Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-03
CHINATOWN POLICE BEAT.
SPECIAL AND WARM MEETING OF TIE
POLICE COMMISSIONERS.
An Alleged Royal Salary from LESS
Royal Source Where it is SAID 20 come
from-The Statement Denied

meeting of the Police Commissioner
was held in the Police Courtroom yesterda.
afternoon, to consider a petition presented b.
a portion of the residents of Chinatown TO
the appointment Of an additional specia
police officer to George K. Rider, alread,
employed. It was stated in the petition
that owing to the extent of the Chinatown
beat for only one officer to patrol, Grim
and lawlessness must have free scope; at leas
opportunity" It further stated that sucl
officer would be paid by those in the localit,
who would be thus afforded protection, AM
would make no expense to the city.
The Courtroom was crowded to the utmost
by the leading Chinese, part of whom
favored and others opposed the petition, and
by large number of white people. r. NJ
Clarken appeared for the petitioner, and G
7. Jones for George K. Rider and portion
of the Chinese in opposition to another ap
pointment being made.
The petition was accompanied by remark
able statement in writing Of what IS asserted
to have been the revenue OF the special police
officer of Chinatown, and the sources from
which it is derived, as follows: Nine lottery
houses, which pay 81 each per month
twenty. one gambling houses, at $40 each PEI
month six small gambling houses at 81 each
house per month; one hundred and sixty
poor unfortunate girls of the brothels, 81 per
head per month butcher shops, pawn shops,
cook shcpp, stores, ETC., all at 81 per month.
The statement also says that the above, which
make sum of from $500 to $40 per month,
has been paid during the last six years, but
that " at the present time some of the gamb-
| ling houses have been stopped, and the pay
ment is now only 500 per month.
! Mr.. Clarken said, in presenting the matter
of the petitioners to the Board, that it was
not his desire, nor was it the desire of those
he represented, to interfere with MIR. Riders
appointment and position, but they only
asked that a second special officer be ap-
pointed to make stronger police force, for
the purpose of enforcing better police regula-
tions than it was possible for one to do. He
said the statement on file with the petition as
to the sources and amounts paid by the Chi
nese to the special officer he knew nothing OF,
aud had nothing to say aboutit. That, he pre-
sumed, would be matter for investigation
| by the Board at another time, if at all, as he
knew of no formal charges having been filed
against Mr.. Rider, and for one he hadn't
aught to say against him, for he knew OF
nothing. The only question before the Board,
he said, was whether it would make second
appointment.
| City Attorney Anderson addressed the
Board, and said that he did 30 not as an at.
torney for either party, but as public off,
Ger. He referred to the statement which had
| been fled and said it was a matter of grave
and public Importance, for il it was true it
revealed the fact-and he presumed it would
be a revelation to most people-that here is
the large sum of $40 being paid monthly by
| the keepers of gambling-houses and other
illegal places, to police officer for their pro-
lection in their unlawful practices, which
| officers duty it was to suppress them and
arrest all parties found in them. He did not
believe there was any truth in the matter.
Outside of that he was now as he had always
been-opposed to the appointment of special
police, and believed the entire police duty
should be performed by regular officers.
Mayor Brown said that it had been
openly limited, something perhaps in the ma.
tpre of threat, thatiif Mr.. Riders appoint
ment was revoked he would at once be ap-
pointed as Deputy Sheriff by the Sheriff of
the county, and continue his present duties as
before. His understanding of the matter
was that the city should have control of the
peace matters of the city. He said he would
like to have the City Attorney state whether
the Sheriff would have the power to make
such appointments to take the place of police
| officers within the city.
MIR. Anderson replied that the Sheriff has
power to appoint peace officers, and they can
exercise the functions of their office in this
city or anywhere in the county.
Referring to the statement on file, the
Mayor said, 4" wish to say that if, as is in
timated here by this paper on file, Mr..
Rider is receiving this large sum or any sum
| from these gambling houses, and others which
are unlawful, for the purpose of protecting
them, l shall vote to discharge him at once"
Mr.. Jones said it rested entirely with the
Board of Police Commissioners whether
another special officer should be appointed in
Chinatown or any other locality, but that he
spoke within his knowledge when he said that
there was now less crime being committed in
Chinatown than at any previous time within
the last ten years. He claimed that the
petition for an additional officer was not signed
by the best or prominent men of Chinatown ;
Mr.. Jones said the petition was nothing more
or less than request to divide the salary
now received by MIR. Rider between two Of
ficers, and that the allegation obtained in
the paper as to a royalty being paid by
gambling houses and houses of ill-fame were
not true that similar charges had been made
by public rumors against all, or nearly all,
! the OHl6IS Oh L dice, Auu IS WAS SAIisueu Luhb
there was nothing in them.
| Chief Karcher strongly opposed the APP
pointment of an additional officer, and pro-
posed to show by the regular police officers
that l street is now as quiet as at any time
| during the past fifteen years. He called the
names of several officers by which he pro.
proposed to prove this, but the Mayor said
he did not think it was necessary to take ties.
timony upon that subject.
Judge Henry said he presumed the mem.
bers of the Board and the citizens generally
understood as well as the police officers or
the Chief Of Police the condition of affairs in
Chinatown. He wished to say, however,
that he did believe in having sufficient police
force upon l street to suppress the present
Infamous practices now in vogue in that
quarter, by which not only the Chinese sut
white boys and young men and white
girls are being dragged down to tbs
deepest dregs of degradation and to ruin
As to the matter of this paper about the
special officer being paid and supported ai
stated, and that most handsomely, by gsmb
ling and other illegal practices, while these
matters are not now before the Board, they are
rife in the air andlnave been for some time, anc
coEce in such shape and are so public that 1t
will be the bounden duty of the Board soor
to go to the bottom of the matter and de
termine whether it is mere rumor or tht
shameful truth.
Chief Karcher again opposed the appoint
mentof an additional officer, and said it woulc
only cause difficulty in Chinatown, and re-
quire more police force to quell it. That be
spoke this from experience. The two officer;
would be supported by separate cliques, who
would be brought into conflict and thai
bloodshed and continued disturbance would
result. He asserted, in answer to question
from Judge Henry, that an additional az
poinsment would be in the interests of dis
order and crime.
Judge Henry replied that if the appoint
ment by the Board of an additional Officer
would place the Chinese in opposition to the
law, and make them commit crime, he
thought it was time they were taught to re-
spect the law, and he was in favor OF doing
it and not being bulldozed.
Mayor Brown said such an asserted state o.
facts connected with the rumors with which
the air is filed in regard to the gambling
houses, ETC., having subsidized the present
officer, made the position of the Police Boaro
a peculiar one. and while he did not say thai
he in any degree believed that MIR. Rider wal
guilty of the insinuations made, he ques
toned whether the appointment OF another
officer would not tend to sither show tbs
falsity of the rumors referred to, or help TO
ferret out the truth.
Mr.. Jones Endorsed what Chief karchel
had said, to the effect that the appointment
of an additional officer would produce con
fusion and increased disorder in Chinatown
The Mayor asked him if he had not heard o
these runors of corruption in regard to th'
manner in which finds yare said Ia be RAISED