Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-10
BEHOLD HOW GREAT A MATTER
A Little Resolution Kindled in
the Police Commission.
Commissioner Snyder Brings Up the
Chinese Gambling Matter.
Tt Causes Heated Discussion-Mayo
Hazard Remembers When the
Chiu ese Gamblers Paid
$4,000 a Year.

Ds w
little resolution introduced by Commits
sioner NJ. P. Snyder, which was as fol
lows:
Whereas, 1t is stated upon good au
thority that the Chinese gambling game
of fan-tan is being played in Chinatown
ON an extensive scale, in violation of the
ordinances Of the city, and
Whereas, Rumors are in circulation
to the effect that police officials and GER
tain members of this commission are in
receipt of stated sum weekly for per.
mitting said gambling game to be oper.
ated, all of which are unfounded; there.
fore, be it
Resolved, That the chief of police be
instructed to at once take steps to put q
stop to all gambling in Chinatown, by
raiding fan-tan games, and by directing
the officers on the Chinatown beats to
locate the places where such games are
played, and by impressing upon them
the Importance of keeping vigilant
watch upon such places. Be it also
Resolved, That the chief is hereby
directed to furnish this commission, at
its next regular meeting, with the nance
of the twenty-odd lottery companies
now operating in Chinatown, together
with the place where said lottery com
panies have their daily drawings.
MR.. sNYDER's STRAIGHT TALK.
By the time Clerk w. w. Robinson
finished reading the resolution there
was death-like stiffness pervading the
mayors Office. You could have heard
pin drop for about minute.
at length Mr.. Snyder arose and stated
that he had himself heard, and in fact
understood, that gambling games were
being operated in Chinatown very nu-
merously, and he had also heard that
moneys were being paid by the China
men for permission to run the games
without material interruption. He
thought that it was about time that the
police commission let the public know
that If gambling was going on in China
town it was not with the cognizance of
the commission. He knew that as lar
as he was concerned he was not receiy-
ing one dollar from Cinnamon or any
one else, nor did he believe any commits
sioner was. Still he thought that no
injury would be done anyone by adopt
ing the resolution he had presented.
Mayor Hazard stated that if anyone
had any charges to make against the
commission, or the chief, he should
come forward and present his proof.
Commissioners Snyder stated that he
had no charges to make. The reason he
had introduced his resolution was be-
cause he thought that the public should
know exactly the position of the COM
mission as to law breaking in China
town.
Commissioner Lewis was not in favor
ofrecognizing charges of any character
made against the commission or the
chief. He asked Commissioner Snyder
ii he proposed to go out into the street
and hunt up windmills.
Commissioner Snyder stated that he
had other business to attend to, besides
chasing windmills.
But" said he, "the charge is made
by the HERALD that tan games are in
operation in Chinatown quite numer-
ously. From another source we hear
that the Chinese are paying for the
privilege Of running these games. Ger
tainly this is no windmill"
To this Commissioner Lewis replied
that the papers printed anything that
came along.
Chief Glass thought that it was un-
just for the commission to recognize the
charges. He was sure the police de-
partment was all right, and was doing
it's duty. He denied that tan games
were running regularly in Chinatown.
MR.. sHATTo's BoMBsHELL.
Commissioner Shatto threw bomb
shell into the camp, though, that Gre
ated decided sensation, and brought
out lengthy discussion.
well, can tell you,'' said the COM
missioner, "that while we are discussing
Chinese gamblers, let US pay little at
tention to the white gamblers. know
that forty or fifty gambling hells are
running in this town, and that boys are
being ruined in more. ways than one by
Chinese gambling is a minor matter.
bother no one. No white people gamble
the tan games in Chinatown, by all
means raid the white games up town.
They are competing for more people
than the Chinese games.
Commissioner Mackay said he was not
guilty of anything wrong, and was,
therefore, against Commissioner Sny-
der's resolution.
SNYDER TO INVESTIGATE.
Commissioner Lewis moved that the
detective force of the police department
be placed at the disposition of Commits
eioner Snyder for one week, to investi-
gate fan tan in Chinatown, and to find
if any one was being bribed to permit
the games to run.
Mayor Hazard seconded the motion.
Commissioner Snyder said that he
was not, and did not propose to be, q de-
tective. 1t was not his business to look
up fan tan games, or any other games in
Chinatown or elsewhere. He was not
paid for that kind of work. That was
the labor to be performed by the police
department, of which Chief Glass was
the, directing spirit.
Chief Glass thought that it would be
good idea to appoint committee and
refer the matter to the members for in
vestigation.
Commissioner Shatto again reiterated
that he was not in favor of singing out
the Chinese to fight them. He wanted
the fifty or more uptown gambling hellf
looked after. There was no reason why
the Cinnamon should be persecuted,
Commissioner Lewis said that the up
town gambling houses could not be
caught in operation, and to raid them
when there was no one in them, wal
folly.
Commissioner Mackav thought tha
the whole matter was ridiculous, and hi
was not in favor of doing anything.
THE MAYORS REMINIsCENsEs.