The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-07

Twenty or more booksellers, however,
responded to the subpenas received and
each was placed, as he expressed it, on the
torture rack"
Direct testimony was elected from Harry
Corbett and others engaged in the ''com-
mission business to the effect that the
pool men were paying to General John II.
Dickinson $500 a month. The arrange
ment was made five months ago and has
since continued. 1t had been understood
for some time past that General Dickinson
was very close TO the Solid Eight, but there
was no testimony yesterday to establish the
fact that he had given or that the pool
sellers had authorized him to give any
part of the mont hi V $500 allowance to in
fuence legisla ton in the Board of Super
visors. Ostensibly the money was paid
for legal services, but m embers Of the
Grand Jury cannot comprehend what legal
services have been performed since Judge
Wallace's decision recognized the selling
or pools on commission as legitimate
business.
The ball was opened by call for Harry
Corbett. The esta blishment which he con-
ducts is the oldest of its kind in town. He
has been arrested twelve times, but has
managed to sell pools continuously from
the day that he started in the business
until the present time.
He was lost to sight a long while. Dur
ing his absence the assem- bled booksellers
gathered in little knots and talked III low
tones Then the door of the Jury-room
opened and Mr.. Corbett came out. He
was still smiling, and was at once sur
rounded BY a group of InqulsltlVe frlends,
while Jack" Gleason, of Mailman d Co.,
. Ellis street, was being summoned from
the corridors.
Mr.. Corbett lost no time in letting his
anxious friends know the drift the 4ues-
tioning had taken.
The whole thing was to try to md
whether any money had been given or
offered to any Supervisor, directly or IN
directly" he said. First they wanted TO
know If l had ever talked to any OF the
Supervisors about the downtown pool
rooms.
II told them | had. Then they wanted
to know who these men Were
~ said thew were Dimond and King. L
told these gentlemen that [ thought 1t
would be unwise to close up the poolroms.
We discussed the matter at length, and l
said the business was a legitimate one and
il would be better to put big license, say
$1,000 a quarter, on each place, and IN this
way do away with the little bucketshops
that were run by irresponsible parties.
'sThen they wanted to know if nybody
.ver spoke to me about g1vlng the super
visors money to secure favorable leglsla-
ion. They asked if / had ever offered
money to a Supervisor or had any person
offer money to anybody for Supervisor.
They also inquired whether | had heard
of anybody offering money TO supervisor
to protect the poolrooms. Ot course L SAID
mo- every time, and that settled 1t.
Corbett said the questions were pro-
pounded mainly by Leventritt and sonn,
tag. who wanted TO know how he received
his news from the racetrack. Questions OF
this character the witness declined to
answer on the ground that they concerned
his private business affairs.
Later Mr.. Corbett said that the grand
Jurors. had questioned him with regard 70
the $500 a month paid TO General J. ID.
Dickinson by the booksellers. DE told
them that it was paid to Dickinson to
secure that lawyers legal services, ana
protested that none OF 1T was to De en-
poyed for the Supervisors In any way
whatever.
s.There were only five of US when we
first retained General Dickinson" he SAID.
These five were myself, at 30 Ellis street;
Levy az Co., q Ellis; Henry Schwartz,
Leidesdorff; Brewer, Fourth and Mission,
and Henry Schwartz, back of the Report
Office on Leidesdorff. Later three more
large poolrooms were opened by kingsley,
Jerry Driscoll and Mailman d Go. These
men joined us for protection. Il
1.-The Grand jury wanted to know II
we bad raised money for any other DUR
pose than to pay our lawyer and if | still
,aid 500 a month as my share. told
them mo- to both questions. We had to
Oe defended. Our interests were in