The San Francisco call., 1897-10-16
DRAW POKER IS
A SCIENTIFIC
BATTLE / OF MIND
The Police Cannot Interfere With Games Which They
Know Are Played at the Palace, Baldwin
Annex and Other Places.

| Gunst and Burns be never told me.
always sized il up that GunSt was very
ambitious to get some controlling position
in the Police Department, and 10 crafty
him Burns, who did not care much for
| that sort of power, resigned and got the
! appointment of Gunst as a last favor from
the outgoing Governor. Everybody was
| surprised"
Commissioners Alvord and Tobin are
weary of the controversy, and co not hesi-
tate to signify a purpose to sustain Lees
| In demanding hat the town shall not be
| run wide open to crafty the gambling fra
ternlty. GunSt is not IN the best OF health,
and the feeling is entertained that he
ought to take a good rest or resign. At
first 1t was said that he had nervous pros
| tratIon. Now Commissioner Tobin saws
that he has locomotor ataxla. At the
meeting of the board Wednesday night he
was threatened with the dreadful disease
of the tongue.
When the outrageous appointment of
Gunst was made the people of San Fran
cisco realized that there was nothing to do
but submit nj tolerate the Commissioner
until he committed some offense against
morals and discipline in the management
Of the force.
The people were willing that he should
have the honor OF the position; they felt
that the community could endure the
situation if Alvord and Tobin could stand
1t. The notion was given out that Nose
only wanted the dignity of office and
would vote on all leading propositions
with Alvord, Tob.n and the Chief. When
Lees let his tongue loose and told that
Gunst wanted an open town for the gam
blers and favored Whitman for Chief of
Police the people began to hope that the
! Commissioner who had once changed his
political faith might make another change
and practice the Christian virtue OF resig-
nation.
| Men who make a study of police dis
cipline and morale hold that the presence
| OF bookmaker and percentage man on
| the governing board of the police tends to
! demorallze the entire department..
Com missioner Alvori has suggested that
| the controversy between Gunst and Lees
| be referred to the Grand Jury. The sug-
gestion may be excellent. In presenting
! the matter to Captain Hobbs, the fore
man of the jury, The District Attorney
might incidentally ask the captain if the
courts are right in holding that poker 10
not game OF chance, but on the contrary
game OF skill.
Commissioner Tobin is positively weary
OF the controversy between Lees and
Gunst. Speaking of the subject yester-
day he said: Il nave said everything 10
Mr. Gunst that | would care 10 say to a
Police Commissioner. l have pointed
out TO him that it is unfair and ill-ad vised
for him TO interfere in the affairs OF the
police Department of San Franci. c.,
which it has taken US old-timers twenty
years to build up &c its present effective
condition. Progress Is all very we'll, but
/ this talk OF throwing the city wide open
| is bad example to the public and must
not go on.
! "Mr. Gunst is sick man, aud l have
| told him that this thing will kill him if
I he does not quiet down. He will do that
now and the quarrel will soon be forgot
| ten. OF course, Commissioner Gunst is
warmly attached to Captain Whitman,
and the dream of his life would be real
! lied if he could see that officer in power
! as Chief of Police. Mr.. Gunst knows we'll
| that such thing cannot be, and that he
! Is as helpless in that matter now as he
! was a few months ago."
Commissioner Alvord believes that it is
| high time that the undignifed controversy
| between the Chief and Mr.. Gunst should
end. He remarked yesterday: "If Mr..
| Gunst has a grievance or any charges to
make, l should say that he ought to bring
| his case to the attention of the Grand
! jury