Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1891-01-07
H9KEY-p0KEY.
THE legislature WILL BE ASKED TO
DECLARE IT ILLEGa al.
Citizen Leitch and Lawyer johnson Talk
Plainly About Alleged H.
legal Gambling.

The Board of Police Commissioners met
last evening at the request of E. NJ. Leitch
The three members of the Board-Mayor
| Comstock, Police Judge Cravens and Chiel
| of Police Drew-were present.
Grove L. Johnson addressed the Com
m;ssioners, as attorney for Mr.. Leitch. He
said be had been directed TO make COM
plant that unlawful gambling was going
on in the city; that faro games were run
ming nightly at Second and X, over the
Bank Exchange, and il the Skaggs build
ing, on the southeast corner of Seventh
and K streets, and that the officers on these
beats were not doing their duty.
He mentioned the names of the officers,
and stated that the object in making the
complaint was to call The attention of the
Board to the fact before taking any other
measures in the matter. He believed that
each one of the Commissioners felt that
gambling was going on, although they had
no personal knowledge of the fact and he
requested that they direct the officers TO
enforce the law.
Mr.. Leitch and other parties who re-
quested that the attention of the Board be
called to the matter were in earnest, Mr..
Johnson said, and proposed to take action
to the fullest extent of the law. He be-
lieved that if the officers were instructed
to stop the games and were given assur-
ance that they would be supported in their
endeavors by the Board of Police Commits.
sioners. they would not hesitate to put an
end to the faro games.
Chief Drew said he did not propose to
pay any attention to Mr.. Leitch's com
plant. He had not made his charges in
the proper manner, and had only called
the Board together as fake"
Judge Cravens said he knew that the
common impression was that unlawful
gambling was in progress. Ninety-nine
out of one hundred men would say so, al
though they did not actually see the games
running. Section 335 of the Penal Code
stated that it was the duty of District At
torneys, and all law officers, to endeavor to
suppress unlawful gambling. and that
when they had reasonable cause to believe
that it was in progress it was their duty to
investigate and satisfy themselves.
AS far as | am concerned" said the
Judge, mo officer need have any fear that
| will score him if he does his duty. l ex.
pect them all to carry out the law, and if
they have cause to believe that gambling is
going on | want them to try and ferret it
out. If they fail to do their duty they
need expect no favors from me, and when
| tiDd that they are not sincere in their
work I think l will be able to find men
who can fill their places. l will stand by
every policeman who fearlessly carries out
his instructions, and ne need never fear
that he be let off the force If he does So"
Mayor Comstock said he Endorsed the
remarks of Judge Cravens, and wanted to
see gambling in sllillegal forms stopped.
Il wouldn't know what a game was if l
saw it," added the Mayor, but guess the
officers understand it."
Mr.. Johnson said he knew at least two
of the present police force who had made
the statement that they were afraid of
losing their jobs if they arrested the gam
blers.
I'VE will give bonds,' said Mr.. John
son, that we can stop gambling in twenty.
four hours if the Chief of Police will allow
US TO select two officers from the force and
tell them to stop the faro games"
Mr.. Johnson also stated that he was
going to prepare ain amendment TO the law
TO include hockey pokey in the list of
games prohibited.
Judge Cravens said he had thought of
the matter, also, and believed it would be
good idea to include also the wheel-of-
fortune game. He thought that hockey
pokey had more demoralizing effect than
100 faro games, bat he wanted to see them
all stopped.
After considerable discussion on the
main question the meeting adjourned.
The Board of Police Commissioners
afterwards went into executive session 10
further consider the subject.