-famed gam
bling house at the entrance of the
stockyards shows an endless number
of attacks from the police, from fire
and from throwers Of bombs in its
years of existence, without the dis
covery of a weak point until the re-
cent Schuettler raid.
The structure is built along the
lines of dreadnought Its walls Of
steel have made attacks by fire and
dynamite futile, and the interior, a
labyrinth of steel, has guarded sue
| cessfully for years gaming operations
of which the world knew but which
the law could not touch.
sCoRNs POLICE PROTECTION.
"Jim" OLeary always insisted that
| he had nothing but scorn for the Fro
| lection the police could offer, as his
protection lay in his "house of steel. "
Another boast Of the gambling king
was that there never was found other
than square" game behind Jim"
OLeary's steel and police proof walls.
The building is one Of the most pr
tentious in the s:ockyards district.
From the street it appears to be a
club. The legal uses of the establish
ment are varied. reading room is
one of the features.
The structure is Of two stories,
with a basement, the upper floors be-
ing equipped especially for the police
proof gambling. The street entrance
leads into large barroom, from which
patrons gain access to the different
departments, including the gambling
rooms, poo! and billiard rooms, bowl
ing alleys, Turkish and Russian bath
rooms, the gymnasium, reading room
and barber shop.
PARTITIONS ARE OF STEEL.
A board staircase leads from the
buffet to the second floor, where are
the impregnable gambling rooms
which have made O'Leary famous.
Partitions OF steel, riveted to the
heavy outside steel walls, are deco
rated to destroy their prison aspect
Ponderous steel doors lend more
power to the building Of Gibraltar
characteristics.
81 am through with the game" said
O'Leary, when he appeared at the
county board meeting. Garter Har-
risen and his gambling crusade have
taken the life out Of the business
And / would say this in retiring
Jim O'Leary never has done business
with anyone that he couldn't deal with
the next day. AS to future plans
can't say just what l will do. have
property here which must be looked
after, though"
With O'Leary's retirement comes
the announcement that his old partner,
John Condor, the blind gambler, is at
the point of death. O'Leary said yes
terday that he would not be surprised
to lose "his pal" at any time.