The San Francisco call., 1896-06-11
He Is Reported to Have Fleeced
His Patrons to the Tune
of $500.
BIG ODDS CAUGHT GUDGEoNs.
Not a Sign Left by Which to Trace
the Predatory Enemy of
Society.

Whenever fool men join issue with
downtown booksellers it requires no mind.
reader or prophet to foretell the result.
The fool-man parts with his gold and the
pool-man takes it and departs. Some
times the operation is one long-drawn out,
but occasionally the parting and depart
ing is short and sharp and the fool. man
gets quicker "play for his money" than
even the average po6lroom fend desires.
Another instance of the latter character
has given Pauper alley habitues bad turn.
Charles O'DonnelI, who ran the pool
rooms at p and % Leidesdorff street under
the firm name of O'Donnell & Co. until l
o'clock Tuesday afternoon, has, to use a
bull, turned up missing" But no fears
of suicide or foul play ale entertained by
his friends and his more numerous vic
Tins, for with him also disappeared about
$500 intrusted to him by his misguided
patrons who Iabored under the hallucina-
ton that they might be able to beat the
"lead-pipe cinch", combination under
which poolrooms are operated.
O'Donnen opened for business about
seven months ago, and as a bait for
suckers" gave a shade better odds than
his rivals. By this means he cultivated a
good business eventually, though the
more cautious held off, as they were sus-
picious of the liberal inducements offered
at this establishment.
1t has been 0Donnell's custom, as it
has been that of the other poolrooms, to
open his doors at $3.50 A. NJ, remain open
until l P. N, then close until P. NJ, and
shut up shop for the day at P. NJ. or a lit
tie after. This was done to give color to
the fiction that the money bet by the
l-u +ofvo l..
and there placed between the hours of l
and o'clock in the afternoon.
In accordance witch this programme
O'Donnell opened up on Tuesday morning
and the first step in the contemplated
slaughter of the innocents was manifest in
the odds offered being even more liberal
than usual. As a consequence the busi-
ness showed an increase over other days
At l o clock 'Donnell closed his place and
since then has not been seen by any of his
former associates or patrons. despite the
fact that many of the latter have shown a
remarkable solicitude over his wherea-
bouts and have made persistent search
for him.
Five o'clock, punctual as time al yavs is.
came around, and so did holders of tickets
of the O'Donnell brand. They hung about,
a little testy at first over the delay in open
ing the doors.
Then they became uneasy, and when
clock tolled alarm and anger were gen.
eral among the impatient crowd. Gradu-
ally they dispersed, many still hopeful
that 0'Donnell's absence was caused by
unavoidable circumstances, but most of
the O'Donnell ticket-holders were willing
to sell out at liberal discounts.
Yesterday morning quite a number of
the more sanguine were on guard at
O'DonnelPs usual opening hour, but their
waiting resolved itself into a weary vigil,
yet O'Donnel came not.
Among those who got caught was a
rival pool-selier, who had taken his over
flow business to O'Donnell. He took the
situation philosophically, and was offering
$357 worth of O'DonnelI's tickets for $50,
but found no taker.
Opinions vary as to the inspiration of
O'Donnells sudden desire for secIusion
and obscurity. Some say that he was
forced to WEIGH on Monday, and seein g
ruin before him, planned and executed
the comp of Tuesday. Others say that the
scheme OF robbery was nothing less than
a cold-blooded premeditated plan to fleece
the wary and unwary who are gullibIe
enough to play the races through the pool
rooms and that he cleverly chose the close
of the season for grand cleanup.