New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-13
W. I. DIRECTORS MAY QUIT
SPLIT OYER POOLROOMS.
Those against Them Call in Vdin
for Special Meeting.

Directors OF the Western Union Telegra phi
Company. reporter of The Tribune ascertained
yesterday. disagree to the policy of supply
ing information from the racetracks to the pool
rooms over the company's wires one of the
most prominent and influential directors. who
has been expected to take stand against the
poolroom service, made statement in which
he said that several of the directors, who
are prominent in politics, in charitable work
or in church societies, have been trying
To have a special meeting OF the Western
Union board called for action the pOolroom
charge ever since Captain Goddard made his re-
port to the city club. Their anxiety to have
such a meeting has been increased by the state
ment Of Police Commissioner McAdoo and they
make no secret of their intention TO move at the
next meeting OF the directors 70 have the West
,rn Union wires cut out OF all poorooms.
Opposed to them are other directors of the
Western Union who say that the business Of sell
ing information 10 the poolrOoms Is not only
strictly legal but IS compulsory under the law.
as shown by several decisions Of the courts.
They declare that they would not be doing their
duty TO the stockholders of the company IT, as
directors charged with responsibility for the
c,,npaus. iiinnt.laI interests they were To cut
of from the company strictly legal means OF
large revenue Therefore they are opposing
the calling OF special meeting OF the board. be-
lieving that before the next regular meeting the
, hue and cry as they call the charges made oy
CAPTAIN Goddard and Commissioner McAdoo'
VIII have ceased. and VII! have been forgotten
by the public.
one Of the directors. Senator Depew. has said
that he will resign If ne finds that the charge
Of aiding the poolrooms is true and the direc-
tors do not order the practice stopped Most OF
the other directors those who favor cutting the
wires out Of the poolroOms as we'll as those VINO
favor continuing the service-are unwilling 20
talk ON the subject except under promise that
they will not be quoted by name
The statement Of the director already referred
TO was follS's;
There viii he several Tesgnauons from the
Western Union board soon II some action -
not taken 10 rid the company or the disgrace OF
aiding and abettiug crime. Any VINO looks
al the list of the Western Union directors can
sea that there are many men in the board who
are too public spirited and too high minded as
citizens to give couutenance TO the business OF
encoura giug gambling In pooroons. ne trou-
bic is that We nave orH'i iS'o'i iH. ~ 'iV - -
tlop some OF US rarely have attended meetings
of the board and at such meetings no lnIorina-
tion about the poolroon service mas oeT1l I'llu
before us. / suppose II VIII be sald mat as
directors we should have been so conversant
with the COmpJny'S affairs as 20 know ali ABOUT
that service but few OF Us would be directors at
all If il were necessary to examine INTO ali the
details of the compauy's business. This really
Is a warning to some of US not 10 be directors
OF corporations when We cannot take the time
to become acquainted with the details of their
business.
Now that the character ot the poolroom SER
vice has been disclosed some of us feel that We
must have housecleanng or resign as direct
ors. The easiest way would be to resign right
away and get rid Of the trouble. but we feel that
ought first to make an honest effort TO clean
the house. We are opposed by some of the di-
rectors. who feel that they are custodianS of
financial interests and that their first duty is t.
guard those interests. look ut the situation
much as a man might regard lease of house
he owned. If he were asked TO let the house
for immoral purposes he would refuse promptly.
tI,nh hsNrrG In rpr,I f,f+
supposed proper uses. and later found out that
the house was being used by the tenant for inn
moral purposes his duty to oust the tenant
would be just as plain as would have been his
refusal to let the house for immoral purposes in
the first place. l hope the public will have a
little patience. until the directors can get to-
gether and take some decided action.
District Attorney Jerome said yesterday that
he did not count on the help of the Western
Union In a war on poolrooms. He content
he saiG to let the Western Union directors deal
with the question Of selling racetrack informa-
tion to the booksellers. Let it stay a moral
question fog the present" he remarked, ind-
eating that he did not intend to call any West
ern Union agents in his search for evidence
against poolrOoms.
That the District Attorney is preparing for
raids on poolroOms and gambling houses now
that he has obtained a certified copy of the Can
field witness bill which was signed by the Gov
early in the week. is certain. He said yes
terday that he would not disclose his plans. but
when asked if he intended to make of his
power under the new law, he replied:
You don't suppose, do you. that spent four
months laboring with the legislature just 10 get
q certified copy of that bill? You don't suppose
! was taking all that trouble for nothing?"
When he was asked about report that the
gamblers and booksellers intended TO tie his
hands by raising a question as to the Constitu-
tionaIity of the new law on test and
keep it i'm the courts so long as he is i'm Office |
Mr.. Jerome said
That's bosh, They will not he able to make
a test case until get a conviction They can
appeal from conviction OF course