The San Francisco call., 1897-10-22
GAMBLING LAWS
DISREGARDED
The Sports Say That Any
Game Can Be Found
in This City.
They Assert That the Initiated
Can Even Buck the Tiger"
if They Desire.
An Able Attorney Says That Draw
Poker Is a Percentage Game and
Should Be Stopped,
as this 4 wide-open town ?"

The question has been asked and the
police who have been interrogated have
| answered with deal of hesitation that
| they did not think ii was and in support
| OF their claim reiierale the statement
that there are no faro games where the
| people can buck the tiger when the
passion Tor gaming seizes them, and that
| stud horse poker, chuck-a-iuck, hokey-
| pokey and the other games specially
| designed for the fleeing of the unwary
are things of memory only, or if played a.
all, are hidden away where the e agile eyes
Of the officers cannot find them.
And as to the lottery games why, are
! not the police continually making raids on
the Ch nese and hauling them in to courts
for having and selling lottery tickets2
T"e sports and men-a buut-town smile
knowingly when the subject is mentioned,
| and look incredulous when the statement
is made that any one with sense enough
TO prevent him from mortgaging his life
| insurance policy 10 get funds 10 invest in
gold brick, believes that gambling does
| not flourish here.
Stud-hoise poker and lottery games
conducted by white men who have ele-
| gantly appointed Offices and who ad dver-
| tise that they pay on winning tickets, say
the knowing ones, can be found without
much trouble, and even faro game might
be scared up if pursued with diligence.
! Side entrances, though declared bv ordi-
nances OF the Supervisors TO be a violation
| OF the law, stand invitingly open in all
| PARTS OF the city. The only ones outside
OF the Police Department who believe that
| the city Is not run wide open" are the
! Chinese, and il is said that they are will
ing 10 contribute 5000 a month to bring
| about just such a-to them-desra bic
state of affairs. The police have been dill
gent IN The endeavor TO impress them
| with the belief that this is not city
where fan tan and particularly lottery
! games are allowed to be run under the
noses OF the peace officers.
| There Is great plenty of draw poker
| games, where the uninitiated may find op-
! portunIty 10 pass time and a few dollars
| INTO the kitty" These are played openly
| Tor 1t IS generally supposed that draw
| IS as innocent game I skill as whist, for
the Supreme Court, once upon q time,
| rendered a decision IN which they IN
timated that draw-poker was not a per-
centage game and did not come within the
| law.
A prominent lawyer, who has made a
| close study OF the gaming law and who is
| familiar with the case III which the de-
| cision was rendered, declares that draw
| poker, as played among gentlemen, where
| there is no rake-off Is game Of skill, but
| when conducted as it is in the saloons
| cigar stores and clubs, where a certain
| portion of the stakes is taken out for the
| beneht OF the owners of the games, is a
percentage game, and comes within the
law as laid down in section $50 OF the
| Penal Code.
ANY game" said the attorney, "where
| the house gets certain portion of the
stakes is percentage game. 1t does not
| make any difference whether II is draw
| NJ
defeat the law by changing the name of a
game, and when you take a percentage
out of a game for the benefit of those in
| whose saloon 1t is played you make it
come within the law. l am aware that
| some claim that the contents of The
kitty are used to pay for the refresh
menis OF the players. but that is 4 subter-
| ture. 1t Is too ridiculous 10 be considered.
| Six men playing a game of draw poker
with four-bit limit, Will put into the
kitty an average of 81 an hour. This
| means from $50 to $50 q day for each ia ble
Does any one want 10 say that the players
| Will consume that amount OF drinks d? Not
| bit OF 1t! man who playa poker does
not drink much whisky, for he knows
that his head must be clear If he wishes to
stand an even chance in the game.
| The police DO not want to interfere
with the games, for they know that the
| man over them has made his money from
| the games and IL is said that he still has
| pretty good income from some of them.
! Lottery cames are allowed TO flourish even
| though the owners of them advertise TO
pay on the winning tickets. The offices
! OF these com panies are well known, but
| the owners are not moleeted."
A properIy-owner. who resides on Wal.
| ler street, com plains that the city is far
| 100 wide open when the siGe-entrance evil
| is allowed to exist. He stated that there
are two places in his neigh borhood where
! the side entrances occasioned so much
complaint that the respectable residents
are thinking seriously of circulating a
petition 10 have The law enforced. These
| places are known TO the police, but The
| planning ones who live in the nei h.
borhood say that they pay no heed to the
violation OF tue law because the proprie-
tors of these places serve Gunst cigars TO
| their patrons.
The booksellers at the racetracks are lot
| getting round-s shouldeIel from lodging
| the peace authorities ana none of them
have been heard complaining that the
| town was not open enough.