The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-07-31
'SHERIFF'S RAID in
COUNTY
RECALLS OLD DAYS
COUNTY OFFICIAL
CALLS UPON POOL HALLS
OF WEST YELLOWSTONE.
Officials Censured Bitterly for "Need-
less Interference" With Sports and
Pastimes of the Tourist-Frontier
Town.

Like the climax OF a wild west"
movie drama with an officer of the
law coolly commanding the situa-
ton and in unruffled voice and
gesture placing the law-breakers
under arrest, was the description of
the affair given by spectators who
witnessed a carefully planned and
connected raid recently on a gam
bling place at West Yellowstone by
Sheriff Jim Smith, assisted by
County Attorney e. A. Peterson,
Of Gallatin county.
Travelling inthe sheriff's car and
reaching the western entrance of Vel
lowstone National park, by way of
the West Gallatin canyon, after
nightfall and being personally known
to but few people in the southern
Gallatin county tourist town of shift
ing population, the two officers en-
tered the pool hall conducted by
Fletcher E. West, and watched for
some time the play at the two tables
without making known their official
authority.
The big card table at the rear of
the establishment as well filled with
players and was presided over by a
regular dealer whose duty it was to
take in a "rake off, would stand a
touch" At this table no actual
money was seen to change hands, the
entire play being conducted by the
use of regular red, white and blue
poker chips which the customer with
gambling proclivities presumably pur-
chased from the dealer before TAX
ing his place at the table and calling
for his cards.
Not so at the craps table, the green
"pass sheet" of which vas literally
covered with big silver dollars and
greenbacks of various denominations.
The officers, waiting until literally a
hat-full of money vas within sight,
called the dealers hand mading him
fork over a total of 1913, whieh>Sher-
if Jim Smith had to scoop up into
an improvised green pool table cloth
in lieu of bucket.
Up walked the proprietor, Mister
West.
IT presume you are Jim Smith," he
queried, while at the same time ex-
tending his hand.
"Just So" replied Jim, not to be
out done in politeness OF goodfellow-
ship, "and at this particular moment
acting in my capacity as sheriff OF
Gallatin county"
"All right; let's CO." was Vests
rejoinder.
W%hereupon the pool room propri-
etOr and his dealer, r. j. Haigler,
were quietly escorted to the office
of Justice of the Peace Plummer, who
arraigned them and placed them un-
der $500 bail bonds each for their
appearance for trial in the district
court during September term; unless
in the meantime they carry out their
implied intention to plead guilty and
submit to the sentence which will,
in that event, be imposed upon them
by the Bozeman Judge.
One of the old-time residents of
West Yellowstone who had known
complained bitterly to the officer
reference with the sports and pas
times of the tourist-frontier town,
whose inhabitants, he pointed out,
had only three months each year in
to fleece the travelling public
out of enough money to pay living ex-
penses and buy liquid refreshments
for the remaining nine.
The craps table while homemade
was really a masterpiece Of
manual training craftsmanship. 1t re-
sembled a huge square-cornered fish
bowl, the height of the sides having
apparently been designed SO as to pre-
vent the possibility of any of the big
silver dollars rolling in any other di-
rection than toward the dealer. The
pass sheet was neatly lettered and
with black paint on a piece
Of green-colored felt, with oiled-cloth
back. 1t contained numerals and HE
that look like Greek to
those uninitiated in the intricacies
ind extricacies of the game that the
man calls "IndOor Golf"
Three sets of .bones'' of the clear,
transparent pink and white dotted va
-iety were also confiscated, as were
decks of new and used play
ng cards.
The county attorney had the time
If his life, this being the first oppor-
unity he had ever been given to
participate in the kind of a raid that
few years Ago., would have resulted
n gun play.
The closest approach to possible
rouble in this raid came when Haig-
er, the dealer, reaching toward the
liable ostensib1y to gather up the
money, stepped back just as quickly
ind dropped his hands to his sides
Uhan Tim Smith. tandjnp on the Op- |
,osite side of the table, and with
lands resting easily on his hips,
whispered sharply. drop it."
roundup Resident Commits Suicide