A FLOATING CASINO.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8919, 12 September 1907, Page 4

A FLOATING CASINO.

An ingenious attempt to circumvent the American laws relating to gambling has just been checked at the instance of the Chicago authorities. A steamer chartered by a syndicate loft Chicago every day, aud proceeded to an anchorage in Lake Michigan, at the intersection of the State lines of Illonis, Indiana, aud Michigan, which is just south of Chicago. This vessel was fitted with a receiver for wireless telegraphy, aud by this means received racing nows from all over tiie country, aud the syndicate has been making immense profits by running the steamer as a pool room. As the vessel complied with the navigation laws aud with the regulations of the steamship inspection service, for a long time no law could bo found to .stop the scheme. But at last the Department of Commerce aud Labour in Washington bethought them of a law which provides that a vessel’s license |shall not continue in force unless she is engaged in the employment for which she is licensed, aud as ships are licensed only for trade or flshiug the Government decided that anchoring her off shore and using her as a gaming house does not come under either of these heads, and revoked the vessel’s sailing license. The syndicate intend to fight the case.