The San Francisco call., 1898-03-19

male gamblers of the city and the To- cation of the pool rooms set aside TOT their use alone set men of all descrlp- tions and occupations thinking lh serious manner. In all the oroerS passed by the Board of Supervisors concerning and regulating the sale oI pools upon races and games of chance there cannot be found the word, Wo- man" In consequence the evil De- comes the more terrible, and as It 4s well known that the practice or gaIlo- ling on horse races is becoming aIaIIll- fngIy prevalent husbands and 1aIhelS alike think of the debauching lnHuelce which may be thrown on memceI oA the family. It is proven that women haunt such places, and in consequence some family suffers and men "ho De- fore looked upon pool selling as ne cessary evil have now turned Ill d de- cided. manner and regret that men are allowed to carry on a business Whlch may unfit women and girls, as wei as bows, for the honorable occupations u life.
 When the orders were passed restrict ing the sale of pools on horse races to the track at which the contests oL speed took place the men who sat to make the orders never dreamed that women. especially those Of tanlIy' should have an order represslng them from the degrading influence, ana WHIl@ the orders legally restrict any one rom pool buying in a place away rom llle race course the thought now presents itself that the order should have reau more definitely in regard to sex.
 The heads of the Police Department say they are helpless, because after arrest they are unable to gam conEIc- tions, but members of the Board o1 Fo- lice Commissioners state that the oo- noxious resorts should be closed llp re- gardIess of courts or public opinion. It is stated that the law rests with the police and should be enforced Ac- cording to the records shown by ChleI of Police Lees there have been ntty- six arrests since November :, 16Sf. Out of the arrests tWenty-four cases nave baen dismissed, two fined $5 each, and thirty-three have been continued. sThere are at present tWenty-nlne cases awaiting on the calendar or the Fo- lice Courts in departments l, an0 4.
 Yesterday afternoon Dan Crowley appeared before Judge Campbell and a jury, and the case was nearing conpletfon when the court closed, and it is thought that on this one case hangs the fate of the other cases waiting trial. The whole trouble seems to be the present incomplete and un- satisfactory manner of drawing Po- lice Court iuries. The members of the bar are unanimous in stating that IL is the jury system which causes the regrettable acquittals which foIoW arrest of booksellers, but in many 1n- stances the cases have been heard by one Judge alone, and as usual ac- Quittal followed.
 Without a chance for denial the dis creditable occupation of gambling on horse races, accompanied with it's Vl- cious results is allowed to proceed in all its allurlng yet debauchlng Tea tures,, and men who state that they have the right to place their money on a game of chance If they so deslre regret that wives and mothers nave commenced to follow their example, and especially that their desire to play the races is increasing in such way. Mayor Phelan, Chief of Police Lees, assistant District Attorneys, Police Commissioners and women in various portions of the city all agree that the evil of betting should now De sup pressed by all means, as 1t was not so lamentable until within the past lew months, when women got the fever
 All who have beer. questioned on the matter willingly give their opinions, and without an exception are shocked and surprised at an evil which has ln- fatuated both sexes alike Mayor PheIan is of the opinion that the evil could he suppressed in a short while by arresting and publishing the names of all those who buy pools in the gam bling places, and as the order restrict ing the sale of pools makes 1t ms demeanor for any one to v1slt the places, the plan looks feasible, but the members of the Police Commission are of the opinion that force should be used to close up the resorts as fast as they are opened. The opinions of citizens and public officials can easily be seen in the following interviews:
 Mayor Phelan-The gambling in this city is increasing to an alarming extent I cannot see why no conVlc- tions to speak of have as yet been made in the police courts. If those who visit the public resorts were promptly ar rested and their names given to the public I think the evil would soon be repressed. Section of Order 2361 states that no person shall sell pools upon any trial or contest of skill, speed or power of endurance between horses. except within the inclosure of race track, where such trial or contest is to take place, shall purchase or acquire for money or anything representing money, or any article of value or any other consideration, any interest in or upon the event of any such trial or contest or contingent issue, CT place or deposit any stake, wager, hazard or pledge between two or more parties Of money or anything representing money or any article of value in or upon the happening or non-happening of any event or contingent issue. This order was approved March 23. 1891. and the penalty for it's violation is fine or not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than six months. On this order and subsequent arrest the evil may De abated.
 Chief Lees-I have made the ar rests of parties who violate the orders, and if the courts do not give convlc- tfons am not to blame. The juries which have tried the cases have been exceptionally good ones, and I attend ed to the panel myself. They were rep resentative business men, and the whole matter rests on the fact that jury will not convict a party for selling pools in the city when it is allowed to go on at the race courses. There are now many cases pending, and the re- suit may be different from heretofore The records Of arrests speak for them