WHAT KIRBY WAS DOING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1776, 19 June 1896, Page 3

WHAT KIRBY WAS DOING.

Ihe ' New Zealand Times' says :—lt is stated that Detective Kirby arranged with a wellknown spieler to come from the South to Wellington to open a gambling saloon in the city and run it under cover of a billiard rcom. This was done, and the room was fitted up with the usual paraphernalia, electric bells, chains across the doors, hush linhfcd, and all the accessories of a gambling saloon. A man was posted at the front door entrance, and those who desired to enter had to give the password.

Once inside, the visitor met blacklegs, spielers, and the recognised town gamblers, with an occasional pigeon, who were either resident in or passing through the city. When hazard wa| being played, as was often the case, the billiard table was covered over with either a thick cloth or a covering of light boards. Then the dce commenced to rattle and the players to get excited, for often the play ran high and large sums cf money changed hands; and at times the pandemonium, for such it was, was kept up all night. Side rooms were provided for those of the visitors who gambled at cards. The chief of the establishment, who has since become one of the principal " tote bettors " of the city, charged a commission, and reaped quite a harvest at the game. The profits, it is said, were shared with Kirby. This was carried out until matters got talked of, and the existence of the den was hinted to the authorities, and, a hint being given from a friendly quarter, the saloon, at least for a time, was shut up. Kirby was afterwards transferred from Wellington, and raids were made on the establishment and others of a like description, but for a while without success. After a time effected an entrance into one of them, and the keeper was arrested and imprisoned and a number of people who were found on the premises fined. Another of Kirby's method*, it is asserted, was, when he was employed by racing club 3 and at sports generally to prevent spieleis carrying on their games, and for that purpose probably paid by some of the clubs, he would approach the ppielers and intimate to them that if they did U make it worth bis while then they would have to go, the result being that he was paid by them to be allowed to stay. . If Kirby had succeeded in getting to America, as it was supposed he intended doing, he would not have been a stranger there, as he was sent to the States from Timaru for the purpose of bringing back a man charged with forgery.