The San Francisco call., 1899-03-08
EVIL BOAST OF THE GAMBLERS.
They Prepare to Concentrate the Crime Breeding
Influences at Emeryville "A Secret Compact
Between COrrigan and the Oakland
ManpulatOrS.

ried their Chicago practices to such E
pass at Ingleside that annihilation was
the only remedy that would prove ade-
quate to destroy the evil. The gamblers
will have to go elsewhere, therefore
whether they care to do so or not. II
they go to Emeryville they will remain
a crime-creating influence in the State
until a legislative enactment drives
them out.
The conditions which the gamblers
have created at Ingleside are matters
of sincere regret to legitimate sports
men of the State, but they say that
they would rather see the prohibition
of a sport than it's prostitution by
blacklegs. These sportsmen are
heartily in sympathy, therefore, with
the new ordinance.
They discussed with some interest
yesterday the possible legal aspects OF
the case.
Lawyers who were interviewed
are unanimous in the opinion that the
new ordinance prohibiting bookmak-
ing and poolselling is constitutional
and will pass the test of the Supreme
Court. The Board of Supervisors pos
sesses what is known as police power
and is privileged to exercise that power
as long as all enactmentS are general
in character. The prohibitory Ordin-
ance. which was passed to print on
Monday, is general, prohibiting. as IT
does, all bookmaking and poolselling
within the limits of the city and county
of San Francisco. The ordinance in
no way is special or partial. 1t is eA-
pected, therefore, to bear the test of
the courts if it be called into question
by the gamblers.
The manipulators of the race
course will have to move therefore
from Ingleside to Oakland. There
will be no profit, as there has been
no sport, in racing without the dis
honest adjunct of the books. Ingle-
sides terrifying brood will migrate
to Emeryville, where, under existing
laws, it may still thrive to corrupt
the people of Oakland, and indirectly
those of San Francisco.
It will be remembered that Moses
Gunst, Dan Burns and their crew
made EmeryviIle an incorporated
town of the sixth class. Hostlers,
rubbers, touts, Jockeys, gamblers and
men known best as loafers con-
tributed the carpet-bag votes that
made Emeryville a pleader for mu-
nicipaI privileges, and a subservient
Board of Supervisors of Alameda did
the rest. Emeryville is consequently
free from the jurisdiction of the au-
thorities of Oakland or the County of
Alameda.
The gamblers make the laws to
suit themselves. They have town in
a race track. If they keep their con-
tract with Corrigan they will well
come the blacklegs that the Super
visors are driving from this city and
protect in one great vicious nest the
men whom Chicago would not toler-
ate, and against whom the people of
San Francisco, in self-protection,
have rebelled. This condition of af-
fairs cannot be disturbed except by
an enactment of the State Legisla-
ture. It is, perhaps, significant that
Corrigan has found it necessary to
go to Sacramento.
AS already indicated, the Super
visors were rewarded yesterday foI
their action by general commenda-
ton. Clergymen, police authorities
merchants, business men, lawyers
| sportsmen were a unit in praising
| the men who had courage enough tc
attack the evil of Ingleside. Repre-
sentatives of every class in the com.
munity were eager to give unquali.
! fed Endorsement to the action of the
Board of Supervisors. Tt had beer
claimed by the gamblers that at least
one class in the community, that OF
the liquor dealers, would indorse ne
restrictive measure against the race
course. To show the falsity of this
claim the following interviews are
subjoined:
FRED MULLER, wholesale wine
! dealer-The races as now conducted are
a great evil to this city, both morally
and in business way. AS an illustra
! ton, ] have patrons who do a gooC
business and ought to be prosperous
! but they play the ponies, and the resul
| is that I cannot collect from them, anC
| in more than one case I know that they
are not able at present to pay thei1
rent. The game which was once
royal sport has degenerated into a plair
|
stopped. It is a ruinous combination a
| the least.
HERMAN DENHARD, wholesale H.
| quor dealer-I do not believe in prohib
iting horse racing, but I do think +
ought to be restricted to a term n
three or four months. The present si1
months arrangement is all wrong.
JOHN F. WITZELL, commission
merchant-Clean, honest horse racini
is all right, but the gambling featur
that has developed so rapidly in th
past few years should be stopped if i
can be done. 1t is ruinous to our youn,
men and it seems that the women ar
becoming fascinated with the game.
RICHARD Unite, retail liquor deale
The gambling feature ought to b
stopped. Business men as well a
clerks are going wrong by reason of ii
and l do not see why the temptation
should be placed before them. There i
no other place in the world where thi
wide open six months game would b
allowed. 1t should be restricted to clear
sport and confined to not more thar
two months.