The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-28
LIGHTS DIM,
DICE STILL WHEN
PERRY APPROACHES
Sub Rosa TenderIOin Fears
WreCking Crew-WOmen Of
Street UnmOleSted by Police
Weary in Political ErrandS.

Into the dark recesses Of the region
formerly known as the underworld,
where 10 years ago today gathered the
low and dangerous Darktown pcpula-
ton, where craps games thrived and
human life was In danger, where whites
as low in the scale of morality and civil
ization also lurked. went the wrecktng
crew of Sheriff Perry Monday night,
but everything was dark.
Not q light was seen In r single place,
where last week hundreds Of negroes
gathered to ply their games OF chance;
where policy games WED with the old
popular game Of craps and where liquor,
though scarce, was found in small guam
titles and selling at high prices. Into
the more cultured districts, where
white dealt games Of poker and where
refreshments were also found In nm
tied quantities, they went, but found
neither man, woman, cards nor WHISKY.
What is the answer? Did the sheriff
by his persistent raids close up the
town, or did the Williams machine, re-
inforCed by the present city admins
t~ration, through the police department
tell the boys, ITS no use, boys, you
will have to close up?'
Something has happened the sher-
III says. But we are not going TO
sleep: we are going to keep up the raids
until everything in Memphis in the way
| Of bootleggers, gamesters, loaters ana
loiterers and street walkers are run TO
cover. And out in the county we are
going TO be just as vigilant.'
The wrecking crew found not a single
craps game, not a single poker game,
not a single bootlegger or woman ply
IL hts or her trade Monday night,
win they stay closed
The Scene Shifts,
A different spectacle, however, was
presented Saturday n Sunday nights
in the same regions. Whispered CONVEX
sations, during which could be heard
the words, Look out, " Perry comes,
were heard in several quarters where
are wont to Turk those who slip bottles
to inside pockets OF plutocrats able to
pay $3.50 to $3.50 a half pint, The &C
tivity on these occasions subsidized only
when stocks ran out, notwithstanding
the fact that in front Of one rendez-
vous sat two plain clothes policemen
and policemen 'in harness ever ana
anon sauntered by,
The woman of the street was there,
too. Representatives Of both races
whispered invitations from dark al
ways loud enough to be heard across we
street, caught the ear of the 'passerpy
with Just as much frequency as they
have been heard since the district has
been closed" to say nothing OF some
holder ones, who, driven to the street
cast leers in even holder fashion thSt
of yore. 49,.
In other districts besides that Of "
former tenderloin the woman OF I'M
street is still with Us, and phes ne
trade unmolestcd. Most any .nlgh
after II o'clock invitations will be forth
coming in sections Of North Memphis
from Second to Fourth street, on Pop
lar, Market, Lane aud other avenue
and adjacent territory, out of the beat
en- path Of the ~footsore patrolmai
a-wearied in running errands Tor MI
Quinn and friends of those who faNo
the Memphis ticket.
or course there Is no gambling a
hotels. Lookouts Of former days prop
ably loaf around Hobbies and are see
Keeping a clean weather eye out 10
blue coats at front entrances merel
for practice. Be that az 1t may w IN
.craclSed Ice and live on the fat OF III
land. as they did in the days when gan
Ing was openly allowed in Memphi
- 49, 4