The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-01-09
PROSECUTOR TO
WAR ON HICkEYS
ATTORNEY MOORE SAYS PLAYING
CARDS FOR ANYTHING REPRE-
SENTING VALUES MUST STOP

The first act of Prosecuting Attor-
ney Frank L. Moore, after he had
taken office Monday, was to send to
the various pool halls in Moscow and
Latah county, letter declaring his
intention of enforcing the gambling
laws, as they apply to the use Of
hickeys and to card playing for val
ues. The prosecutor takes the posi-
tion, in his communication, that fail
ure on his part to prosecute VIOLA
tions of the gaming laws which come
to his knowledge, makes him liable to
prosecution for a misdemeanor.
The letter sent to the proprietors eff
pool halls and card rooms through
out the county follows:
ssThe law Of idaho relating to gam
ing is found from Section 1907 to Sec
tion S315, inclusive, of the compiled
statutes. Section 1907 is as follows:
"'Section 1907. Gambling: Punish
ment. Every person who deals, plays
or carries on, opens, or causes to be
opened, or who conducts, either as
owner, employe, or Lessee, whether for
hire or not, any game of faro, monte,
roulette, lausquenet, rouge ct nOir,
rondo, or any game played with cards,
dice, or any other device, for money,
checks, credit, or any other repre-
sentative of values, is guilty of mis-
demeanor and is punishable by fine
not less than 5000, or imprisonment
in the county Jail not less than four
months
"YOu will note from the above, that
any game played with cards for
money, checks, credit, or any other
representative of values, is viola
ton of the law. There is no doubt
in my mind that hickeys as used in
connection with the card games as
they are presently played or conduct
ed in your place of business, are rep
resentative Of values, which come
clearly within the inhibitions Of the
statute.
"The law relating to the liability
of any person who permits the rlay-
ing Of card games for these hickeys
in his place of business, is prescribed
in Section S3OS, which is as follows:
Section 8308. Proprietor Of
house punishable. Every person who
knowingly permits any of the games
prohibited by the preceding section
to be played, conducted, or dealt in
any house owned or rented by such
person, in whole or in part is pun
ishable as provided in the preceding
section
"The duty of myself as prosecuting
of Latah county. is pre-
scribed by Section 1914, which is as
"'Section 1914. Officers to enforce
law Every prosecuting or county
attorney sheriff, constable or police
officer, must inform against and dill
gently prosecute persons whom they |
have reasonable cause to believe Of
tenders against the provisions of this
chapter, and every such officer re-
fusing or neglecting so to do is guilty
Of misdemeanor.'
"From the latter section you will
observe that if violations of the gam
ing laws come to my knowledge, and
T refuse or neglect to prosecute such !
violations of the law. that 7 may be
for a misdemeanor.
ct am writing YOU to advise YOU
hat If is not my intention to subject
myself TO such prosecution. and fur
her that the Dlaving of cards in your
)lace of business for any represen-
ative of values, must cease at once.
II I shall proceed against you under