The morning call., 1894-07-24
NO "PROTECTION."
Why the Chinatown
Games Are Closed.
CAPT. DUNLEVY'S METHODS.
A Thousand Dollars a Week
Could Be Made.
HOW DRAWINGS ARE MADE NOW
There Is Dust in the Tan-DeaIer's
Chair and Void in the Lair of
the Lottery Tiger.
HOW DRAWINGS ARE MADE NOW

Captain Andrew J. Dunlevy, who is the
only captain of police ever put over q
Chinatown squad. is not making much
fuss about his work in the malodorous
quarter Of the Monaghan, but he is work
ing like the head OF some secret order.
For this reason the guileless subjects Of
the Chinese autocrat who desire 20 knock
out Japan and the Mikado are in state
of turmoil.
Reared as they are from childhood as
gamblers, they brook no in reference with
their games, even if it takes shlmmerlng
shekels to gain protection"
Under this system the games have been
run without perceptlble interruption since
the first galaxy of almond-eved opium
smokers planted their slipshod feet in this
coastwise metropolis.
But now there is lust covering the tan
tables, and the places where lottery once
f1ourished appear to be stricken with an
appalling blight.
AS result several OF the owners of the
games declare mat they will return TO
China: others will go TO Mexico, shaking
the dust Of this unciYliZed land off their
feet, never more to return-at least until
the squad is changed.
81 told Them" said Captain Dunlevy to
q reporter, that | did not come up here
for the purpose Of destroying cents
worth Of property. but l wanted free ac-
cess to the gambling resorts; that If they
impeued me l would take down their
strong doors, and take them down every
time they were replaced, by au order Of
The court"
Then the captain led the way into dark
and devious dens and uD dark and narrow
statrways TO other dens where the gam
blsrs were formerly secure from the raid
ing policemen.
Not soul was found in any Of them,
the festive gambler lettering listlessly
around after the manner Of the strikers at
the eastern end Of the Oakland mole
Hard times had evidently struck them
very hard.
Ross alley has always been known as
the home Of stan" where from thirty to
forty games have been running in full
blast. Now they are all open and dead,
with dust on the chair of the dealer.
The cunning devices arranged for the
obstruction of the police have all been re-
moved, and the electric buttons located
and removed also.
These buttons have often been described
in The CALL. They are placed in the least
conspicuous places, which as often as not
. had door matching the wall. over which
was placed a row of hooks, from which
depended clothing for the purpose Of con-
cealment
Now these hooks have been removed,
and the cunning little holes are no longer
a bar.
The means Of escape are perfectly ar
ranged, and some of them seen on Fish
alley, Ross alley, Washington street and
at the Globe Hotel were positively ingeni-
Gus. While the police were entering
from the front the players would escape
through a rear passageway to an open
alley, where they mingled with throngs Of
others AID it was impossible to capture
them. Then there are places which are
known as "dOuble-deckeTs." A place may
be raided below while another. game
would be in progress above with no evil
dence that 1t was going on.
In many Of the upper dens there were
heavy trap doors over the head Of the
stain way to be thrown on the heads of ap-
preaching enemies.
Lottery games have been knocked out
the same way, and they have been the
most difficult to reach. The notorious
place at 825 Dupont street was broken up
on the first Of the present month. There
the method Of cOncealing evidence neared
perfection. There was a line attached to
two pulleys upon which was suspended
bag. On an alarm being given the evil
dence was thrown into the bag and the
line pulled, which took 1t between the
ceiling of the lower room and the flooring
OF the upper. Though this was found the
police could not use II 10 make convlc-
ton in the Police Court.
This is the main trouble. Captures may
be made, but convictions are rare.
The present squad has averaged more
than one game day since 1t has been in
the quarter. ana that is why the captain
remarked:
81 do not say that we have suppressed
gambling, for we are making arrests every
day. Nor 90 | claim TO have done more
than others, but believe that if we have
not suppressed gambling in Chinatown we
have made il so unprofita BILE that it is not
being INDUCED in to any great extent.
There is only about one way to stop the
games entirely"
How is that ?" was inquired.
by being strictly honest with them
that 10. not to take $1,000 a week, which it
was iniimated l conld get-and establish a
bureau Of information"
This kind of bureau is, Of course, a well.
known method that the police have of
working In every city.
Under the old system of protection the
lottery drawings took place In a large room
10 the presence of a hundred spectators or
more. At the present time the resort is
some little obscure hole, where no one is
present but a single representative from
each company. the same place is seldom
used more than once for the same purpose
An idea of the temptation TO the police
can be imagined when the captain says
that $1,000 week could be CLEANED from
the lotteries and the tan games.
That has probably caused the fall OF
many SeTgeantS.
His men cannot even get cigars to puff
Cd during the weary vigils.
This condition OF things has been pro-
duced without the destruction of any prop
erty whatsoever, and no $50, 0V0 damage
suits against the captain or his SQUAD are
expected
an