G ambling was both legal and huge open in Albuquerque. Town government relied closely at the sale of saloon licenses and fines imposed for disturbances at the gambling tables to assist maintain the municipal government. As cities sprouted inside the 19th-century American West-outside Army forts, at river crossings along wagon trails, in mining districts and at railheads-some of the first systems constructed were recreational facilities. Recreation for the nearly totally male populace inevitably intended Three-W vices of the frontier-whiskey, whoring and wagering.
Since no stigma changed into connected to games of hazard, distinguished pillars of the network indulged overtly. One distinguished gambling addict became the metropolis’s main magistrate, Judge William C. Heacock. He will be determined maximum nights whiling away his time dealing 3-card Monte in his preferred Albuquerque saloon Dealers banked their own video games. If they made cash, it become theirs. If they lost, it become out of their very own pocket. Judge Heacock cherished gambling 3-card Monte within the backroom of a saloon in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He also presided over Albuquerque’s night court docket, which he opened and closed at his very own discretion. When the choose suffered a terrible dropping streak, he called in a city deputy and stated, “Get me a drunk with money in his pockets that is responsible of disorderly behavior.” Judge Heacock’s widow informed an interviewer of 1 prevalence in which the decide ran out of money. Deputies have been dispatched to find a under the influence of alcohol. The deputies quickly returned wearing a limp man among them. “What the Hell?” asked the choose? “What’s that you obtain? “Your honor,” responded a deputy, as he laid his burden on the ground, “we determined him within the lower back room of the Blue Indigo.” “Can he stand trial or is he useless drunk?” asked the decide. “He’s now not under the influence of alcohol, however he’s useless all proper. He croaked himself over there inside the Blue Indigo and the proprietor insisted we get him out of there.” This irritated the choose. “Didn’t the fools ever listen of an inquest?” he requested. Heacock had sent for a beneficial inebriated, no longer a drooling suicide. The judge grew to become to his deputies. “This courtroom is a courtroom of justice. The right of habeas corpus need to not be left out. The prisoner need to be given a fast and truthful trial. This courtroom is ready to hear proof. What is the price?” “Your Honor,” stated a deputy, “The price has now not but been decided.” “This court will hear no case with out a rate. Did you seek the prisoner?” “There become a letter to a few dame-“began the deputy.” “Any money?” The deputy counted out $27.32. “Any guns?”