The Sentinel=record., 1914-08-15
|BURNS POOL TABLE
 USED FOR GAMBLING
SHERIFF WILLIAMS TAKES EN- PHATiC ACTION IN MALVERN
 AVENUE GAMBLING CASE.
Says He Win Take Chance on Burning Any Materials Which Are Even Temporarily Converted 10 Gambling Uses.

Although it was only an ordinary looking pool table, and therefore not technically contraband of a gambling rule, Sheriff Williams ordered his deputies to haul it to the vacant lot near the court house and apply the | torch,
 The deputies of the sheriff had made visit to a Malvern avenue resort operated by McGraw the night before, and had found about fiftees Inegroes gathered around a pool table. using the pool table for craps table. Wholesale arrests followed. Yesterday Sheriff Williams tod his deputies to get the pool fable out of the place and take it and burn it. Before the order was carried out Sheriff Williams was notified by at torneys for the man who owned the table that it was not gambling para phernalia, and not to destroy it.
 Tt was gambling parapherna'ia when a crowd of negroes were sur rounding it shooting craps" said Sheriff Williams yesterday, and to all intents and purposes 1t is going 10 be gambling paraphernalia until have gotten through with it. They can sue me if they want to, but 1 re- gard the table as having been con yerted to the use of gambling, and am going to burn it"
 Sheriff Williams also added:
 There have been a number of com paints recently about the renewai of gambling in Hot Springs. I thought once that it was understood no more gambling would be permitted. There shonld be no mistake about that lBut there has been some mistake. and believe unless l had put special deputies at work and made arrests that it would not have been long until gambling was wide open again. The peopie of Hot Springs have taken a decisive stand aeainst gam bling and as long as l am sheriff will try to see that there is no gam bling houses operated"
 Other Tables Broken.
 About o'clock yesterday afternoon Sheriff Williams and deputies visited the Indiana Club, where the sheriff used sledges and axes on three pool tables found there, and which he had information had been used for craps tab,es. Robert McRoberts, who owned the tables, arrived before the demolishment was complete, and ox- plained the situation, when Sheriff Williams desisted from further break ing them up He stored away one round table and some check racks on wagon. which he had hauled 70 where they were burned as gambling devices.
 The action of the sheriff in visiting the Indiana Club with his raiders during the afternoon attracted much attention. There was great deal of comment on the situation, but gen eraliy the impression is that the sheriff should, on reliable informa tion, stop any general trend towards the reopening of gambling in this city. It is probable that something of the proof the sheriff had as to the situation at the Indiana Club will De revealed this morning when an appli cation for a revocation of the liquor license there is taken up in circuit court.
 Charles Bryan, who runs the club, stated that the pool tables had been rented from Mr. McRoberts with a view of operating them as pool tables on the second floor. after the caba- ret had closed, but that they were not in use, and had been showed to the rear of the middle room. where they were when the sheriff found them.