Year: 1874

Inc Sdn FRANCISCO bulletin relates |
the following:


The demolition of the Mead House,
at the corner of Montgomery and Pine
streets, has developed some facts of
startling interest. The Mead House
was rendezvous for the gambling
fraternity from early in 1865 to De-
cember, 1871, when the police raided
upon it and disturbed operations. Un-
til this raid faro was conducted 10 the
building in quiet and orderly manner,
and with profit, the net earnings reach
ing $4,000 for a single year This
was in reality workingman' bank.
Here the working class deposited large
sums Of money, and we're not troubled
with bank books.


A few days ago, while the workmen
we're taking down the walls, a number
of suspicious characters were observed
banging about the spot and watching
the proceedings with great interest.
While knocking away the wall of one
of the lower rooms the workmen were
somewhat puzzled by the manner of
the strangers. Three of them sudden
ly walked up to the spot and watched
every blow of the axe with the keen
est scrutiny. Suddenly a gap was
made in the wall, and the next blow
of the axe caused a peculiar sound as
if a musical instrument had been
struck. On examination it was dis
covered that three wires were running
up through the wall from the floor to
the ceiling. In few minutes no less
than half dozen workmen were about
the place examining the wires, the three
strangers looking at each other signif-
cantly.


An investigation of the walls of the
whole house was commenced, and the
revelations were indeed, of the most
startling character. In one of the
rooms on the upper floor was an ar
rangement which enabled a player to
know exactly what his opponent held.
Directly over the table in the centre
of the room was a small hole in the
ceiling through which the confederate
watched the game. Wires ran along
the ceiling to the floor, ana ter
minated in levers beneath the cheat
ing gambler placed his foot; as these
wires were pulled, the number of taps
telegraphed the course of action to
| pursue.


The faro room was the most ingeni-
ously contrived thing in the house. In
the first place, wires run from the door
so that signal was given when it
opened, and in an instant everything
was in readiness for the drop. This
was accomplished by two levers and a
space beneath leL into the floor In a
second the gamblers withdrew from the
table, each man, of course, grabbing
his checks and money, and by a mo-
tion of the levers the yawning floor
was opened and down went the whole
| clay out" The carpet was then drawn
over the spot, and when the officers
hove in sight there was nothing in the
shape of. gamblers implements to be
seen. In the house there were taken
out no less than one hundred and fifty
wires and several CONSTITUENCIES for
suddenly hiding gambling implements.
After the discover an endeavory was
made by the three strangers to hush
the matter up, but the affair become
noised abroad, and already a good
mary strangers were about the place,
drawn thither by curiosity. The de-
velopments are creating some stir with
the gambling fraternity, but the lead
ing sports of the city denied all knowl-
edge of the existence of the peculiar
arrangements by which the unwary
were feeced


1t will be remembered that similar
discoveries were made some years ago
at the tearing down of gambling
den at Washington ID. G..