100 Years Ago: Nov. 29-Dec. 5

From The Indianapolis Star, Monday, December 1, 1919: Gambling predominates among vices in Indianapolis, according to the report of the police morals squad. Cards are seldom found when officers break up games of chance as the time-honored game of poker has been almost replaced by the more modern “craps.” Another new element in the games is women players. Sergeants Othello Thomas and Floyd Reidenbach, morals squad officers, say in years past the arrest of a woman on gaming charges was almost unknown, but hardly a month now passes in which women are not caught up in a raid. Those who have been sent to the City Prison had all been found playing card games. One woman has been arrested three times for keeping a gambling house. She is said to have taken a “rakeoff” just as in other professional games.