Police Raid a Pioneer Square Poker Game
Officers break up a high-stakes poker game at the New Zealand House, arresting the 'cappers' and seizing evidence.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The poker game which has been running in the New Zealand house under the direction of Brown and P. Smallwood was raided this morning at 1 o’clock by Officers Eldridge, Pierce, Sam Corbett and Huse. The game was broken up and a large quantity of chips and several decks of cards were taken for evidence. The proprietors of the game each put up $50 bail, but the “cappers,” John A. Lunden, L. Larsen and A. Snyder were left in jail. Four laborers who were trying to see how fast they could lose their money were arrested as witnesses, but released on their own recognizance.
“Four laborers who were trying to see how fast they could lose their money were arrested as witnesses.”
The New Zealand House, located in what is now the heart of the Pioneer Square historic district, was a frequent site for police intervention in the 1890s. This raid highlights the persistent tension between the city's rough-and-tumble gambling culture and the moral crusades of the local police.
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