The San Francisco call., 1898-12-27

rnat the agents and proprietors were not hotl1ieo that their machines were la pooed On the other hand they were per- thai tihlieteo 10 go to the license office and pay NET Ti sooo money for running the games me next thing they knew Lees was on tnelr backs with hammer and claws S1aioIg the puzZling features of the on- siaught was the fact that the card me Gllihes that are operated alongside the iever machines were not disturbed not WI Wiohstandlng the circumstance that they game as the big boxes.
 Ihose who use the machines as an ad- 3qunct 3q to their business are satisfied that the machine agents in not "loosening'' up Tn financial way to those who have the late Of the seductive machines in their discretion Possibly the holiday demands are are unusually heavy, and they thought Ihe largess could be produced after the nrst or the year without any disastrous consequences; but the results have their entire dissatisfaction. It appears to be case of spilled milk. and they can only regret that the proper glad hand" had not been presented before the
 hurry up wagons were ordered out.
 Up in the City Hall there are about two carloads of these machines, many of which are loaded with honest nickels, the ownership of which is yet to be deter mined. These devices are incidentally worth five double eagles each, and with SlO0 that was put up by those who did not
 
 a lot of property on his fhands that does not belong to him or the city.
 Heretofore the rule has been to scare the agents by making seizures or cover ing up the boxes with towels and bring ing some special subject into court to whom a lecture was delivered by his Hon. or. In view of the fact that it has been shown that Chief Lees has permitted the playing of all kinds of games from faro down and must now make a record, not withstanding the counter interests of DT1i arN1fc Rx-4 men anticipate a great deal of trouble before the difficulty shall have been ad- juSted. Speaking of this phase of the complication last night one of the agents said:
 we are at a. loss to understand what has come over the spirit of Chief Lees dreams. Heretofore, when he found 1t necessary to make trouble the agents, saloon men and cigar dealers were noti- fled that the jig was up and to stop using the machines. These orders were obeyed and after certain ceremonies were per- formed the slot boxes were again allowed to do business.
 After this exposure with reference to faro games the department came down on us like a wolf on the fold and yanked the machines out to the Hall. Further more. many Of the proprietors of the boxes had to put up hundred dollars or go to jails This is new deal and we don't know where we are at. Either Lees Is scared or some one has lost his pull in the force and is not in a position to
 
 in bad odor. Of course, 1t is understood that the special police graft is in the card machines, but if this pinching act is car ried to a finish we will see how fine a distinction the Chief can make in dectd- ing what is and what is not a percent age game.
 Tt goes without saying that we outsd- CTS cannot get as close to the 'poice-and- sanitary-regulation mill as a Police Com missioner, who has more than fatherly interest in card machines, but when we are allowed to go to the City Hall and paS our good money to the License Col lector for the operation of these ma chimes we ought not to be subjected to the whims of the Chief or to outside in Huences brought to bear upon him by our competitors. We only ask for fair snake and do not know of any reason why we should not have it.
 Ihose Of us who are being squeezed in thls game have not decided upon any combined action to secure our rights in the matter. We may make a test case or It or let things take their course Heretofore things have taken their course and the result has been fairly satisfac- tory.
 No, I do not think the Supervisors nave had anything to do with this move notwithstanding the fact that they wouId De willing to take a farewell 'handout, Just as they are going out of office How ever the inside of this business will ha made plain before long. Then we wifi discover gray-haired African in tha Woodpile who will have trouble in iusti flying his course"