The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-05-17
WONT BEA 'SpLITTEE' ETHER
Admits City Can Get Revenue from Ma
chimes IF They Must Be Operated and
Outlines Plan for Municipal Opera
tion--Att'y to Answer Complaint.

You know, my friend, I think it is
a lot more important for man to go
home with a pocket full of potatoes
right now than with pocket full of
gum. This was the rather unique
statement that Chief Of Police Owen
O'Hare made in answering the suit
brought against him in the Municipal
Court on Saturday in which William j.
Riley was the plaintiff and which had
as its purpose the legalizing of "gum
slot machines in Kenosha.
Our friend can go just as far as
he pleases with his suit, = continued the
chief, 'but the people of Kenosha will
not stand for the slot machines. We
have had complaints on these same gum
machines every time they have been
put in operation. / want to say, too,
that the majority Of the respectable
saloons in Kenosha are not in favor of
the installation of these machines
They would not have them on the
counter if there were a dozen court de-
cisions in favor of them. There are
probably half a dozen saloons who
want to get the money in this way
1t can be taken from this that Chief
of Police O'Hare is ready and willing
to fight any movement for the installa-
tion of the seductive trade stimu-
lants' in Kenosha. The chief had a
lot more to say, but he is going to say
this to the city attorney when it comes
to fighting out the demand of Riley
for an injunction. Just when the case
will come up is matter of conjecture.
If there is healthy public sentiment
against the pocket full Of gum as com
pared with the pocket full of potatoes
it is highly improbable that the action
will be forced in the courts just at pres
ent Several saloon men who were
seen this morning expressed the
opinion that the saloons could struggle
along without dividing profits with the
owners of slot machines, be they gum
machines or just plain gambling de-
vices. The saloon men suggested that
if they were to make a choice between
the two that they would prefer the
gambling device and not the gum
Probably this is because lot of the
fellows stick the gum on the bar to
save it from day to day.
"Gum is not recognized as real
successful product for saloon,'' said
one of the men, f'Of course we could
keep box of it around to meet any
real craving among the customers, but
the box would last long time and
most of it would be used up by me
and the bartender. We might just as
well sell peppermint candy or horse shoe
nails in the slot Machines
Chief O'Hare began to dig into the
archives Of the office this morning with
a view of finding just what he could
put into the courts in defense of the
demand for an injunction. Among
other. things he found a letter offering
to split profits and permit him to name
the splitee.
"That fellow said that he would be
willing 70 give twenty per cent, :"
the chief as he looked into
the correspondence, "and if we are go
ing to have the slot machines-gum or
otherwise working, / can see no reason
why the city should not advertise for
bids. Why pretty soon we could be
stealing enough out of the pockets Of
Kenosha people to build a new police
station. You will grasp the idea my
friend, that if the people of Kenosha
want to have the slot machines, that
you referred to, they might as well make
it profitable and keep the money at
home. That is my idea of conservation.
We might even go so far as put one of
them in the City Hall and get all the
money we can. Personally these ma
chimes are not going to get my sane
ton until some fellow with a court
order, signed and sealed, comes around.
More than this I have nothing to say in
regard to the suit of Mr.. Riley
The chief admitted that he had re
turned the twenty per cent offer to the
agent of slot machine company.
sending it, telling them to communicate
with the mayor or with one of the
banks of the city.
The idea of a municipal slot machine
just like the water plant
might appeal TO some Of the men who
are anxious to get the biggest possible
revenues for the city.