The San Francisco call., 1895-12-14
A Cunning Lad Who Knows at
Which End the Money
Lies.
SOME MORE THIEvING DENs
Supervisor Dimond Oh an Investigation
Tour Is Nearly Knocked Down
by the Mob.

Supervisor Dimond knows how the Ellis
street deadfails are run under the guise of
commission houses He was there yester-
day to see for himself how pools on the
races are sold and bought, and his expert
ences will be related to his confreres of
the board and the Grand Jury when they
meet again.
"Wot's de winner, Mister?' little fell
low inquired, reaching up and grabbing
Mr.. Dimond by the waistband.
The youngster was excited; he had a
pool ticket in his hand calling for some
thing like 81 so if his choice came in first
or second.
Neither he nor the crowd of boys around
him understood the Supervisors hurried
remarks, and they were ready in a mo-
ment to do battle. The idea of ANYBODY
taking one Of their own set by the ear and
telling him to "Get out of here, YOU little
villain" was something that they were
not used to. The child had made what be
thought was natural inquiry. On occa-
siOns quite similar the policeman on the
beat had given the desired information :;
why this stranger in civilians clothes
should take offense at the inquiry was
past all apprehension.
This Is positively outrageous" de-
clared Mr.. DimOnd. II knew from what
had heard that these places were run in a
manner contrary 10 law, but | did not
dream that matters were as bad as this.
VIII try 10 get some of the other Super
yiSOrS 10 come here, and they Will better
understand The situation by seeing the
thing themselves"
Ii was but a moment after this that the
winner on one of the races was wired from
the track 70 one of the larger houses
IL L
forty men and boys carle tearing along
wildly. Those people whose business or
promenade happened to lead them TO
Ellis street at that time met with the
same experience scores OF others have
gone through since the poolrooms have
been opened there.
They were bumped into, showed and
knocked aside without so much as an ''Ex-
cuse me, sir" The touts had no time for
apologies, because it was their business
10 hurry and report results TO the propri-
etors OF the dens at 900 Market and IL
Ellis streets.
A woman or two was carried off her
feet, Just as many others have been day
after day on this street. Half block down
the street the policeman on the beat stood
and looked the other way.
There was time when Officer Whitman,
now captain at the new City Hall sta
ton, patroiled that district around Bush
and X earny streets. This was years ago
when ladies were able to pass there with
out being accosted or otherwise insulted
Other policemen saw this daily or nightly
and ike the EIlis.street patrolman they
looked the other way. Whitman was a
man of another stripe. He jumped in
among these fellows and within q month
or less he had freed that section of them.
Supervisor Dimond went through the
experiences that all reputable people meet
with in these. deadfails He elm bed the
steps Leading to-the rooms OF Ayers & Co,
Fleming d Co.and others. He was iostled,
cursed at and deafened by the profanity
OF men, women and children. His visit
may be followed by those of his colleagues
and grand jurymen, who can learn more
by personal investigation than they can
by hunting to find out who is being brbed.
The bribery end of it may be handled
later, but while the investigation is going
on so are these dens. A word at this time
to the Chief OF Police, instructing him to