The morning call., 1890-08-02
CHINESE TAN GAMES.
Difficulty Experienced in Secur-
ing Evidence.
Sergeant spillans 0vercOmes Tricks That Are
Vain and Ways That Are Dark-Bolts
and Bars Removed

Sergeant Spillane and posse are keeping
close watch on the tan games in China
| town. which in spite of the numerous raids
| are still going on in secret in different parts
of the Chinese quarters. The orders of the
| Sergeant are strict, and he has been au-
thorized to take every possible means to
break up the tan games. In making his
| raids Sergeant Spillane is meeting also with
| numerous adventures which make his du-
ties anything but tame. In overcoming the
trickery of the Chinese considerable strata
gem has to be used.
Some days ago raid was made at $40
Washington street The game had been
going on several nights, but the officers let
it go on in order to encourage the gamblers.
Finally the raid was decided ON and the
officers set time to begin their operations
When the place was entered the door was
barred against the officers. This door was
as strong as iron and was made Of Austria
liam iron wood, two inches thick, covered
with a back of oak
The whole was riyeted with iron bolts,
and presented such a formidable obstacle
that the pickaXes of the posse made very
little b eadway against this barricade. FL
nall the door was broken open, and side
passageway discovered, when another door
l0Oneu III SlBHI AnOIuer alLdck was mau6
on this. but the Sergeant had taken the pre-
caution TO station one Of his officers at the
first door broken open.
A MARCH ON THE CHINESE.
This proved to be a wise step, as after
the second door had been forced, the Chi
nese stole around the back way, and, after
making passage through thin door which
appeared as part of wall, they appeared
al the first door with the intention of gain
ing the street. They were met by the Of
fcer in charge of the door and arrested.
The evidence against the game was dis
covered after long and patient search be-
tween two bricks behind an old stove
When the case came up IN court yesterday
the attorney for the Chinese denied that
any tan game had been running there and
Judge Lawler decided to visit the place at
IL O'clock to-day and view the scene him
self. Sergeant Spillane and Officer Ross
visited the place last night to see If any
thing had been changed and were not sur
prsed to find that the chief evidence had
disappeared This was the door in the wall
which would serve as ready means of
exit.
A careful examination of the wall showed
no trace of door ever having existed
there. The planks were all smooth and
fresh. There was no trace of even crack,
and anybody would swear that it would be
impossible for the Chinese to have attempt
ed to make their exit from that quarter.
the other side.
NO TRACE OF DOOR FOUND.
No trace of door was found there
either. A sleeping couch lay alongside of
| the place where the door was supposed to
| be. There was a new light plaster over the
! place. Finally this was examined and
! door discovered, but when opened nothing
! was seen but the new and closely fitting
| planks which had been nailed up on the
| other side during the day. Sergeant Spill
| lane was therefore much gratifed at the
| discovery he made.
| a similar case to this happened about a
| week ago, when raid was made at S02
| Dupont street. Besides numerous doors
made of Australian ironwoOd, which had to
| be broken with sedge-hammers and pick
| axes, the officers in their upward course en-
cOuntered hatchway made of the same
| material. This was forced and the neces-
| sary evidence secured. When the case came
! up in court Judge Lawler decided to visit
| the place in order TO satisfy himself, but
when the visit was made the iron bolts aud
bars had been all taken off the hatchway
and there was no evidence to show that it
had been used during the game.
After close inspection Sergeant Spilane
showed the Judge where the bolts had been
removed, and the Chinese were convicted
Several days afterward the Chinese en-
deavored to place the bolts on the hatch
way again, but Sergeant Spillane peremp-
torily forbid such a course, and the hatch
way is still a Tree means OF exit and en-
trance to the apartments.