Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-10

"When became mayor of this city
Chinatown was yielding up an annual
revenue of $4,000, which was being
paid over to certain parties, in consid-
Grafton of which the games were run
right along. When entered upon my
term as mayorI proposed to put stop
to all this.
81 brought the matter up before the
| police commission. The idea that the
Chinese had been putting up money
was hooted at. So / set out to prove
that such was the case and to show that
money would be paid to permit gamb-
ling in Chinatown. So, invited men,
Der of the commission to come to my
house one evening and meet party
representing the Chinese, whom / had
notified to come also. l told the man
that we must have some money, and he
asked how much. said $4,000. He
thought the amount little steep, and
! finally we agreed on $4,000. asked the
commissioner to take his share, and he
said that he did not want any Of the
money. told him that 1 certainly did
not. and there the matter ended.
"After that, the unbelieving commits
sioner was convinced that the Chinese
were willing to put up money. We
| tACA WCnb w WOIk duQ ClO6cu up dll Vi
| the faro games for the first time in the
history OF the city. We drove the gamb-
lers out of town, without regard to race
or color"
SOME SUGGESTIONS.
Commissioner Mackay said he thought
that the proper thing for the chief to do
was not to keep the same officers on the
Chinatown beat too long. They might
become too well acquainted, and per-
haps become contaminated. They might
also arrive at the conclusion that they
could run Chinatown.
The point was made that an officer
had to be in Chinatown good while
before he could get the run of the
various gambling dens and games.
The chief invited the commissioners to
go down into Chinatown at any time and
inspect the place.
COMMISSIONER sHATTo INQUIsrTIvE.
Then Commissioner Shatto brought up
a side issue. He wanted to know what
the chief had done in the matter of re-
moving the ladies of easy virtue from
the Alameda-street cribs.
nothing. He said that he had notified
and this they had done.
The question was asked how many of
the prostitutes had left the street. The
volunteer information was given that
three had departed. Two had moved to
Denver and one had joined the holiness
band. t
Commissioner Mackay stated that he
had understood that the owner of the
property upon which the cribs were To-
Gated, had decided to remodel them 80
that the entrance would be from the
rear. This he thought would have the
same effect as removing them from the
street altogether.
Commissioner Shatto thought that it
was very strange that the police could
not move them off the street altogether.
Mayor Hazard did not think that it
would be good policy to persecute the
women and keep moving them around
the town, and in the end, accomplishing
nothing. F
Commissioner Shatto and Commits
sioner Mackay. had few worm words
about the matter of the police regulat-
ing the social evil and finally the whole
thing was dropped.
AN AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
| Commissioner Mackay then got back
to the resolution of Commissioner Sny-
der. He moved that all that portion of
| the resolution after the whereases be
| stricken out, and the following in
| serted: r,
Resolved, That allpersons be earnest
| ly requested to furnish this commission
with all information of gambling being
| carried on in this city, and the bribery
| of city officials connected Herewith in
| their possession. and that this board
guarantee that all such will be vigorous
ly prosecuted. ,
| Commissioner Lewis wanted the
whereases stricken out also. To print
them, he said, would only be to give
notoriety to the charges.
| Commissioner Shatto thought that the
proper thing to do was for the commits
| sion to offer reward of $500 for any
one who could furnish proof that Chi
nese gamblers were corrnpting the police
department or the police commission.
| The point was made that no reward of
this kind could be offered by the COM
mission, as they had no money to pay
it with.
Commissioner Shatto said that he
would be willing to put up 500 OF the
reward himself.
| MR.. LEWIS GETS INDIGNANT.
Commissioner Lewis then got excited,
! and, in strong language, he spoke brief
| ly. eff anybody told me, said he,
"that my confreres on this commission
were getting bribes, and believed it, l
would resign from the commission at
once. do not associate with that kind
of CATTLE"
Heretofore" said Mr.. Lewis, when
these matters have come up they have
been considered in executive session"
He did not believe in advertising this
thing to the whole world.
THE MAYOR CHIPS IN.
Then Mayor Hazard got mad himself.
He wanted Commissioner Snyder imme-
diately sworn, to tell all he knew about
the statements made in his resolution.
Commissioners Snyder declined to be
sworn until he had found out whether
the commission had authority to swear
him.
The mayor then endeavored to find a
clause in the city charter which gave
the commission the right to compel the
attendance of witnesses, and authority
to take testimony.
Commissioner Mackay moved to post
pone the heinvestigation of the matter for
one week.
Finally this action was taken. In the
meantime the city attorney is to find
out about what the Jurisdiction OF the