The San Francisco call., 1896-01-15
CONQUERED BY CORRIGAN.
The Downtown Pool-SellerS Be-
lieve 1t Best to
Stop.
HARRY E. CORBETTs TALK.
Carrier Pigeons Were Used to Secure
the News, but Were Found
to Be Sadly Wanting.
HARRY E. CORBETT's TALK.
The downtown poolrooms are dead.


when they hobbled along using the Wal
lace decision as crutches, but the coup de
grace came when Edward Corrigan leased
the only wires running out of the Pacific
Coast Jockey Club track at Ingleside.
The fifteen room-keepers for men, boys
ana women, located in outlying districts,
and the seven in the "Belfry'' could get
neither odds nor results. They were being
arrested besides for violating the Ellert
ordinance, and were being obliged to
either plead guilty or else appeal their
hopeless cases at considerable expense, so
they deemed il advisable to 90 out of busi-
ness.
The big Eight" consisting of those
firms having capital on which to run a
pool-selling business at a loss until the
California Jockey Club meeting begins in
week or so, made a strong fight to keep
open in the face of adversely. They were
arrested a number of times and convic-
tions were secured in the lower court.
Appeals are now resting in the Superior
Court. But they see now that the Dimond
ordinance has been passed to print pro-
mollng the sales OF pools III any place out
side OF racetrack. and they realize their
life can be of short duration at best.
In accordance with this view, they met
-
wCo,a close up their respective bOuseS
during TIE hours in which racing takes
place at Inglaside. They will still accept
commissions during the early morning
hours on opening or closing quotations as
published in the newspapers. and they
Will place the wa Eers on commission az the
track for the bettors.
This Is as graceful a manner as the pool
men can make their exit. They do not
care to aCknowledee their defeat OF that
they have retired from business for the
reason that they know they will be in run
ming form again in snort while when the
races Will begin at the Bay District track
The CALL has already related the
various methods the poolmen have en-
ployed to furnish their patrons with the
quotations on each race and the results.
They have made strong fight, and their
killing off has been hard.
They have had scores of men. women
and boys running out of the Ingleside
track with the necessary information for
lads on horseback or on bicvcles to con-
vey to neighboring telephones SO that
quick communication might be had with
the downtown rooms. They have hired
discharged Western Union telegram en-
ployes to take eltter end of mile of wire
which they stretched from the outside of
the Tacetrack 10 he nearest telegraph sta
ton. Ihev nGally used carrier pigeons.
This latter move was made late Monday
afternoon after one of the women CARRYING
dispatches from the track had been inter
cepted.
The pigeons were let loose with the odds
on the fourth race attached to their necks.
The birds few around above the track for
twenty minutes before starting for their
destination. This was very unsatisfactory
10 the poolmen- One bird reached its cote
at Leidesdorf street fifty minutes after be-
ing liberated, and the other has not yet been
seen.
The Jockey Club people have become
aware OF the carrier-pigeon scheme, and
yesterday they had two crack shots outside
Of the track grounds with shotguns to try
10 bring down the birds and the informa-
ton they carried. They did not get
shot, however, for the efficiency of that
mode Of travel had been found wanting
and the birds were not put in use.
In addition to that, the downtown rooms
having closed, there was no necessity to
resort TO schemes 10 get in the news.
The value OF Mr.. Corrigan's victory over
the poolroom- keepers was apparent at the
racetrack yesterday. The weather was
murky and damp. and not the least calcu-
lated to attract large crowd. The races
were not out of the usual merit, and still
the attendance was far in excess of anv
day IN the past ten days, excepting, OF
course, on Saturday.
The bookmakers naturally did a big
business. 1t was more than they expected
and in many instances they were obliged
to turn around their boards. This is a
wonderful commentary on the attractive
ness, as a comparison, OF the racing proper
and the betting.
Harry E. Corbett was seen last evening
in regard to whether the closing of the
poolrooms yesterday at l o'clock means
their absolute extinction.
II believe that ] express the views of
what you people call the Big Eight" he
said. I'VE have tried to secure the neces-
sary information from the Ingleside track
to conduct our business by every legiti-
mate and legal means. Mr. Corrigan has
chosen to shut US out and in his method
of doing so he has used rifles and burIv
employees. The first were used to cut our
wires, which We had a perfect right TO use
and the second were for the purpose of
stopping our employees in the discharge of
their duty from leaving the racetrack
"Our men had paid their way in, and. like
anybody else, were entitled to leave when
they chose We do not want to empIov
people to meet Mr.. Corrigan's men with
rifles, and perhaps have bloodshed, nor do
we want TO send fighting men into the track
10 battle their way out, as they would
have right to do, should they find their
exit barred. All we want is TO do Iegiti-
mate business. and as soon as the court
decides one way or the other we will act
accordingly. Why not wait until then for
action?
THAT is the view we have taken of the
matter. and we have decided that il is hest
to shut off for awhile sooner than adort
the Corrigan tactics that would probably
cause much physical injury to hirelings
and black eye to racing"