Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-10-11
OFFICERS MADE
P0oLR00N RAID
Poker Joint Uncovered IN Back
Room Of William WiIbur's
Billiard Hall.
COUNCIL REVOKED LICENSE
Wilbur Arrested and Bound over 20
Circuit Court al His
Hearing Tuesday

Don't touch hose chips o. That
money, is said to have been tha words
that caused SO much cons.er0ation
among small and select group of
poker players at late hour Saturday
night, and caused the severa we'll
known players to gasp with prise,
ard jump hurliodly to their eet to
confront Mayor ira H. Mex aney.
chief OF police Oscar Nibber and the
other members Of raiding force
which descended upon Wilbur pool
room, and caughtcm I'm The ac. 80
to speak
II sure was some surprise party
and your humble staff man is exceed
inely sorry that he was not there
camera in hand. so as 20 be able to
furnish picture of those several
faces, depicting surprise, fear and
sorrow all az one time
Rumors Of poker playing, etc. had
been floating around for sometime and
late Saturday night word went forth
that a game was on in the little back
room Of the Wilbur pool room, which
is shut of entirely from the front
part Of the place. used as a pool room
A door from the pool room gives en-
trance to this little room, which has
window high up. looking out into
the alley back of the Wright House
j. is "A nice little room, just the right
kind of place to stage such little
gatherings as the one which was there
Saturday night playing just little
sociable game Of poker, which had no
limit, except the limit Of the various
pocket books. it is said.
Mayor Mckinney was notified and
he in company with Chief Of Police
Oscar Vibber ran little surprise
party Vbber stationed himself at
the front door OF the pool room in the
basement of the Wright House with
one Of the night officers Mckinney
and another of the night men went
around to the window which looks out
over the alley.
Reaching this window. Mckinney
kicked it in. and 10 and behold won
derful scene was unfolded before his
cyes-a table surrounded by several
young men of the city. all OF them
holding cards On the table were
chips and even money. carelessly left
there, by these young men. who had
absolutely no thought that the fire
works We're coming off, Mckinney,
Nibber and the officers rounded up
tie young men in a hurry.
Justice Stone was called upon and
statements were secured from one and
ali. William Wilbur. who runs the
pool room. admitted that poker had
been played there or and on for a
year, it is said. when he made his
statement
one young man OF this city, rather
well known TO most Of the people Of
Alma, is said 20 have made the state
ment that he had lost over fifteen
hundred dollars playing poker there
In the last three years
He is young man who cannot af-
ford such losses, yet given the op-
pcrtunity he has continued to play,
and continued to lose. if this repor.
is true. II j. for such as he that pool
rooms and gambling joints must be
raided, that they may be protected
from that which they cannot resist.
Wilbur was placed under arrest the
charge being made under the state
law covering gambling His hearing
was held n Justice Stones court
Tuesday and he was bound over to
circuit court for trial. It is under
stood that he will enter a plea Of
guilty
Ii is reported that Wilbur had beer
warned several times that poker play
ine must cease.
At council meeting Monday night
the license under which Wilbur had
been operating his pool room was re
yokcd by the council without de
centing vote.
Orders went out Tuesday that all
card playing in the city, which par
takes of the nature Of gambling must
cease at once, and al the same time
tho faces of all penny machines were
ordered turned to the wall.