The Gambling Den Raid
After the Post-Intelligencer exposes the police department's cozy relationship with local gambling halls, authorities are forced to act.
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 special privilege afforded to the gambling houses of 'Gene Way and Tom Urquhart ended abruptly after the P-I exposed their operation. Despite police detectives being frequenters of Way's saloon, no official notice was taken of the gambling until the paper forced the issue. Chief Willard finally swore out search warrants. Officers raided Urquhart's place and 'Gene Way's place, catching Way in the act of dealing faro. While the gambling tools were seized, they are expected to be returned in a few days, and the games will likely resume once the 'breeze' blows over.
“It is not the offense of gambling but the publicity that is objected to.”
This reflects the cyclical nature of late 19th-century policing in Seattle, where corruption was often 'managed' rather than stopped, and newspapers functioned as the only check against cozy municipal arrangements.
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