Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-28
Sam Francisco-GambIfng.
[OOrrespondence of the Chicago Tribune.l
SAN FRhNc1sco. CT Feb 18 1se

Just created sensation by a very violent
charge to the Grand Jury on the subject of
gambling and the manner in which it is
carried on unchecked, within, a stones
throw of the City Hall, and under the very
noses, if not the eyes, of the San Francisco
police. He more than intimated chat if it
were not for the fact that some of the high
authorities in the Police Department. were
Induced to wink at the crime, gambling
could be suppressed entirely in San Fran
cisco. The public at large. who know as
much about the facts as does Judge CowleS,
will not, fully agree with him. h 4a- lr4
TO begin at the bottom, the lower class of
Chinese and Coolies are the most inveterate
gamblers on earth, and all efforts to prevent
their sindulging in the vice until their
nature has been radically changed-say
after couple of thousand years of good
example set them by our Caucasian popu-
lation-will necessarily prove abortive.-
They gamble by lottery, at dominoes, or by
the ). banking game of ethan" or s. Tan,"
in every part of the city, by day and by
night, all the year round. The gambling
houses in the Chinese quarter of the city,
are never Tclosed from one years end to
another. You hear the hOrrid music of
their one1stringed fiddles and kettle drums
from early morning to morning again, and
see the YotarieS of fortune crOWding in and
out of the deus all the time. Then we have
games of cards and other kinds of gambling
DdLlHOS Vi every cOuHGIy Ol
Spanish America, Asia and the islands of
Jhe ocean, always going on in the quarters
inhabited by the different classes in the
city, all the year round. Then it mnst be
Remembered that four outof five of all the
= corner groceries" scattered all over the
city, from the city front to Lone Mountain,
and from North Bench to the Mission Do
1OreS, have q card room in the rear, where
''pitch," "crib," and draw poker" are
constantly going on for liquor and money.
Then, too, the churches encourage the
passion for gambling by the grab-bag
''tombola" and similar lodges, or fairs
and festivals, while tirst-class merchants
regularly invest in the Royal Havana Lot
terry. as!asap4iatt @f zsat-,ie ~ -i'tT
IA few days since firm owning a leading
saloon, drew 100000 in the Havana, and
the partner, having the lucky ticket In his
pocket, attempting to leave the country by
steamer, was dogged by the police, set on
BY tile other member of the firm, who
claimed that the money was paid from the
common funds, and, after the matter be-
came public, the affair was compromised
and the money divided. Here are forms
enough of the device to deter the police
man from cherishing any thought of eradi-
eating the evil from the community, but
these are only the picket guards at the out
posts, after all. When he approaches the
door Of regular gambling house. he finds
| insurmountable. The Bulletin, speaking oi
| this subject, says: e---
A stranger cannot enter gambling "Sa-
| loon" in this city unassisted by the initiated
| He must first be introduced and indOrsed
| by some one known to the prOprietOrs Oi
the establishment before the entree of the
house is his. The saloons are usually fitteC
with an outer and inner door, so arranged
that person cannot see the interior OF tht
saloon until both doors are passed. The
-outer door is provided with small wicket
llarge enough for a man to look through
when raised. through which the visitor il
1 identified. This door and wicket is tended
by a person who knows all the patrons o
the game, and who can usually tell gamb
ling man by "cut' of his jib." For this
lservice, one of the most important about
gambling saloon, maa is usually selected
who is familiar about the city, and mori
particularly with the countenances of th
tpolice officers. On his judgment depend
the safety of his employers, for if by an!
Ioversight of his an opponent of the gam'
should gain admission to the rooms, an(
mingle with the betGers about the table
taking notes of what he saw with aViev
to a criminal prosecution, it would be a sal
day for the doorkeeper. Ex-police officer
are usually employed in this kind of bust
ness, their knowledge of the tactics O
policemen and their personal acquaintance
Police Department rendering them peculi
arly fitted for the service.
l. 1t Is their business to know when ney
i policemen are appointed, to learn who the,
are, and be able to identify them in cas-
they present themselves at the door of
gambling house, attired in any dress bu
that of policeman. When vacancies ar
to be filled on the police force, these me
are constant trequenters of the City Hall
endeavoring to learn all they can concern
ing the new appointees at the earliest mo
ment. 1t is undoubtedly fact that thest
men have friends on the police force, VIII
assist them in gathering the information
efficiency. of the force are admitted, but
would be moral wonder if there were nc
in their ranks sometimes weak and corrup
men, who either invOIuntarily or willingf
become instruments in the concealmenG {
offenses. H7it is asked, why do not tn
police adopt strategy, and gain ingres
through skylights or windows, or sudden
ly pounce in upon a game by forcing tn
door?" the answer is that evidence suffi
cient to convict the gamblers in a court can
not be gained in this way, for the momer
that an entrance is gained the dealer DROP
his box, and, the game stops. The Office
( sees money and checks representing yalu
/ upon the table, hears the clinking of tn
! coin, sees the anxious betters grouped aboU
I IA,
/ the table with his box and cards befOI
him, and in fact everything necessary I
convince him. to a moral certainty that h
Is in the s'den of the tiger" but he does nc
! | see the game of faro played. 1t is no Grim
for a man to sit behind a faro table with I'll
gambling implements about him, and to tn
extent does the knowledge of the officer g
OF course the game is not resumed Whi
lhe is present, and having in vain attemp
ed to get evidence, he retires unsuccessful
The moment he has taken his departur
and the coast is clear, the dealer resume
his box, the players make their bets, an
the game proceeds after the heinterruption
if nothing had happened. s t-r
I When / add that the dealers in some
the worst gambling dens are always ella
in long black robes, masked and winged,
as TO defy the closest scrutiny and bait
every effort at Identification, even whe
the disguised policeman stands face to fat
with them; and that an attempt at an a
rest is but to signal for the disappearant
of the lights and a general scramble al
hustling, which would result in the certa
escape of the .prisoner-you will see. tn
the chances for making successful raid O
these deDs are slight, indeed. But even
these difficulties are overcome, in a give
case, by some unexpected run of good luc
and the dealer identified and got und,
lock AID key, experience shows that the
is 10 earthly ground for hope of a col
viction, for the witness must be locked u
in an iron cell and guarded night and da
or he will be approached and ''palmed
''sweeted," or scared by threats into lea1
ing the country. Rather than run the ris
OF conviction, the gambler will bleed
any extent, and, if money will not do I'll
work. threats and even actual violence,
necessary, will be resorted to uDhesitatin,
ly. | am afraid that it will be many yea
before gambling will be put down in Ss
II Francisco. ,.-a-.i-.ciia 30 az ~ ~ e.