The San Francisco call., 1895-12-21
SAD, BUT HOPEFUL.

pear for sentence to-day.
SAD, BUT HOPEFUL.
The Men of the Relfry Expect to
Win the Next Battle.
There was gloom in the "Belfry' last
night.
The erstwhile Solid Eight who entered
the combine the day previous to fight to a
finish against all conten ding forces felt
weak Their first case in court had gone
adversely, and Secretary Givens stood a
convicted man.
In a sepulchral voice Chairman "Bill"
Kennedy called the meeting to order at s
O'Clock, the time to which the former
meeting had adjourned.
Boys" he said, "Pve got no very good
news to give you. George, here, was
cinched to-day by old Joachimsen. We
might have expected as much. But this is
no single dash-it's heat race, and we're
holding ourselves in reserve for the next
trial.
1--WE could have gone in from the jump
and put in our testimony, but what would
be the use of doing that? We thought it
best to let Dare get out and wind himself
and we'll come in strong at the finish in
the Superior Court"
"Rahl Rail- Rahp' came from the as
semblage. We'll beat 'em out at the
wire"
Secretary Givens explained the situa-
ton in his own way, he being the party
most interested in view of the fact that he
is the individual who must face Judge
Joachimseu this morning for sentence.
''It is Just this wav,' said he, "the two
witnesses who have testified claim to have
bought pool tickets from me. l expect
they did. They say / didn't charge them
any commission. Probably 1 didn't. But
there is nothing in that that can be con-
sidered evidence of guilt. If any of you
people came up and bought a ticket
rather if any of you people came up and
placed money with me to wager on race,
there is no law compelling me to charge
you a commission, is there?"
"Naw Nawl Naw" came in wild ac-
carnations.
"Well, that's how the thing stands, and
it's best to let it stand that way, because
the prosecution has no case. We will
take the case to the Superior Court, and
there-well, l don't need to tell you what
we'll do with them"
The bookies present had revived in
spirits, and cheerfully subscribed 500
more each to the fund to fight the battle.
The conviction of George D. Givens, pro-
viding it can be made to stick in the
Superior Court, virtually means the clos
ing up of every poolroom in the City and
County. But Givens and his associates do
not propose to be closed out in such an
easy way. If Givens goes down it is pro-
posed to drag all the other rooms down as
well.
Speaking on the subject one of the eight
members of the com bine gave an inkling
of the evidence which will be put in when
the appeal is heard before the higher court.
1t will be claimed that the "Belfry"
brokers simply acted as agents. Any
money placed with them was Immediately
placed with Harry E. Corbett & Co., who
in turn placed it at the track or elsewhere.
Bill Kennedy claims that under the cir
cumstances if the Corbett firm is doing a
legitimate business under the Wallace de-
cision he as patron of Corbett's cannot be
violating the law.
The fact is clearly established that
Kennedy and his confreres mean to fight for
existence, and if they must die the "Big
Eight" poolmen who have not yet been
molested by the police will have to die too.
Harry E. Corbett looked in perfect as
tonishment when he was asked if Kennedy
and his associates. of the "Belfry" placed
money with him.
"Nol' he exclaimed. "They may come
here as individuals once in a while and
leave some money 7 either place their
coin at the track or at the rooms in Stock
ton, where 1 can get the best odds for
them. That's the way 1 do with all my
patrons
The finesse of the poolrooms is bound
to come out now as soon as the appealed
case is heard in the Superior Court.