The record-union., 1898-09-23
TRUSTEES RAISE Objections
PROPOSE TO TAKE MATTERS
INTO THEIR OWN HANDS.
Insist That Officers Shall Not be
Sent Off Their Beats to
Stop Gambling.

"A meeting of the Board Of Trustees
was held last night, there being pres
Snt President Mckay, Trustees Brown
LEVINE, Dolan, Douglas, Paine and Teo-
pets, In accordance with the following
can issued by the Mayor:
A special meeting of the Board OF
trustees is hereby called for Thursday
September %, 1898, at 7:30 O'Clock
p m. for the purpose of considering the
advisability Of declaring Friday after
noon, September %, 1898, a half holi-
day in accordance with the suggestion
and desire of a number of the citizens
Of the city of Sacramento
Inc members were a unit in accept
Ing the suggestion embodied in the call,
and resolution setting this friday
AFTERNOON apart as a half holiday to
enable persons to visit the races al
Agricultural Park, was unanimously
adopted.
The Trustees individually expressed
the hope that merchants and others
employing labor would observe the or
der and give their employees chance
TO see the races and to enjoy them
Selves
The board adjourned, but immediate
1y reconvened as a board OF inquiry,
and brought up the matter of the action
taken by Chief of Police Dwyer in col
1ecting his men about the entrances
of places in which gaming was being,
Or was supposed to be, conducted.
The telephone was brought into re-
quisition and Chief Dwyer was sum-
i To
vine opened proceedings. He said the
board desired to inquire into the recent
disposition of the police force at night.
He had walked home Wednesday night
and saw two officers standing on the
northeast corner Of Sixth and streets.
He inquired of them the object of their
meeting there, and they replied that
they were obeying orders; he asked II
they had orders to arrest anybody and
they replied that they had no orders TO
do anything but stand there.
Trustee Devine, turning to Chief
Dwyer, wanted to know the object of
punching the patrolmen, and thus leav-
ing all of the residence and much of
1he business portion of the city at the
mercy of thugs, thieves, fire-bugs and
others Of like character.
Chief Dwyer replied that it had been
deemed necessary, in order to close The
illegal gambling games, to concentrate
the force.
How many patrolmen have you at
night?" inquired Trustee Dolan.
Seven" replied Chief Dwyer.
How many did you have at Kripp's
place (Sixth and streets) Wednes-
day night?" inquired Mr.. Dolan.
Three" replied Chief Dwyer, "and
all the force was on the games for two
nights"
Then there was no protection for
Beat during that period" queried Mr..
Dolan, that is If we except the Night
Patrol Sergeant.
1.-THE Sergeants duty called him to
Beat 6 on his rounds" replied Chief
Dwyer, land that was the only protec-
tion it had"
Trustee Dolan said it was evident
that the city from A to 7 streets, east
of Twelfth, had had no protection and
that all the officers had been gathered
around the buildings in which games
were running. He inquired whether the
games had closed.
Chief Dwyer said he supposed they
had: that he had no means of getting
in to see, but that the proprietors OF
the games had promised him so to do.
Kripp, he understood, was only run
ming a dice game which was not within
the purview of the law.
Trustee Dolan said he wanted some
protection for the citizens east OF
Twelfth street, and that he was going
to have it If he had to appeal to the
board to provide it.
Trustee Devine said the question OF
dealing with the games was puz-
zling one, but that there were more
ways than one Of handling it. He
called attention to the fact that duI =
ing Steinman's administration as Mayor
the games were allowed to run, out
that the proprietors were made to con-
tribute literally to the city finances,
and that the police department was
equipped with the proceeds. Some per
sons, ne said. might imagine that such
a course was condoning crime, pul
such was not the case; it was simply an
effort TO enforce the law by keeping the
games confined to a few places ana at
1he same time bring in revenue for The
city.
Trustee Douglas said that since the
punching of the police force there nao'
ne believed, been no officer on Beat ..
He understood, of course, that Chief
pwyer had taken his orders from the
Nayor. and had enforced them, but
that no arrests had followed. He and
Trustee Brown had been told by two
officers that they had no orders TO
make arrests.
Chief Dwyer said he had given orders
+o his men to make arrests, If possible,
b,,t that they had no right to enter
MACE of business to do so. Some or
them had gone into a place, but had
been ordered out by the proprietor pe-
cause he claimed it hurt his business.
Trustees Douglas and Dolan said that
no officer had any right to go into any
saloon and keep away customers, and
49, fo,-rner said 1t seemed evident that
+bo officers who had spoken to himself
md trustee Brown had lied" If the
Man Of keeping a number Of police
men around Kripps place, he said, was
,7ers,sted In. the people would some to
the conclusion that he and not they
were getting the protection.
Cb,af Dwyer evidently did not ap-
nrove of the system Of punching
though he did not say so in that many
words What he did say was that on
rr,eedav night the women and the
roughs on lower L street, ran amuck