Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-23
CHINATOWN SECRETS.
WHAT THE HEATHEN HAVE TO PAY
FOR GAMBLING PRIVILEGES.
The Story as Told by One of the Gam
blers Can These Things
BE Truce

A police officer wearing sad counte-
nance-his mind wrapped in deep ana
painful reverie as he lounged in the door
way OF saloon-attracted reporters at
tention and sympathy.
What's the matter, old man ~ said the
item hunter, approaching the dreamer and
administering gentle and friendly slap on
| his padded shoulder.
The gloomy peace guardian started vio-
lently, stared at the intruder upon his
thoughts, and dropped back into his
moody trance.
You're not looking like yourself at
all ventured the scribe again. What
seems to be the matter?
"Oh, there's enough the matter, l guess"
These words emanated from the depths of
| the speakers heart. no doubt for they re.
| sembled more sob than ANYTHING else
Say, suddenly resumed the officer, docs
| Il look night 10 you that, after serving the
city year on no salary-nothing 10 eat
except what we could beg-that we should
| now De dropped from the force? As far as
| am concerned personally, / wouldn't
mln0 working without salary, because
there's wing TO be made on the outside.
Bat to be dropped altogether is too much.
| am satisfied that am one of those that
are going to be fired, and that's WHY am
kicking now"
Wei, that's too bad, indeed. 10 lose So
valuable an officer SIS YOU have proved
yourself 20 be, chimed in the sympstheriC
newspaper man. But, saw. YOU inst said
thar living could be made on the ou-
srde Wast do you mean by that?'
''Just what l said. There's a hundred
Ways copper can pick up little presents.
"tti they don't amount TO patch alongside
OF what hey pick up at headquarters"
Police headquarters ?"
why, of course. You know that"
We'll, have heard OF such things. but
never knew anything definite
on must have been asleep then What
Go you suppose all these Chinese lottery
games, tan games, opium joints and houses
OF Ill-fame have been allowed TO run fulI
blast for-for nuthin'2 Not much. If thew
didn't put up they would be shut up only
too quick. Look at the way L street is al
lowed to run, too. Don't you suppose thev
nave TO pony up so as not to be bothered %
~ ell, 1t does look clear, must admit.
But where does the biggest revenue come
trom-Chinatown or l. street ?"
Why, Chinatown, by good deal. Wnv
1t L had one-tifth of what comes OUT of
Chinatown | would not have to work anv
more and could pass the rest of my life ia
luxury and wear diamonds. Why, thew
but look, here comes a Chinaman down
the street that can give you facts and fig
ures. He's one of the boss Chinatowu
gamblers, and sort of runs things up there
Pretend that you are going to be one OF ttr
new PONCE officers and he will tell you al
about it."
The Chinaman referred to-a sleek. we'll
dressed aud corpulent individual, who
sported large solitaire on his little finger
and smoked a long cigar through still
longer holder-was hailed by the discon-
tented officer and introduced to the re-
porter.
NO sabe new police yet" said the Celes.
tia! with grin, when asked about the
prospects OF the gamblers under the new
regime. Maybe have to shuttee up for
while. Don't know"
Well, how has it been before ?" asked
the reporter.
"on, heap good. Policeman velly coed
-waikee long stleet, eyes velly bad, nocan
see lottlely; sabe? Ha! Har'
How many lotteries are running?"
"One, two, tlee, fob, tie, sixie, sebeu-
saben lottelv."
"Where?'
"Al! on l stleet. Besides lottely, run
fortJ-eight agency. You ssbe agencv9
Nan keep store all round town; sell
ticket; lottely dlaw twice evely day; dlaw
fob eli OK every afternoon and ten clock
| night evely day; agency sell UNI heap lots
ticket; Besides, lottely hab heap lots
tunnels and"
Lots of WHAT"
"LuEnels."
He means runners" explained the
police officer. They are the chaps that
60 around the city from house TO house
| every day selling Chinese lottery tickets.
They get commission for it."
DO the lotteries make plenty Of money?"
inquired the reporter, turning again to the
Chinalnan.
o., yes; make plenty. Heb plenty to
pay policeman"
How much do you have 70 paw"
"Evely lottely pay three dollars week"
How many tan games are running?"
Sixteen" was the Celestial's prompt
answer.
How much 90 they pay ?'
Five dollars week. Lottelies pay three
dollar, tan game five dollar, ana agency
! pay one dollar. Besides opium smoke
| place pay, and woman house pay"
| Who collects all this p
| "Policeemsn-George Lider."
| Aha What does he 90 with it ?'
Don't know. He teilee Chipaman
make um all hight with Cnlefee. China
man no ask nuthin'- no sabe nothin' mo-.
He catch 'um bout 81 500 eveIy month
from Chinaman-let lottely, tan, opium,
woman, all run"
The 70 uble heather then took his de-
parture, and left the reporter ana police.
man gazing at each other-the one amaz ID
at what he had heard, and the other chuck
ling with satisfaction
| Now" said the officer, ''if what he has
told you and what | have told you is not
satisfactory as regards the number of these
places, just take a walk along street any
| afternoon or evening-the evening is the
best-and you can see for yourself. The
lotteries make no pretense toward being
secluded, nor do the tan games A little
lamp hangs in front of each ian house, so
that you cannot go astray on them
The reporter promised be would at some
future time, and they parted.