Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-09
THE SURE-THING MEN THINK THEY
WILL HAVE FULL SWAY.
An Ingenious Scheme to Defeat the
Police During the Fair-No Law
To Stop 1t.

hdySeedS.
The gambler laughed long and loud as
he uttered this and administered vigorous
slap on the scribe's back
Don't be in such a hurry now.n said
the latter after he had recovered from the
effects of the blow, you are evidently a
little behind the times. Gambling don't
go this year."
Ha! ha! ha! Who says so, sonny?"
Why, Chief Lee. He has issued orders
to allow nothing to go-not even little
spin-whee for match boxes"
The old fellow was doubled up with
laughter again at this, and it was some
time before he had subsided sufficiently to
speak: Chief Lee says so, hey? Ha! ha !
ha Well, what if he did? He's fine
gentleman, and wants to do what's right,
but he's as harmless as baby"
What do you mean ?"
Just what say. He nor anybody else
can stop us?"
"Oh, now you're talking foolishly. You
will see whether he can or not'
We'll, you will see too. But 1 say"
and the old-timer took the newspaper man
by the aim and led him to secluded
place. II don't mind giving you the bus
mess straight. It's no use holding it
longer. We've got the whole thing settled
and it's too good to keep"
We'll, go ahead" said the reporter,
1mpatiently, I'm all attention"
AN EXPLANATION ATTEMPTED.
"Well you see, we folks that run games
have to be pretty fly all the time and be
lnventlng new schemes, or else our busi-
ness would be knocked out in no time;
seer Well, now, We knew all about the
howl that was going on up here, headed by
your order league, or whatever you call it,
and we knew that it was even up that
trouble was in store for us-possibly
complete shut out at least as far as tie
city authorities went But, as l said be-
fore, we have to be fly to get along. and
we are just as fly this year as ever.
es, yes, but you are not getting to the
point" impatiently broke in thenewspaper
representative.
oh yes, l am. Just keep cool now.
Wen, anticipating trouble, we have de-
cided to wholly ignore your good Chief,
your Law and Order League, and, in fact,
your whole works up here. You know,
probably, that killip q Co. have leased the
vacant lot on the northeast corner of Sew
enth and K streets for fair time, don't
you?"
Yes"
ner?"
Yes; the United States Government"
Well, that's the whole thing don't you
see?"
mo, 1 don't see. I'm in the dark as
much as ever" was the newspaper mans
admission
Why, you must be blind. Now listen
again The Government owns that land
and killip & Co. have leased it from the
Government at the Sub-Treasury in San
Francisco. Now, killip & Co. are not 60
ing to use the whole lot, and will sub-let
what they don't want to whoever wants it,
and that means US folks. See?"
Well, what of that? Can't YOU be
stopped there?"
PowERLEss, INDEED.
It's you that's talking foolishly now"
said the gambler. It's as plain as day.
Don't you know that neither the State nor
municipal officers can make an arrest, or
interfere with any transaction on Govern
ment property. It's wholly out of their
jurisdiction. The Courts have decided
that in several instances right here in Cali
tornia. Don't you recollect the case of the
soldier who killed comrade on the Gov
ernment reservation in San Francisco?
Well, he was arrested for murder by the
municipal police, but you bet they had to
let him go mighty quick, and the United
States authorities were very indignant be-
cause the police interfered with matter
which belonged to United States officers.
Another similar case occurred when the
Terry-Field squabble occurred in the Ap.
praisers' building, in San Francisco. The
city police or State officers could do moth
ing in the matter. Now, sonny, what are
your city or State officials going to do with
us-we are on Government reservation.
Ha! hal ha !"
The newspaper man scratched his head
thoughttully as the wisdom of the gam
bler's remarks began to dawn upon him.
But, said he, still resisting, how about
the United States authorities
Oh, they are even more powerless than
Chief Lee. There is no United States law
against gambling. The only way the
United States Marshal could interfere with
us would be by virtue of a process from
the United States Court, and there being no
law, how in thunder is the Court going to
issue such process ?"
The pencil-driver was convinced-at least
so far as the gamblers explanation is con-
cerned. If what he said were true, the
gamblers were indeed at liberty to do as
they pleased. He bade the chuck -a-luck
to Chief Lees office.
CHIEF LEE TALKS.
Chief of Police Lee was found in his of
hce last evening, in company with Police
Judge Buckley
Yes, heard something of that" said
the Chief, when informed of the reporter s
errand, and / have made extensive in
qulrles regarding what power have in the
matter. Two very prominent attorneys
say that | am utterly powerless to interfere
with the gamblers should they open up on
the Government lot, and l regret to say
that l am afraid they re about right. Idon't
see what | can do. OF course can keep
them Off the race track and fair grounds
and other places. but they are not likely TO
venture of of that lot. / called upon Dis
trlct Attorney Bruner yesterday, and al
though he had not looked the matter up
very thoroughly, he shook his head doubt
fully and said he was afraid the gamblers
had the best of US. But, notwithstanding
all this, I'm not going to let the thing go
without giving them 6 fight. If they do
open up, Pm going to make an arrest or
two and test the question of jurisdiction.
That would be the proper solution of the
matter, l think. If it is decided that
have no power to interfere, why that ends
1t. But if il ends in my favor, then I'll
bounce every mothers son of them. and
not game of chance will go. That's
about all | can say about the matter last
now"
JUDGE BUCKLEY RETICENT.
Judge Buckley said he did not care to
express an opinion in the matter, as he had
not tamiliarized himself thoroughly with
the law on the subject. If it were true, he
said, that the law could not reach the gam
blers on Government land, it oughtto be so
announced by some Court. For this reason
he suggested to the Chief that the proper
manner in which 10 proceed would be to
arrest some one-say a spectator or one of
/. the game -keepers-and take the matter to
the Police Court. There the prisoner could
be found guilty and fined for the purpose
of allowing an appeal to be taken to a
higher Court, where the question of juris-
diction could be finally settled.
SHERIFF N MULLEN.
Sheriff MeMullen does not doubt but
that the gamblers can be stopped, no matter
where they opened their games. "Just let
them try it, said he, "and I'll show them
that an arrest can be made. I'll haul
them in only too quick" ae explained
that even if they do business on the
Governments lot, they would still be
within the city of Sacramento. and Sacra-
mentdtA Officers would have perfect right
to arrest them. They could not commit
ar' violation of the law, no matter whose
,nrNv- 7. 10