The San Francisco call., 1904-12-03
Commissioners Investigate
Charges of Bribery.
Ruef Makes a Bitter AHack
Chinese WillNot alkUnless
Assured of Protection.

we were coming as the Commissioner
expressed it. He further said that Ell
lis also noticed the unusual number of
men on the street and said that they
must all be turning out to have look
at US"
HUTTON'S RAID.
Commissioner Hutton then related
how on Tuesday night he had visited
one of these same resorts at $40 Wash
ington street with Attorney L. G. Car
penter and officer Minehan and sue
ceeded in arresting more than eighty
Chinese. In it were eight tables,
desk and four iron safes. Men were
playing at the tables and the money
was carried to and from the desk in
the center Of the room in wicker bas-
kets running on wires, similar TO the
method in vogue in the department
stores. The coin was usually wrapped
IN handkerchiefs. When a search of
the premises was made, after the play
ers ana lookers-on had been removed
TO the City Prison. several hundred
dollars, chiefly in silver was found In
the desk. Some of the coin was
wrapped in linen handkerchiefs. some
was loose and the remainder done up
in cartridges.
Commissioners Hutton said he had
very little difficulty in getting into the
room With Carpenter, he stepped from
a coupe and walked into the room on
the heels Of an entering Chinaman,
while Officer Minehan ran around to the
side and bIockaded the getaway. He
was surprised at the great number of
men in the room, as when he had Wis
ited IL the night before there were but
Two or three persons there and no evil
dence OF any games being played. One
man was feigning sleep and the others
were making a pretense of cleaning up
the room.
L had always heard" said Hutton.
that it was impossible for a Police
Commissioner to visit Chinatown with
out his advent being heralded, soil tried
the experiment. On Monday night no
one knew Of my plans, yet within five
minutes after the delivery of my note
to Sergeant Ellis all the gambling
houses were deserted On the following
night, when 1T was utterly impossible
Tor any one to have known of my plans,
round room full of men, with games
in full blast"
At this point Attorney Ruef inter
rupted with the question: Did you dis
cover any evidence to show that any
money had been paid by the Chinese
for protection?
did not" was the reply Il will
say that Commissioner Drinkhouse has
at times expressed dissatisfaction with
III.
said he would like to see everything
cleared UP. Like others, havel heard
many rumors, but have been unable to
find any direct evidence of guilt. For
instance, in March, when Sergeant
Cook was transferred, / was told that
on the following Saturday night the
gambling-houses would be opened. An
attorney for the Chinese told me that
money was to be paid for the privilege,
and rncnfinnld f1to 7
there that Saturday night and found
that the houses were all wide Open"
Did you hear such rumors before
you were made Commissioner or prior
to the election Of Mayor Schmitz? ?''
was asked by Ruef.
Il did, was the response
Are you able to confirm the state
ment that there is a sack?"
NO"
Hutton then told his experiences and
observations regarding the number of
Chinese arrested. From these he de-
duced that to make things easy the oc-
cupants Of gambling houses were noti-
fed few minutes before a raid and all
but handful escaped through the
getaways" 1T seemed strange to me, -
he said, that out of a houseful of 100
or more all could escape but from five
to ten men. In fact, it is ridiculous If
eighty or nunOreQ men could eScaDe
all could. Now, in support of this let us
refer to the prison register for the last
month
The November register was brought
in and showed the following arrests
by Sergeant Ellis and posse: Novem-
Der T. men; November IL. 20; Novem-
Der 19, 6 men from Waverly place; No
vember q, men from Jackson street:
November %, men from Ross alley;
November 26, men from Waverly
place; November %, men from Spot
ford alley. Hutton passed this show
ing UP without further comment
'1NCIDENTALS, $40"
The evidence captured by Hutton in
his raid was then introduced. 1t con-
sisted of the books of the gambling
house, coin and gambling parapher-
MALTA An interpreter was brought in
and translations made from the books
Of the firm What would correspond
with the white mans daybook showed
some interesting features. While small
items like matches and stationery
some of them amounting to not over
so cents, were carefully itemized, there
was an ever-recurrent weekly item Of
$40 for incidentals. In fact it seemed
so ludicrous when the interpreter read
on: Matches, so cents; soap. 81: in
cidentals. $40." that Notwithstanding
the desire Of the Commissioners to