The San Francisco call., 1897-10-18
THE
CITY RUN
wide OPEN?'
Police Deny That Any Con-
traband Games Are
Conducted.
ADMIT THAT POKER Is PLAYED.
Profess to Have No knowledge
of Studhorse Poker
or Faro.
COMMISSIONERS ARE IN THE DARK.
Side Entrances to Saloons Swing Open
to the Innocent Without Danger
of Interference.
COMMISSIONERS ARE IN THE DARK.
Side Entrances to Saloons Swing Open
to the Innocent Without Danger
of Interference.

Is San Francisco "wIde open city" {?
The members of the police force from
Chief TO patrolman, when asked the
question, Immediately begin to toss bou-
quets over their own heads and assert
most positively that there is not another
town of the size on the map that is under
such close surveillance as San Francisco.
Question them closely and the reluctant t
admission is forthcoming that poker
plain, ordinary draw-poker-may be, yes,
probably is played at the hotels and
clubs; well there may be a few clu b.
rooms where poker with any limit from 5
cents to $40 Is the center of attraction. and
still closer questioning will draw out the
even more reluctant admission that most
of the cigar stands have their cozy poker
room attachments.
But that is all. Studhorse poker? Why,
of course not; that's barred. Well, the
20 ice can't keep constant watch on every
little poker game In the city, and 1t Is pos
sIble the game may be varied to sud
horse for a few nours, just 10 vary the
monotony; but there is none dealt regu-
lar y anywhere in town.
Faro? What nousensel Surely there's
no faro in town. Haven't the police been
invading the lair OF The tiger for wears,
unprofitab!e jungle? On, somebody may
deal "fiier" Tor the amusement of a Sc
lect party for an hour or TWO. but as for
there being an open game in town, that is
i'm mpossblr.
That is the opinion OF the members of
the Police Department on gam bling in
San Francisco-the active mem bers who
are supposed 10 know everything that is
going on. Cap" White, who mas dealt faro
under their very noses for years, moving
his game from Third to kearny to Geary
or Market streets, as the cIrcum tances re-
quired, but always in close proximity to
or on the main arteries OF the city, is but
a memory with them and his whereab outs
cannot even be guessed at.
Stlll Il Is known that White is here in
town and the knowing ones who have a
few dollars TO invest in faro, never have
to search far nor long to find Wnlie or his
dealer sitting behind the little box wait
ing 20 call, 'Make your bets, gentlemen.
TIE Police Com mnissioners-thati is, the
two bankers, Alvord ana TobiE-erope in
ever denser ignorance OF the nlgh bit side of
the town than their subordinales. They
do not even know that poker is play ed
outside The sacred precincts of the clubs
of which they are mem bers-but this Is
not surprising in view of the fact that
their stanuiug leads them in entirely DIFF
Ierent paths from those that are only
opened after the electric lights are turned
on.
The third member of the commission.
NJ. a. Gun.t, may know about the seamy
side of life IN San Francisco but if he does
he prefers 10 say noIhing about il. His
old clubrooms, the Washoe Club on the
northwest corner of Sutter and Kearny
streets, W here the limit was the ceiling
are vacant and the click of the lvorv
chips, with the resultant 'draw-down" for
the game, are said to add to his revenues
no longer. But the Baldwin Annex game
Is open nightly, and if the commissioner
has no interest in the sport to the extent
OF share in the "draw-down" it is news
! 10 his friends.
Then there are the side entrances to
saloons, which have been denounced TO
The extent of being ordered closed by the
| Supervisors several years ago, but which
are still maintained wide open," with
/ out the least fear of police interfere ce
| These places are scattered all over the
city and are regarded as one OF the most
pernicious evils that can exist One of
the most notorious OF these resorts was
| understood for several years TO have been
| owned By Police Com issioner Gunst,
| but his name has not been connected with
| it of late, and if he still retains an interest
in it it is known to comparatively few.
| San Francisco may not be "wide open,"
| but it is essentially an ll-night town, and
| if the police are not aware of it they can
| find it out by laying aside their uniforms
and spending an evening with any CIV
ilian acquaintance.