The morning call., 1894-04-28
SPIES AND BELLS.
How Chinatown Gamblers
Fooled the Chief.
The Grand Jury May Yet Carry
Its Investigations to an
Indictment.

Chief Crowley was to have attended a
meeting of the Grand Jury yesterday to
eIlghten the jurors upon the details of
the recent exposures in the Police De-
partment. The jury desires to KNOW if
the evidence in the hands of the Chief is
of such a nature as to warrant proSecu-
ton of the offenders in the criminal
courts.
The Chief of Police was still so unwell
that he requested Captain Lees to go be-
fore the jury in his stead. The captain
was in consultation with the grand jurors
for some time, but of course the nature of
his statement to them could not be posi-
lively ascertained. It is presumed, though.
that he informed the body that the de-
partment had not sufficient data with
which to 60 into court as the Chief and
Com missioners have all along ntimated
that they were only "mOraliy certain" of
the tarptude of certain officers whom they
dismissed from the force. The jury may
nevertheless proceed with the investiga-
ton and secure proof which the Com mis-
sioners did not wait to acquire before TAX
ing action.
1t should certainly not be difficult to do
this. The methods by which The Chinese
of the Chinatown squads are perfectly
we'll understood. 1t was the most system
attic method of corrupting officials ever
brought to light in this city. although the
modus operandi has not been made public.
All Chinatown was under tribute to the
police. According to the best authortp it
Welded $500 week. very good dividend
to make the pockets of a half dozen blue
coats Jingle. The Chinese paid much
more literally than the white gamblers on
the south side uf Market street. who
thought they we're doing bic thing for
the sergeant if they gave him $50 TO let
their game alone.
The Monaghan quarter was divided into
five divisions anu each of these had
Chinese '.boss," who formed what may be
called a board of corruption" The
bosses collected a certain amount from
each gambling-house and held weekly
meetings at which the money was divided
between themselves and the squad SER
geant, who in turn paid off his men.
But the duties Of the district bosses did
not end here. They were weighted with
great responsibility, for Chinese cunning
did not permit them To trust the Sergeants,
even after they had them under pay.
They undertook a system of surveillance
over the movements OF the men who were
higher than the sergeants in the Police
Department and who were not cOgniZant,
ing on.
To maintain this espionage it required
the assistance of weli-organiZed force of
"spotters," who were at the heels of the
sergeants aud his subordinates and ever
On the uui vve for the proach of Chief
Crowley. Captain Douglass or any official
from the upper Office" They had a
circuit of electric wires communicating
with alarms in all the gambling-houses in
the district. When a high police official
made his appearances IN the quarter some
watchful Monaghan fastened to the
nearest touch-button and gave the alarm.
In moment the door Of every gambling
house was thrown open and the Chinese
began TO play dominnS as demurely as il
fan tan had no place in their minds
Ii a captain approached a sergeant un-
expectedly the sergeant did not find il
necessary to resort to stratagem to convey
the fact of his Smperior's presence TO the
gaming places. The yellow mercury who
was always in sight SUNK away unob-
coast was clear sea off" signal was sent
around and the buttons and sticks were
brought into use.
Under this plan perfect safety was
insured. The Chinese feared neither sud-
den raids nor treachery on the part of
their white oppressors. How long this
had been going on it is impossible to aseer-
Commission is avowedly going far back
into the records for names Of men who
have served on the Chinatown squad in
order to proceed against those who remain
on the force it would seem that the black
mailing system was of considerable anti
guilty.
South of Market street and along that
thoroughfare there was no such we'll
planned plo;. The deals were made with
the sergeants individually and as occasion
demanded. The faro rooms were fire.
Quently changed from one locality to an
other, and the sergeants thus given some
excuse for not knowing where they were.
Captain Short was 'nvlnced that there
were no games running in his district. The
Chief called him In and told him OF reports
that he had received that the games were
all open, and the cap ain reported that he
had sent this or that officer to each of the
places named and the men reported that
they were all closed.
Satisfied that Captain Short was being
deceived, the Chief ordered him to tAke
several men and go the rounds himself.
The first trip the captain made he raided
game on Third street and captured sixteen
players and layout.
This was the first eye-opener for the
Chief and the beginning of the investiga-
ton. Then Hall put his foot in It' in his
deal with Robinson, and the exposures be-
gan to be made so fast and thick that the
Chief was moved to act without further
delay.
Chief Crowley yesterday appointed three
more policemen TO fill vacancies on the
force. The appointees are: Henry George
Clancy, teamster, % years old and ma
tive of California; Eugene V. Herve. a
teamster, &c years old, native of California,
and George Farrell, an engineer. 81 years
old, native of Ireland. The men were
sworn in and ordered to report for duty.
No further changes or promotions have
been announced and the investigation ia
afforiing no further infOrma ton to the
public 1t is not likely that any more de-
yelopmen;s will be made known before
the meeting of the Commissioners next
Monday night.