Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 147, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1916 — Husbands of Cardplayers Aided by the Police [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Husbands of Cardplayers Aided by the Police

NEW YORK.—The police as the refugd of the hubby whose wife insists on gambling away her allowance is the latest product of fertile Washington Heights brains. It seems a group of young married women started a friendly

afternoon poker game among themselves. It was very quiet and all that at first, and the limit was ten cents. Hubbies raised their eyebrows but said little. Then the “girls” began to get reckless. The ten-cent limit was dashed aside. Many and many a young wife returned to her little flat and reported herself “broke.” The furor spread. Promises to pay, an invention of the devil himself, were introduced by some wife

•whose husband is In Wall street. Oh, yes, there was also a “kitty.” It repaid the woman holding the session for expenses and damage, if any. There was a hubbies’ mass meeting. The next quiet little wives’ gathering was startled by the announcement; “The police are at the door.” Chips and money were quickly swept into hiding places. The police were very gentlemanly. “We are just seeing that no law is being violated, ladies. Of course, you know, ladies, ‘kitties’ are not allowed.” Then they departed and the game went on, but without quite its accustomed zest. The next day, in another home, the same thing happened. It was very annoying, really. The police just stood around and did no more harm than a well-disciplihed butler. But it looked bad. Attendance at the games, as the days went by and the police remained steady visitors, diminished quickly, and finally fell to zero.- ■ — : •. : —--— It is remarkable how many Washington Heights policemen are smoking big clears of the quarter-each kind when off duty.