Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1909 — Gambling Devices Devoured By Fire at French Lick. [ARTICLE]

Gambling Devices Devoured By Fire at French Lick.

Paoli, Ind., Aug. 18—A prob’era which hp.s been bothering Indiana officials for three years was finally disposed of today when gambling devices of all sorts, captured in the raid in July, 1906, at French Lick an«l West Baden casinos, were demolished and burped in a large pile in this city. Hand-carved pieces of the finest woodwork and intricate mechanisms were left to the mercy of the flames and hundreds witnessed the fire which destroyed devices valued at SIO,OOO. By special orders issued last year the proprietors of the casinos were allowed to go to Paoli and remove the 5-cent pieces from the machines, which amounted to many hundreds of dollars. They were also allowed to take their furniture, other than gambling devices, which was seized with the machines during the raid. The raids were made during theterm of former Governor Hanly and the matter of destroying the machines was delayed until an order was received from Indianapolis early this morning.

The action of the officers is the result of a compromise effected during the trials of Edgar Derry and George Charles at Orleans, who pleaded guilty to the charges of conducting gambling rooms, and a fine of $25 was assessed in each case. At that time the state served fiftynine affidavits, of which more than forty were_against Derry and Charles. Other affidavits were filed against employes about the places. Charges against them were dropped today. While reports have been circulated in French Lick and West Baden to the effect that gambling houses have been reopened, the state officers are not able to substantiate the rumors and are fully convinced that gambling has seen its last day in the valley. With the disposition of the cases against alleged keepers of gambling houses in Orange county yesterday, and the burning of the paraphernalia that was confiscated by the state when former Attorney General Miller began prosecution against gambling in that locality, all of the cases, -of which there were fifty-nine, have been disposed of with the exception of two. These are against the French Lick Springs Company and the West Baden Company, in which the state seeks to revoke the charters of the two companies. The case against the French Lick Company Is pending before the Orange circuit court on petition by the state for a change of venue. It is thought probable that this matter will be disposed of during the September term of court.