The San Francisco call., 1895-12-22
[&etched by a 6

wind might not watt him away while he
solo his daily papers. He has grown won
drously large since that time and his
financial standing has kept pace with his
accumulation of flesh.
Blodes is the lad who goes into the busi-
ness offices of the various newspapers and
tells the men there how many boys he
will put on the streets the next day or on
any particular occasion.
He is the one who says Just what his
boys should make on each sale. He is the
Gar of the gamins du pave, who swear by
him before his face but who fret under his
iron hand.
He directs the loca tions where the news
boys must stand to ply their business, and
woe to the poor kid who trespasses upon
another's domain. If he does it is simply a
question of getting a licking at the hands
of the other urchins. If there is tech
nical point as to boundary lines the joint
importance of Olney and Salisbury is not
to be compared to that of Gilbert Blodes.
This is the parsonage who was an
nounced yesterday about Lotta's fountain
as having been arrested. No wonder there
was CONSERVATION.
But Gilbert has "gone and done" wrong.
Gilbert in his endeavor to accumulate
wealth has branched off into several chan
nels, many of whicn are right, no doubt,
but he has somehow run himself up
against Captain Whitman, who believes
tha he is not gathering in the money in
accordance with the law.
He realized the tremendous amount of
money the booksellers on horseraces were
making in their downtown establishments
and he tried to make place for himself
among them. But there was no room for
him. The "Big Eight and the "Solid
Eight" of the "Belfry' had all the trade.
He would not be shut out, however. as
he explained to CALL reporter yesterday.
"I' m very much of lady's man. l know
lot of the swellest that go out there to
the track. They know me, and they know
I'm all right. l can't get place down
with the balance OF them, so just opened
up here for the women. don't play for
any one else,
II keep the place clean, and there's no
suspicious characters around-nothingb but
fine ladies.
There was kid making book down
at the fountain, but his play is only
cents. I'll give my lady friends 500 bet
if they want"
Blodes stood in front of his own gam
bllng-house at 203 O'Farrell street as he
spoke. 1t is an ideal establishment, we'll
hung with silken portieres and furnished
with comfortable lounges and chairs. No
men are allowed in the place, and when
Police Officers r. J. Byrne, d. T. Sylvester
and j. F. Welch introduced themselves
yesterday afternoon there was quite a
Hutter of excitement.
'sIs this Mr.. Blodes?" was the useless
question asked by the officers. They had
been furnished with a description of the
lad which included the fact that his cir
cumference was equal to his height.
That's me-" was the prompt answer.
II know what you want"
Officer Welch read his warrant OF arrest
and Blodes leaned back smiling. The
lecture over Blodes reached into his pocket
and pulled out an order Of release signed
by Judge Conlan.
Here's the paper; you don't want
Officer Welch is new man on the force
and he is not yet acquainted with the
ways OF Police Judges.
When the warrant was given him to
serve by Judge Joachimsen he was IN
structed to bring his man in or collect
$500 In cash as bail or bond of $500. He
was staggered to see Judge Conlan's re-
lease OF his prisoner on his own recogni-
zance.
"Ill take you in anyhow" exclaimed
thc policeman, grabbing Blodes by the
back OF the neck. Judge Joachlmsen
told me to do so. I don't know, anyhow,
how you got this order of release from
another Judge before you were arrested %
Ihe King" had to go to the station,
where 1t was found that Judge Conlan's
release stood good in lieu of bond. The
questions which are uppermost, however,