Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-17
THOSE CHARGES.
What Chief Cuddy Thinks of
the Matter.
CHINAMAN's REPUTATION
The Action of the Council Freely
Commented Upon by the Citi-
zens in General.


Cuddy and dismiss him in disgrace
from position he has held with honor
to himself and to the community so
long, is considered one of the most out
rageous proceedings that ever occurred
in this or any other city. In the
HERALD's account of the proceedings of
yesterdays meeting of the City Council,
given publication elsewhere, the reader
will find complete and accurate ac-
count Of the attempt OF certain of the
members of that body to oust from office
the very best officer the city has ever had
at the head of the Police Department
On the unverifed statement of Chinese
convict it was attempted to dismiss
Chief Cuddy in disgrace. Nobody dared
father the statement; the Mongol crimi-
nal himself dared not put his head
inside the portals of the Council Chamber.
The action of some of the members OF
the Council yesterday spread like Wild
fire through the town. 1t would be put.
ting it mildly to state that it was much
commented upon. Supreme disgust was
apparent upon Republicans and Demo
Gratis alike. Who the man was that was
afraid to open his mouth and acknowl-
edge that he prepared in English the
statement of the Chinese, when called
upon in Council to do so, was matter
of universal inquiry. Whoever or what
ever he was, this person was the re-
cipient of expressions of opinion of a
character not to be made public in print.
1t was the generally expressed opinion
that for political and spiteful motives
alone enemies were trying to down the
Chief of Police. and their cowardly
method of procedure was strongly con-
demned. To several posted citizens their
action yesterday caused no surprise.
They expected it, and stated as a reason,
openly and above board, that the alleged
desire to have an honest man Chief OF
Police had nothing to do with it.
When it was known that Councilman
Lowell had openly moved the Chiefs sus-
pension, HERALD man sought to become
acquainted with the nature of the state
ment the Chinese highbinder and ex-
convict, Wong Que & Co., filed with the
City Council. The statement is to the
effect that this man Que, in June, sought
to open and maintain tan game in
Chinatown. He alleges that he was ap-
preached next day by Chinaman, who
told him he could not operate unless he
paid, for the police fund, $50 per week
for each game. This, Que says, he re-
fused to do. On the same day he alleges
txhe same Chinaman approached him and
told him he could run his game or games
if he paid SIS week tribute. Que says
he refused to pay this amount, and that
since he has been raided every time he
tried to operate. He says he believes
the Chinaman wanted the money for the
police office. This is the sum and SUBJ
stance of tissue of statements that
would occupy two columns of a
newspaper, and is not verified under
oath, and the fact that whoever
wrote it out in English was too cowardly
to father it is said to be prima facie evi.
dence of the fact that it is a marufactur.
ed declaration of falsehood from top to
bottom. The cry was raised in the
Council, "Who sends or knows about
this paper, and no answer came"
The HERALD man next met President
Humphreys directly in front of the
HERALD Office, as he was proceeding up
Second to Fort street.
The reporter asked: "What about this
Chief of Police business?"
cit does not concern the Chief Of
Police at all it is the old story of China
town corruption" was the answer, and
Mr.. Humphreys moved away. Yet de-
spite this assertion, Mr.. Humphreys, a
Democrat, saw fit to appoint two Repub.
licans and one Democrat as committee to
investigate the charges against the Chief
of Police, with the high binders unsworn
statement as basis from which to work.
Chief Cuddy was next seen by the
HERALD man, in his private office. He
was asked concerning the matter, and
in response to queries said
''I know this to be a conspiracy on the
part of those members of the Council to
down me. They have adopted this
method in this, their latest attempt to do
so. / will tell you the truth of this mat.
ter. In the first place let me speak of
the Chinaman Wong Que, who signs
that statement. He is an ex-convict, a
highbinder, and is known to the officers,
who sent him to States Prison, as
"Charley Que." He was imported here
by the notorious Ah Ark and his confed-
crates, and received $500 as a retainer to
"fx" things with this, or the Mayors
office SO that fan-tan could be operated,
unmolested, in Chinatown. He haunted
me from the time of his arrival here,
about the last of May, until kicked him
out of this office. He wanted me to ar
range SO that the Chinatown games could
run. Ark, his companion, did
the same thing. They wanted it
arranged so that the city, for value
received would allow the games to run.
I know he visited the Mayors office on
the same business. When Que found il
would not go he opened a Chinese
brothel, the very filthiest of its class.
made every effort to get evidence to con-
vict him and he knows it, for he told ex-
Officer Boland he would get even with
me. The man is Little Pete,' shrewd
Chinaman and as unscrupulous as any oi
his class. He has consented, very pos
sibly for money, to be made TOOL Of the
men who do not want to see me hold
this office. Now as to his statement.
While it does not directly or indirectly
accuse me of anything / know
it is not true, because know
that from the time Que got here we were
making it too hot for Chinese or white
men to gamble. Possibly at odd mo.
ments game might have been started
up, but it never lasted, and ever since
we have watched the games so closely
that gambling in fan tan or in anything
else unlawful is dead letter in Los An
geles. That statement is tissue OF lies
written in English by man too COW
ardly to say he wrote at Que's dictatior