The San Francisco call., 1905-01-31
GROSSLY CORRUPT.
SAYS GRAND JURY
Partial Report Is
Made on Police
Scandal.

The Grand Jury made a partial re-
port yesterday morning on it's investi-
cations in the police scandal, and it
declares that gross corruption" ex-
lists in Chinatown. The jury did not
enter into particulars, but in a general
way it sets forth that it has much i'm
portant evidence going to show that
the owners cf fantan games have paid
money for protection from police inter-
ference.
The partial report was made because
1t was feared that the Police Commits
sioners, before whom charges are
pending involving a number of police
men, would go ahead last night with
the trial of Sergeant Ellis and by COM
pelling the witnesses to testify reveal
the evidence that the public inquisitors
wish to have kept secret. To have dis
closed it, the jurors urged, would
make 1t impossible for them to go to
the bottom of the scandal as they hope
to dc. The situation was presented to
Judge Lawlor that he might also make
appeal to the commission and to
place the responsibility where it
would belong If the Grand Jury failed
to accomplish anything"
The report submitted by the Grand
Jury was that which had been made to
1t by Chairman E. J. Bowes Of the po-
lice committee. This committee has
carried on all the probings and prow!-
ings Of Chinatown. The report recites
the history Of the police investigation
from the beginning to the point where
it came virtually to a standstill about
three weeks ago. Its most salient para
graphs follow:
This committee has proceeded upon the as
sumption that fnaSmllCh seeking to
expose the exact condition of affairs In the
Police Department. its activities would be
couraged and supported in every proper man
ner by the Police Board.
GROSS CORRUPTION EXISTS.
It may be repeated that to make a prema-
ture disclosure of the evidence and information
IN the hands of this committee would not tend
toward the best results The assurance Is
hereby extended, however. that the committee
is in possession OF evidence and information
tending to establish the existence Of regu-
larly organizd system Of gross police corrup-
tion IN Chinatown; that the committee has in
its possession bribe money which has actually
passed; that 1t has IN its possession confes
sions Of several police officials; that 1t has
evidence and information to the exact
course pursued between the briber and the
bribed; that II has evidence and information as
to the specific amounts regularly paid, and
how such money was apportioned; and that 1t
has other valuable evidence and Information.
While the committee does not deem IL pru-
dent to be more definite in it's statement to
the evidence and information before 1t, yet in
view Of the apparently determined intention to
proceed with the hearing of the said charges
the evening Of the 30th inst. by the Board Of
Police Commissioners It Is thought that this
much should at lsast be stated, so that If the
work OF the Grand Jury be in any manner
crippled the responsibility may fall where it
belongs.
And while we are in possession Of very i'm
portant evidence and information. as already
indicated, such evidence and information does
OF disclose the full extent which the
ruption has reached in official circles, and the
committee Is advised that in order to render
the eyfdence before IL legally avail
able some additional corroborative proof is re-
quired. and upon this phase of the matter the
Now, in view of all this, the committee firm
ly believes that the prosecution Of the formal
the Police Commissioners at this tuncture
might prove disastrous to the work thus far
accomplished and in order to obyiate any
such result 1t is felt by the committee that
some action should be taken by this Grand
Jury NJ body.
TO TAKE UP CORBIN MATTER.
The Grand Jury will meet this after
noon at o'clock to make an inyestiga-
! ton of the affairs of the Continental
Building and Loan Association, partic-
| ularly as to the reports that William
Corbin, secretary and manager of the
concern, has misappropriated large
! sums of money.
"The charges that have been present
| ed to the Legislature have been called
to our attention. said Foreman An
drews last evening, land we have sub
| penaed witnesses to learn whether
| there Is any ground for criminal prose-
cution. We shall go ahead independ-
| emily Of what occurs at Sacramento.
! We expect all the witnesses but Corbin
to be on hand, including DR.. Washing
| ton Dodge and Gavin McNab, who are
officers cf the association. The secre-
tary is at the State capital and the sub
pena could not be served on him.
mo, we shall not give any attention
for the time being to the charges of
bribery that were made against the leg
islators to-day There is an impression
abroad that 1t devolves on us to indict
Senators Bunkers and French II the
! evidence warrants such action because
they are representatives from this city.
! We have not looked into the matter al
all as to the Grand Jury's province in
the case, and anyway we should await
developments before taking such a
STEP"
Thopnnson rainStatnd Tho And