Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-07-14
MAYOR SMITH CLOSED ASCORE
OF BOARDWALK GAMBLING
PLACES
Arrest One Who Re-opens Game. Concessioners Will
Make Test Case in Court

~ ACNOAo VI hS S0AABAAh6 w
which Mayor w. COPYRIGHT
Smith ordered closed have defied the
Mayors warning and are going to see
if his action in the matter will stand
On Wednesday evening the large
boardwalk crowd was surprised to see
the Electric Shuttle Board in the Ar
cade open for business after it and
about 20 other places were closed on
Friday of last week. The board vas
operated by Earl Croft, of AIT West
avenue, who is a co-partner
of J. C. billiard. The latter is the
lessee of the whole Casino property.
Within a few minutes several Off
GERS appeared and arrested Croft. His
machine and stock was taken to the
City Hall. In the morning the conces-
sioner was summoned before Mayor
Smith. Croft waived a hearing and
was held under 81, 900 bail for court.
Bail was furnished by Heber Crane,
one of the owners Of the Casino Pier.
A large crowd of interested boardwalk
merchants were present and said that
they would fight to prove Mayor
Smiths action unlawful. Thus ended
the first act of a controversy that has
been in existence for the past week.
Mayor Smith issued a warning to
the owners of gambling devices last
summer that he would not permit
them to operate in Wildwood another
year. The gamblers were true to their
.-I EfAoaI~ n ahotn0D that
the city's chief official would change
his decision. The Mayor has kept his
word and consequently every gamb-
ling device is closed. The Mayor had
only spoken of gambling devices and
some hoped to squeeze through the
net by terming their devices games
of skill" Just what draws the line
between gambling and sporstmansh1p
is hard to determine. Some say that
by giving each player a small prize
the games would be legal, but this
does not abolish the fact that the
player is taking a chance. Unde the
Mayors edict the games upon which
the ban has been placed are "spot the
spot" electric shuttle board" "dart
game" "the kegs" "ten pinette" and
pig slide"
Just why the Japs with their roll
ball game have been allowed to keep
their stand open is hard to determine.
If one wants to find out whether roll
ing the ball requires skill he can
easily find out by trying it once. He
will find that it is impossible to con
troll the course of a hard wooden ball
over a smooth surface. The pig slide
has been played by the public purely
for amusement and is not a game OF
chance.
Mayor Smith and Acting County
Prosecutor Eugene Cole have made a
thorough investigation of the games
and the reports of plain clothes men
show that most of them are CROOKED"
Even luck don't count, and who wins
the prize depends altogether upon the
inclination of the operator. Even
some of the concessioners admit that
their games were crooked" Those
who support the faction that is COM
batting the Mayors action say that the
CITY should not have licensed the
places if they were not going to per-
nit them to run during the whole sea-
son. The owners took out licenses,
classifying their devices as games OF
skill. They have the privilege OF
opening their places for any legltl-
mate business, but none of them have
thus far felt inclined to do SO.
Many citizens think that the Mayors
action is a good one and that it Will
drive the lower element from Wild
wood. others say that it will ruin
the boardwalk business. The only
thing we can do is to watch the devel-
opments in Act 2.