SOCIETY GABBLERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 891, 10 August 1910, Page 7

SOCIETY GABBLERS.

NEW CONSTABLE MAKES A RAID. THE TABLES TURNED. CHIEF OF POLICE ARRESTS HIS SUBORDINATE. By Toltgraph-I'ms ASFooiation-CopyrigM. (Ivcc. August 10, 0.15 a.m.) . ~.' .'.' Now York,. August 9. A sensation has been caused by the jaiding of a gambling, club at '.JNarrar gansem Pier, which lies across the bay from Newport, Rhode Island, the most... fashionable seaside resort in tho "United States, and the summer haunt of the New. lork. smart sot. .. '

Thirty persons, all of whom are wellknown in American society, were arrested by the armed police who conducted the raid. .'■-.. ' • ,-■

Tho, prisoners were ; taken to the police court in handcuffs.' They have protested indignantly against their treatment by tne police. r : • ."•'

The raid was carried out by six informers, who were headed by Constable Cress. The constable had been but recently appointed .to the-force, and was acting without a warrant, or without having consulted with the Chief of Police.: .'-.' ■ :

■The' raiders armed themselves with axes, and/ speedily .overpowered the guard, at"'the .main entrance to the gambling club. They rushed into the building, and found a gathering of society people in a luxuriously-appointed roulette hall. .'-.'■.-..

The constable and his party drew their revolvers, and ordered the bril-liantly-gowned and be-jewelled women to one side, arid the men to the other.

A ''state of utter panio prevailed among' the gamblers. The women gave false names, and many pleaded for release on the ground of their husbands' anger.! •. ■. ■ . : Constable Cross, however, was adamant in the execution of his duty, and turned a deaf ear to all entreaties. A sum of £6000 was lying on the roulette table, .and this the constable promptly confiscated. ::. . ' ' : At this stage Mr. Caswell, the'.Chief of Police, arrived and ordered Cross i>o .desist, from his unauthorised raiding operations.: '; . . ■ . ■ The constable flatly ■ refused to' do anything of the kind, and a fight eni, sued. . i Finally Cross and his raiding party were overpowered and arrested.. They are to be charged with assault. After'the melee was over three motorcars mysteriously arrived, and speedily, removed every, trace of the gambling from the building. '■

A CAUSTIC CRITIC. The frivolity and "freak" entertainments of American society at Newport have long been coniraeivted on in the press. A few years ago the parvenu: elein*nt battered at ; its doors with the almighty dollar, and the |"circus antics" of the newcomers with their monkey dinners, etc., so disgusted. many of. the older .habitues.. of the''place that' they forsook. Since then Newnort is supposed to have reformed somewhat. --.■•

. Hiss Ethel Barrymorc, one of the most famous actresses in the States, sometime back made some bitter and caustio remarks on American Society to an interviewer. ■' Miss Barrymoro has for-years been a frequent/guest among the people .whose names figure prominently in the American equivalent of "Debrett's Peer.age." This is what she now has to say of New York society: . . • ' "If a plague were to wipo out the entire'society element of New York the metropolis would ,be none 'the worse. Society women in America—at least in New York—accomplish nothing and give nothing to the world. Their international marriages, are a',failure, because i have, not enough culture, education, and serious purpose •to interest for very long a foreign nobleman or to meet the requirements of foreign society. . . "In Now York,, if a woman can join gracefully, iu the inanities of the ordinary dinner table she will pass; muster,; but if ..she ■ should happen to touch on anything that the real men of the country, are doing,' or, if she should venture on a discussion of -political issues and blems, books, or any of the multiple , interests' which' might. appeal to - one of her mental capacity,. she is shunned as a frightful- bore. New York women of wealth are merely selfish and piggish, content with comfortable living-quarters, good ■ dinners, a' little golf and bridge, and a rapid ride or two in'a motor-car." "A millionaire is bad enough, but the son of ;.a millionaire—ugh! Why, the average son of an American millionaire has not brains enough to interest a- cat. He has no purpose in existence. He never enters the world of, affairs,.'the political arena, soience,' art, or a career of any kind, as the English gentlemen consider it their duty to do. All the rich young American cares for is to lie about in a luxurious club, talk polo and golf, and bask in the glory of his father's dollars at infinite leisure." ' :.