The Sentinel=record., 1913-01-22
hoT SPRINGS CHIEF OF POLICE TAKES ACTION ON THE
 GAMBLING SITUATION.
DID NOT WAIT ON ANY ORDERS
Has Given His Police Officers Orders to Arrest All Parties Found in
 Premises Where Gambling is Being Conducted.

The gambling lid that had been adjusted since recent revoliting ex- posures of swindles operated in this city, and had rested secure for one short week, and then slipped and slid clear out of sight last Monday, was last night ordered readiusted by Chief of Police James eonard.
 At changing" time and when the day policemen are excused and the night officers come on, Chief Leonard called the men before him and told them mat he heard gambling was go- ing on as wide open as 1t had ever been, and that he wanted the gambl- ing houses closed and all the parties within them arrested and brought be- fore the city court.
 The order was a. complete surprise to many of the officers. It is not any discourtesy to Chief Leonard to state here publicly that during his tenure of ofnce as a rule he has yielded his authority and made his opinions sub servient to the higher city authority, and that because of this policy he, as an officer, has frequently been made tAe "A-.'s' of many jokes and jibes
 Those who know James Leonard however, know that he is a man of grim determination and that once his head is set in a direction, he will not be deterred except when shorn of authority.
 Just how far the city administra- tion is behind the order of Chief Leon ard of last night is problematieal It seems doubtful if the "lid7 could have been thrown aside from the gambling si uation particularly in the rather open down town district, without the city administration having been ac- quainted with the fact before last night.
 The fact that gambling had been resumed openly so soon after the statement of the circuit judge, and so soon after an agreement on the subject had been made in the office of the mayor less than ten days ago, was a surprise yesterday to many who had been in touch with the sit nation.
 There were many who believed that the gambling "lid" would be clamped tight until at least after the city prim ary election. It was boasted by many that the movement was for the pro- tection of the city candidates, and ,Ae position of conscienteous workers was criticized with the statement that there was trick" of some poli- tlcal nature behind the movement.
 The gambling resumed on late Mon day night, the night that big Charlie" Wilt and Joe Aberly, alias Amis, were released from the county jail on bonds, after having been ac- cused of swindle operations.
 Curbstone gossip had it that the action of Circuit Judge Gotham in re- ducing the bond of Wilt to S10.0J0 was misinterpreted by the gamblers to believe that he was "all right and that they would not probably have any special grand jury brought down on them, or on the heads of the off cials whose tolerance they had to en- joy before ..-ey would be permitted to reopen.
 The police received their orders at o'clock last night, and at that time Mayor Waters was presiding over q State Fair meeting at the Business alens League The attention of the mayor was brought to the situation. and Mayor Waters after the meeting had closed, himself went up Central avenue, giving orders that the gambl- ing houses should close and remain closed.