Minister Took Look at Gambling Rooms

Illinois, 1914

Alton Parson Strolled to the Gambling Rooms

Now They Are Wondering Just What The Answer Will Be

Alton residents are wondering what a minister from that city will do with his recently acquired knowledge. He spent an evening this week in one of the so-called resorts of the city. Many think he may appear before the grand jury. The Alton Times tells of the visitation as follows:

"One of the Alton ministers spent last evening — or a part of it in a gambling house on West Second street. He is a young man and an innocent looking chap. He put a pipe in his mouth, wore a pair of boots in which his trousers were tucked at the top of the boots, had on an old rain coat, pulled his hat so that it gave his a rakish air.

He did not consider himself disguised but he made himself look like a young man who makes money and lets go of it easily. So he went down to the building on West Second street, walked up to the rooms above Ballard and John's restaurant and walked right in. There was a good sized crowd of players and the silver dollars were strewn about in an abundance that surprised a man who had heard that there is a money stringency in Alton. He took no part in the play but he saw the others rolling dice. He states that at one time there was at least five hundred dollars on the table. In the same room some players were playing poker. He says they were playing cards and he believes the game was not 'flinch or five hundred.'

"The roulette table was in the same room with the crap table, but 'craps' was the most popular game. The roulette game was not running.

"The minister looked on until he had seen enough and then walked out. He will deliver an address at the Baptist church next Sunday and tell all about what he saw.

"The silver dollars were in stacks of twenty each and he counted the stacks until he had reached a total of $600 and then quit though he did not inventory the smaller coins."

—Edwardsville Intelligencer, Edwardsville, IL, Feb. 10, 1914, p. 1