The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-23
LONG Time AGO
sfY0u'dfBe Surprised" If Names
Were Mentioned.
They Played Poker Here in
.Hi7Early Days.
TWO BIT y LIMIT WAS GAME
TWENTY-FIVE Dollars and Costs
Put Stop to 1t.
Some TOpekans May Now Re-
member Little Games.
TWO BIT LIMIT WAS GAME


1t happened a long time ago. Some
years ago the Twenty Years
Ago" column may have carried the
story of the visible results, but not the
inside causes. But it isn't far enough
back yet that the names of the charac-
tiers in the little comedy-which was
a tragedy when it was staged, can yet
be used. If the names were used in
the story which was told by one of the
participants-well, you'd Be Sur
prised."
Topeka, way back in the early days.
Maybe you won't believe that, either,
but they did. And for money, too.
Two-bit limit usually. But when you
compare two bits of that day with the
quarter of today, it might Have been
pretty interesting session at that
A Young Lawyer.
OF course, it was against the law,
even in those days. to play poker for
money. But there was a young law
yer in this mans town, who had an
office. which made it very convenient,
and so far as was ever known, no
clients Which made it still more
convenient for the circle, small enough
to be designated as a coterie. and yet
large enough to make a pretty re-
spectacle game.
And the clientIess office of the brief
pitable site for the little game. When
spare time hung heavy on the hands
of the gang, there was always chance
to while away their time. and possibly
something else. at the lawyers office.
All Right While 1t Lasted.
Which was all very well while it
lasted. But the police judge then in
power got nasty. He got to soaking
the boys when they were brought be-
fore him for dallying with the cards.
Ten dollars was all he seemed to know
when power furnished the basis for
the charge. And that seemed a little
steep, even to the verge of being ex-
orbitant.
So the coterie framed up a little.
Seeing that their host had nothing else
with which to occupy his attention
they deemed it quito right and fitting
that he should hold down the job of
police judge for himself. All of them
had friends, some of them had influ-
ence. And they all knew other mem
bcrs of other lotteries. all of whom had
friends and some of whom had fnflu-
cnce. So they got busy. spread the
~ around, and, to make a long story
short. the next police judge was the
bricflcss bnrristcr.
He Gave Dinner.
Which seemed even moro lovely
~ the original arrangement until
the new ma gistrate gave a little din
done him such ycoman service. There
were speeches at the dinner. And one
OF them was made by the new judge.
Fellows" was the sisI of his semi
official Inaugural address. you sure
hare my hearty gratitude for this Of
ice. You all know that 1 haven't had
many cl;crts. In fact, if it hadn't been
for my luck at these little sessions here
in tae &C. DON'T know what l
could have done. But I'm sure you IL
appreciate that in my new position it
A-ould never do for me to harbor these
gGmblinG sessions in my office. / SIM
lily couldn't do it. And furthermore,
I've always believed that gambling. was
wrong. particularly for the young fell
lows who ought to be saving their
money. 1t has seemed to me for
long time that the fines imposed for
glmbl-n in this town have not been
heavy enough. So l warn YOU now
that If any one of You fellows is
brought before me sor gambling, [
sh II fine him s25 for the first Of
fs1se."
Thought 1t joke.
CONSERVATION struck the coterie.
$ yIy, t-cy thought, it must be a
But there We're no more games
the lawyers office. They weren't
f'.e sure just how keen was his sense
iAcrc were other places. And they
Played in them. Until the policeeraid
cd one of the little sessions. and the
IncInbers. participating found them
selves before their erstwhile host. the
police judge they had extended them
selves to elect.
In the slang of that time. there
was nothing to it," They were sitting
on the world. Until those fatcful
words-"Tventy-f five dollars and
costs" fell from the lips of the judge.
Then and not until then did they real
ize the full extent of what had hap
pened to them-How sharper than a
serpents tooth was the ingratitude-
with apologies to Shakespeare or Mil
date.
Nor was this the worst of it. The
allied and intcrlocking cotcries had
accepted in good faith and at it's face
value. the tip from the boosters of
the new judge. They also had extend
ed themselves during the campaign.
And the pitiless twenty-five dollars
and costs fell upon them all alike.
Wherefore and whereupon. the 9TH
er punches fell with one accord and
with much acrimony upon those who
had put this thing across on them.
And there was much bitterness of
spirit. but after a few fruitful raids,
very little poker.
S25 and Costs stopped Them.
And it is significant that the police
judge has gone hence. No one seems
to know, or care, whittier he drifted
after his term had expired. But OF
those who listened. horror-struck, to
Twenty five dollars and costs" there
be many high up in the business and
professional circles of Topeka-where
they played poker once, long, Ions
time