The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-14
How the Poolroom Men Got
Their News From the
Track.
ANOTHER SCHEME EXPOSED.
The Downtown Houses Are Losing
Money While Waiting for the
Bay District Races.

the graces, stands alone between their
closing up shop Immediately and the
opening of the Bay District track within
couple of weeks.
They are not making dollar; quite
the contrary, they are losing money daily.
ever since Edward Corrigan of the Pacific
Coast Jockey Club leased the only wires
leading from Ingleside track and con-
tracted with the Western Union TELEGRAPH
Company so that no news over his wire
should be sent to City or foreign pool
rooms.
Their expenses have been eating them
up. They can stand this strain, however.
for they have substantial capital, but the
small fry have been obliged to close their
rooms.
The "Big Eight" are rejoicing over the
fact that the Supervisors failed to pass the
Wagner ordinance presented yesterday.
In this they are Joined by every horse
breeder and lover of square racing in this
State, as the passage of such drastic
measure would eventually have closed nm
every racetrack in California. the onIv
State in which horses may compete in
speed the year around
But it is not from this point of view that
the remaining downtown booksellers regard
California Jockey Clubs meeting at the
Bay District track reopens they will be
able to get their news directly from the
course and run their business as of old.
There is no doubt in their minds that
there will be no interference at the old
track. Things Will go on there as usual.
The bookmakers' wheel, that gambling
institution which the other track has
barred out entirely, is to continue running
on the old stand. 1t cleared SOL 900
of the public's money in the last six
months OF steady racing before the Ingle-
side track opened. If that bread-and
butter winner is allowed to run the down
town poolmen know that the Bay District
officials will permit them to get the neces-
sary racing news by direct wire upon their
paying the association $40 per room each
day.
There will be no necessity of stringing
out mile or more OF telegraph wire to be
shot down by Morses detectives. no
bicyclists will be needed to speed from the
track to the nearest telegraph or telephone
station, balloons will be useless whence to
view the races outside the track. Every
thing will be plain sailing because there
is no officer of the California Jockey Club
who has that Objectionable, though
earnest, fad OF running horse-racing for
the sport OF the thing and not for
gambling purposes.
Hence the reason why the downtown
poolrooms remain open still in the face of
repeated arrests, general condemnation
and daily losses.
In the meantime the booksellers are not
letting the grass grow under their feet
They are very frank and open in their
declarations, and they will not allow
themselves TO be forced out of their bust
ness. They state that it is their belief
they are conducting a legitimate business.
They base their claim on the Wallace de-
clslon that 1t is not against the law TO con-
duct commissioner house where money
may be placed for investment at the race
track. This they claim they do. The po-
lice and the lower courts dispute them in
this, aid the matter is now before the Su-
perior Court. In speaking of the matter
Jerry Driscoll says:
of we are doing wrong we will quit but
if we are not doing wrong we will not be
forced out. Why can't they wait for the
courts to decide before shooting down our
private wire?'
The best proof that the poolmen are in
earnest is the new tack they took yester-
day to get their news. The wire which
Morse's men shot down Saturday night
was useless 10 them SO they again resorted
to the bicycle-boys. The lads ana their
bikes were stationed outside of the track
waiting for the returns from con federates
on the inside. When the first race was
over the inside man rushed out, handed
one OF the b1cycle-boys paper on which
was written the first three horses. and
away the wheelman sped to Twenty-ninth
and Mission streets. This worked all right
and the news was promptly received down
town.
When the second race was finished affairs
did not move along so smoothly. The
guard at the gate was ION to" the work.
When the inside man tried to get out he
was stopped and the paper he carried was
taken away from him.
This was disconcerting, and another tack
had to be taken.
The rain was pelting down, and the
guard knew that no ordinary purpose
could induce any one to leave the track at
the time. AS he was cogita ting upon this
charming looking young brunette.
dressed in the height of fashion, walked
up the covered passage-way to the gate
She was bit nervous and wanted 10 get
mIessenger-boy. In her daintily gloved
hand she bore an envelope, which she
passed TO an outsider and smilinglv re-
turned to the track.
The downtown poolmen got their second
race
I'm DONE" CAPTAIN CalIundan said as
the woman stepped gracefully past him on
her return trip. what will those fellows
do neXt?"
1t was but a few minutes later before an
other little woman wanted a messenger
boy. She was sure she would find one at
the gate.
Captain Callundan, with his usual gal
lantry, directed the lady to the secretary's
office inside. But that wouldn't do. The
woman became too nervous to hold the
paper she had hidden in her silken muff
She knew she was suspected, and as the
slip fell to the walk she began to cry.
II didn't want to do it." she sobbed.
81 knew l couldn't do it right
The paper she dropped had written
upon it the opening odds of the third
race. They never reached the downtown
poolmen.
After that only the well known patrons
of the track. those the guard felt positive
were not in with the poolrooms, were per-
mitted to leave the track until twenty
minutes after each race.
This accounts for the long delays in the
poolrooms. Only two races were paid off
yesterday. and the remaining ones must
be paid off this morning.
Superintendent Storror of the Postal
Telegraph Company stated yesterday that
he had no intention to prosecute the men
who shot his company's San Jose wire
from its pole on Saturday afternoon.
'iAt best | could only secure the convic-
ton of some subordinate" he said. THE
only thing | wish is for them not To do II