POKER NOT UNLAWFUL.

Shannon News, 23 September 1921, Page 3

POKER NOT UNLAWFUL.

CLUB MANAGER ACQUITTED. At London sessions recently the manager oi'"a club was indicted lor naving kept a common gaming-house. The Judge said the only question lor the‘jury was whether poker was an unlawful game. The jury found the defendant not guilty, and he was discharged. Mr Roome, for the prosecution, said the police entered the premises on May 10 and found five men playing poker. On the table were different coloured counters to the value ol £0 ss. The highest stake played for was 325. The Juilge: Unless poker is an unlawful game, there is no evidence that this is a common gaming-house. Mr Roome: That is right. For the defence,. Mr Charles Stewart Cox, of High Holborn, was,, called as an authority on poyer. He said he had played the game for nearly 14 years. Skill was the governing element in poker. The game as now played had not the slightest relation to the poker of earlier days, which had won for itself such a bad name. Mr Roome: Supposing you had four aces and a king in your hand, what would happen? The witness: 1 should drop dead. Mr William 1 Dalton, who said he had played poker for 40 years, stated that there was a preponderating element -•of skill in poker.