The Greeley Tribune

IN SESSION
THE TIGER AND THE JUDGE
IN COUNTY JAIL.

Court Sat on Gambling Tools and
Some Vital Evidence Was
Unearthed by the
Officers.

To identify the two wagonloads of gambling devices taken from the Evans gambling rooms the evening of July 15, County Judge Southard, City Marshal Camp, Prosecutor Green, Stenographer Luther and W. M. Boamer spent nearly all day last Friday in the county jail. Several points had been raised by Attorney Churchill for the defendant gamblers as to whether the county court had jurisdiction in a case involving that kind of property.

But an inventory was necessary to determine the former ownership of the goods that for the past few weeks have been locked in the jail for safe keeping.

From the dark dungeons the subterranean sounds of voices could be heard on the outside as the learned gentlemen ran into new articles employed in the flirtation with the fickle goddess.

The few passersby with a slight penchant for the green baized table pricked up their ears at the few phrases that penetrated to the outer world.

Occasionally one would try a soft whistle or a secret signal code of raps on the iron door, but the lookout was evidently suspicious and the door opened not.

Frank Green was saying, "Now, gentlemen, what shall we call this merry-go-round thing worth? It looks like a children's plaything and can't be worth much."

"Well, it isn't a children's plaything, anyway," chimed in Marshal Camp.

"It's a sicklegrinder. I've seen lots of them; had a man out on the road with them not long ago. Did a good business too. This is a little different though: I see it has a little marble attachment that mine didn't have. That was probably why you took it for a plaything. Suppose we call that worth about two-fifty. It won't be worth that much if I ever have the privilege of setting fire to it."

The court finally decided that it was a roulette wheel and usually worth to the owner all the other fellow had, and was appraised accordingly.

The soft purring of the tiger could still be heard as a learned discussion ensued on the meaning of "over 11 and under 10."

William Boomer, who took part in the raid, sort of thought that it referred to the age of children who were allowed to play games on it, but even these words of wisdom did not satisfy the court, who though young has heard the "big boys talk."

When it came to draw poker, stud poker and faro tables, the memory of some of the elder members harked back to the time, long ago, when such phrases were not obsolete in the west, and it was settled that games of chance had been indulged in. The invoicing of the crap tables came near opening up the race question, but was also finally adjusted, and now everything is ready for arguments by counsel on the point of jurisdiction, which will be done August 31.