The sun., 1912-08-01
POLICE NOW WATCH
At GAMBLERS DOORS
Said That Waldo Told Inspec.
tors They Could DO That
Much Anyway.
BIG HOUSES UNDISTURBED
Little Places, Paying $50 to $50
a Week, Open and Close
Continually.

|
which descended upon the town during
the spring and early summer months
and which still held the city crap
crazy" as some one put II yesterday
right up to the night Of the Rosenthal
shooting went far toward disturbing
the "big" gamblers as we'll as honest
officials who wanted to keep gambling
down.
| There is one cross street not far
north Of Forty-second street In which,
In the block between Seventh and
Eighth avenues, almost every other
basement during the past two or three
months has housed one Of these games.
| Last night one could see three plain
clothes men standing within speaking
distance Of each other in Forty-third
street between Sixth avenue and Broad
way. each stationed In front Of a house
In which police officials are morally Ger.
tain gambling on a big scale had been
going on until the shots that killed
Rosenthal closed the town.
And In front Of the house OF every
known Tenderloin gambler last night
and every night for almost two weeks
policemen have been so stationed.
n day or two after Rosenthal was
Killed. SO one who knows said last
night, the Manhattan police inspectors
were summoned to Headquarters and
told to hand in list Of every house
each had ever raided or believed gam
bling had been going on In up to the
night of the murder.
The story as related by a man who
knows many police officials as well as
dozens OF gamblers big and small IL
that some OF the inspectors admitted
10 Waldo that there we're some houses
IN which big games very probably were
going on.
Then why don't YOU close them"
the Commissioner is said to have de-
mandcd.
1he inspectors explained that perhaps
as much as $4,000 would have to be
spent to obtain evidence against these
DIG houses and that even then n was
doubtful whether definite results could
ne got Meney would have to he spent
freely among steerers and cappers Of
these big houses. Long, patient prcp-
arations would have to he made to form,
The acquaintance between the detective
ana the man who would be fooled into
introducing him into one Of these
gambling houses. where ar a rule only
known mon Of wealth are admitted.
Ono method that would bring i'm.
mediate results occurred to Commits
sioncr Waldo. Ills inspectors agreed
with him that n man were stationed
in front OF each suspected house the
gambler would close up tight. The
Commissioner therefore is said to have
ordered his inspectors to station a man
In front OF any house. evidence or no
evidence. in which the inspector be-
lieved gambling was or recently had
been under way. And a stroll through
the Tenderloin cross streets any OF
these nights and the policemen sta
toned In front OF various doors will
show that the order is being car.
ried out.
From one source THE Sun reporter
learned that the little fellows" who
have been springing up almost all over
town since the craze for crap shooting
began. pay collectors from $50 to $50 a
week. The same informant said last
night that the gamblers who ran houses
on a larger scale in which roulette and
faro were the chief games played had to
pay from 5000 to $500 TO open their
houses. and that the protection money
paid after the house was running varied
according to the amount Of business a
gambler was doing.
The big houses were almost never
disturbed. In the case Of the little
crap games and poolrooms uptown,
however. they opened. we're closed.
opened. closed and opened with rhythmic
regularity. A Tcnderloin gambler
never admitted. even to his intimstes.
that his district 1T any and all times
was running wide open"
Further downtown. where the little |
fellows were clustered far more thickly, |
a wider latitude prevailed and gamblers |
themselves would admit that. despite an |
occasional closing, the houses as a whole i
buzzed on with little interruption.
One friend Of Inspector Hayes hap
pened upon the inspector last night |
and brought up the subject that is hold
Ing the attention Of the town Just now.
IAN want from my accusers." In
spector Hayes said. "ls the absolute
truth. II they tell the truth shall be
happy. because not ono Of them can
honestly accuse me OF wrongdoing. II
they don't tell the truth. God knows
wnat VIII happen to me-"
In telling Of tho widespread gambling
about town up to two weeks ago police
men as we'll as gamblers 80 out Of their
way to insist that the Second Inspec-
lion District. where Inspector John DAILY
rules. Is and has been absolutely clean
since Inspector Daily took charge of 1t
md that in this big district at least
here Is not now nor has been any
gambling.
The district boundary lines run from
he Battery north on the west side OF
Broadway. to Park row. to the Bowery,
% Fourth avenue. to Fourteenth street,
o the North River and back to tho
Battery. This district. which touches
'dses with other districts where gam.
'linx hourished across the street, was
nstanced yesterday as proof that an
Inspector can control the gambling
ituation In his district absolutely IL he
las the honesty and ability to start In
'ouseclcaning and stick at It.
2Tn nNn AnN CnyvA - NM a ~ycvx~~r |