The San Francisco call., 1897-06-04
Active Crusade InSti-
tuted by Two Police
Officers.
The Marshal Stands Back and
Tells Them to go
Ahead"
Wholesale Confiscation and De-
struCtion Of Tickets-May
Abate the Evil.

FRESNO. CAL, June 3.-Policeman Gus
Anderson, assisted by Officer Parker, is
proceeding on his own responsibility in
an effort to close the lotteries in China
town. During the many years that An
derson has been on the police force of this
city he has never shirked his duty, nor is
it probable that he will do so in the mat
ter OF dealing with the lotteries. While q
new member of the force. Officer Parker
Is also evlncing a disposition TO act vigor-
ously with the Chinatown evil. The two
officers were compelled to proceed indie
pendently because OF what seems 10 be a
disinclination on the part of Marshal NJ
L. Woy to perform his duty in the mat
ter.
When the City Trustrees instructed Mar
| shal Woy few weeks ago to close the 1lle-
gal games he announced he would do so,
that he would institute an active crusade
against them by arresting every violator
OF the law at every opportunity, and
would continue on this line until he had
accom- plished his purpose. The Marshal
gave instructions to the policemen on the
Chinatown beat to keep a close watch on
the lotteries and 10 execute The wishes OF
the Board of Trustees. Woy, in fact,
turned everything over to the policem en-
and did not give the matter his personal
attention.
But the Cinnamon seemed to have little
| fear OF the eoict of Marshal Woy that they
| must suspend operations. 1t was only
for few days that they ceased business ;
! then the lotteries began having secre /
| drawings and continued growing boIder
until they were aga.n in full blast. The
patrolmen notified their chief that the
games had broken out afresh, and here he
showed his disinclinauon TO proceed
against the lotteries. Instead of taking
the lead and directing 1 he efforts of the
policemen, as IL was his du,y to 40, he
m merely told them TO "go ahead"
The officers were at first unwilling to do
this. Raiding lottery games is respousi BILE
work, and Patrolmen Anderson and
Parker thought, as thev had a right to
do, that the Marshal should take charge
of any movement. There were no less
than nine eames in operation, AMI assist
ance would be required to deal vigorously
with all OF them. But since their chief
has shown q disposition not TO act the
policemen have gone ahead" on their
own responsibili and are succeeding
very well in putting stop TO the illegal
business, which has grown quite extern
sive in this city and is far reaching In its
evil effects.
Officer Anderson during the past few
days has visited the various places where
tickets are sold in Chinatown and de-
siroyed everything he could find which is
used in he lottery business. He conhscated
several hundred books of blank tickets
and tore them up. He intends contnu-
ing TINS method, for II he can break up
the business of selling tickets the closing
of the lotteries will follow. With the in
auguration of this plan OF warfare the sale
of tickets was reduced TO very limited
scale. Purchasers became alarmed and
would not invest, fearing that the officers
might prevent the drawings.
OF course, the companies will not yield
without a struggle. They will probably
hold secret drawings and dispose of tick
cts among Chin amen, which the officers
cannot prevent. But the open sale, which
has the greatest evil effect, will be proEib-
tied. If this policy of the officers is main
tanned there can be no doubt that the lot
terry business will be made Improbable
and that the companies will be forced to
retire. The secret patronage of Chinese
will not amount to much. Public senti-
ment is with tue policemen for taking the
vigorous stand which IL was the Marshars 8
duty to have taken.