The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-01
DOUBLE HEADED
SLOT MACHINE
"CINCH" BILL
Hungry Legislators Say the
Ghost Must Walk Soon or
Trouble Will Follow.

CALL HEADQUARTERS, SACRA-
MENTO, Feb. 2s,-There has been an I'M
dercurrent of excitement in the Assembly
to-day over threatened action in eonnec-
ton with measure that is antagonistic
to the syndicate which controls nickel-in-
the slot machines in this State.
A bill prohibiting absolutely the very
existence of these machines In California
has been introduced, and a powerful lob
by has assembled here to defeat the bill.
Some of the legislators. tired of being
good fellows for the benefit of their
friends, threatened to make the bill an
affair of urgency, and Immediately there
was a stir in the lobby. a telegram was
sent to San Francisco for reinforcements,
and two more attorneys" have arrived
These it was feared were not enough, and
the general agent of the syndicate was
commanded to come at once.
Some of the legislators. whose condition
is rather mysterously described as hun
CRY, insist that the ghost must walk soon
or there will be trouble The attorneys"
are doing their utmost to soothe the ex-
citement of the honorable lawmakers, but
there is excellent reason to believe that
only one balm will cure the distemper.
The history of the proposed Legislation
against the slot machines constitutes an
interesting chapter of the present session.
Men well known in the State are involved
in the matter. Officers who are employed
by the Federal Government for certain
duties are devoting the time that belongs
to the Government in the lobby. They are
seen day after day in consultation with
legislators, and the nature of their con-
ferences is not for moment mlsunoer-
stood.
one of these men is Jake Steppacher,
1T. "a l1.Fat tor af W
enue in the office of Collector John Lynch.
Steppacher is drawing large salary from
the United States Government to perform
certain duties in San Francisco. BY the
courtesy of Lynch, MIR. Steppacher is here
earning another salary to prevent the
adoption of the bin antagonistic to the
slot machine syndicate. He has been mere
practically for the entire session, ostensl-
bly, acting as one OF the toutS OF pan
Burns, This, however, has been a hllnd.
as Steppachers political influence does
not extend beyond the horizon of his own
self-interest. He is here, ostensibly TO
swell the motley gang that SURROUNDS mos
Burns, and primarily to feather ms own
The running mate In the lobby is Jake
Shaen, who is in the service OF the United
States Appraisers, and also draws a fed
eral salary for which he gives nothing IN
return. Shaen is an honorary member Of
the Burns 6rgaqe OF t noq IS b c pl n
of the Mexican in order that he may give
much to an effort to defeat the "cincn
what some of the legislators say pathetic
ally is chin music.
The achievements that arrived to-day
consiste ed of ex-Superior Judge Walter h.
TeVy and Jack Chretien. Both are firmly
convinced that the very foundation stone
of the State would be shattered II the Dill
prohibiting slot machines ever became a
law. Phil Crimmins is also in the field,
and completes the quintet that Is working
to defeat the bill. In order that there may
be no misunderstanding and that no ND ND
critics be taken it should not be forgotten
that these five interesting persons are
The BIZ prohibiting slot machines is in
that class Familiarity known as 'cfncn
iegisIation This sort of legislation has
been known TO relieve worthy legislators
from the disagreeable necessity OF walk ak.
ing home The anti-slot machine bill was
introduced by Huber in the Assembly
and Braunhart in the Senate Both gem
ure under the inspiration of worthy
purpose. The Developments that are OF
interest came after. The bill is most
drastic in its provisions. 1t prohibits the
manufacture, sale, purchase, control or
operation of slot machines in the State.
Under the provisions of the bill no person
may permit another to use slot machine,
and any one using such machine shall
be guilty of an unlawful act. Any officer
of the peace who shall neglect to enforce
the provisions of the proposed law shall
The penalty for Others shall be a fine of
not less than $50 nor more than $500, or i'm
both fine and Imprisonment. This pro-
posed law almost gave the members of the
slot machine syndicate an attack of heart
failure. Certain legislators looked upon
the measure with a degree of satisfaction
that could not be disguised Many thou
sands of dollars in investment and untold
threatened legislation It is no exaggera-
ton to say that hundreds of slot ma
chimes. operated in cigar stands and sa-
looms in San Francisco, take in from $50
0QV
It is little wonder therefore that GER
tain legislators sought from a double mo-
sue. The lobby has stubbornly fought
any advance, but the fight has been made
on a basis of good Fellowship" The
lobby must act or there will be fun. one
of the interesting features of the affair
is the, fact that steppacher and shaen
who is deeply interested as a gambler in
the slot machines. shaen and Steppacher
are therefore involved in the clever game
of working both ends against the mid
die.
Where the matter will end remains to
be seen. That the bill Is worthy one
poses that will not recommend themselves
for honesty is also conceded. Legislators
who vote for the measure know they ars
encouraging 'einch" legislation Thoss
that vote against it know that they are
defeating atbn OF auestionen
merit. III eIIISI cast IOIeoi IutIl are Otl
the horns of a dilemma.
Until few days ago the lobby sneered
at the threats of the Assembly to take
the measure up. Members of the lobby
declared that they could do their work
in the Senate. The upper house is q
more select body any way, and pains.
taking members of the lobby do not have
to make arguments to so many people
1t saves time and other things. But wher
the Assembly seemed in earnest the tune
of the lobby changed. It is said that the
music has not yet got the right ring and
that is why the State representatives
have been sent for in haste. There is
bursting in the breasts of some of tbs
legislators a renewed hope that Provf-
dence and cinch bills may mean some
thing yet. Meanwhile Jack Steppacher
Jack Shaen, Judge Levy, Jack Chretier
and Phil Crimmins are looking uncom-
fortably wise.
H Wolf the agent of the slot machines
to whom the urgent telegram was sent
this afternoon, arrived on the last train
tonight. He and Judge Levy at once held
a conference on the situation Jake Step
pacher was also called into consultation
and the trio formulated their plans to cir
cumvent the hungry ones to-day.
AGAINST DOODLE
49,