Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-04-27
JUAREz, Mexico,
IS CITY OF VICE
Dice Roll and Roulette Wheels
Spin Night and Day in
Town Just Across
Rio Grande.

Puarez. Mexico. (speciaD.-With tho
lid pried Off and thrown away by or
ders OF Gen. Jose Murguia this city is
r~egaining its notoriety as the wick ed
est city in the world" once applied by
Jack London. Along the main street
the buildings vacant since Villas re-
gime are blazing with lights. Inside,
the Mexican orchestras are strumming,
the roulette wheels are spinning and
the dice are rolling. Public gambling
is running full blast.
Around the roulette tables OF h
Fiesta" nightly is damned a strange
assortment Of humans. Smartly dressed
Spanish and American women rub ell
bows with dirty, barefooted de factO
soldiers. Painted women. scattering
gold over the tables. hang over the
shoulders Of blanketed Yaqui Indians
and Chinese laborers stalking their
cinco centavos (2h cents) ON the gaudy
board. Renegades and outlaws from a
dozen lands press around the crap
tables with natty Carranzista officers
in olive drab; sQuatty Indian cavalry
men from Zacatecas, In scarlet and
vari-colored blankets and huge spurs,
are there.
American Criminals There.
I'm the milling crowds is a sprinkling'
Of well dressed Americans whose fea-
lOICS ~ plSlUISO IA SAiG WIN O0AAN
tins Of the larger American cities. Eek
tradition is uncertain n this is their
sanctuary.
The Fiesta" is a large barren hall
lighted with rows Of glaring i~ncandes-
cents. Upon a raised platform at one
plays stirring bull fight airs, French
classics and American ragtime. The
atmosphere is blue with the smok OF
hundreds Of black adobe cigarets. Bull
let holes in the rear windows, remind
ers of Villas last attack. furnish the
ventilation.
Except for the sing song of the men
calling the roulette numbers in Span
ish above the throbbing Of the riches
ira, the crowds around the tables are
silent and intent. Humanity is packed
five deep around the tables, eyes r;vited
upon the glittering wheel.
In the center OF the hall are three
large wooden bowls surrounded by min
iature grandstands, filled with bare
footed soldiers, muffled to their eyes
in blankets and "serapes," playing the
Mexican game "chusmas." A handful
of wooden pellets are whirled around
the bowl and the gamblers wager that
an odd or even number stick in a series
of slots at the bottom. AS the balls
spin around the BOWL the soldiers yell
in their excitement.
Chinese Gamblers Present.
Nearby the Philippine game cooncan.
holds forth, drawing the poems and
many Chinese. The Chinese are in
veterate gamblers and patronize the
roulette wheels heavily. :
Outside, in the street, swarlns OF heS-
CARS pull at the garments of pedes-
trians for 'nee-klays.' HideousIy de
formed men snatch at the clothing OF
Americans and sit ON the walk moaning
until a coin is dropped into the out
stretched hand.
Every saloon now has its abare and
entertainers and the sound OF a score
of orchestras blend. The famous Black
Cat cafe has reopened as a keno han
The tables are crowded with silent
gamblers watching their boards as the
caller tolls off the numbers. The II
wolf has a cabaret and is largely
%patronized by Americans.
The Career Of turk" Touche.
The career Of Turk" Touche. who
holds the gambling concessions, is no
mantle. Twenty years ago he came te
Mexico from Turkey. His only posses
sion was a dancing bear, which he ex
hihited throughout the country. Under
piaz he obtained the gambling conces
sions in Torreon aud Chihuahua, wheT:
ne opened the famed Palace OF Tears
Today he is said to be worth 81, 600 900
1t is said he pays 100000 a month FOL
the permits in Juarez.
. s o>....