Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-01-23
DEFIES PASTOR TO
PROVE HIM WRONG
CAPTAIN FREDERlCkS INSISTS
ASCOT PARK is LEGAL
Enforces Statutes as He Sees Them
and Challenges Or. Talmagc to
Produce Proof That There Are
Blowholes in His Contention

In reply to sermon given by Rev.
Frank Dewitt Talmage Sunday, in
which he attacked gambling at Ascot
park and stated that the district at
| torney, Captain John D. Fredericks,
ought to suppress the gambling there,
Fredericks yesterday issued a state
ment setting forth his side of the case.
| Rev. Talmagc concluded his sermon
with the following:
with the bludgeon Of the law Cap
tain Fredericks can annihilate the evil
and drive gamblers away from our
midst even as the shepherd boy David
slew the blatant and blasphemous
Philstine."
Here is what Attorney Fredericks
has to say on the subject:
In your sermon of yesterday, iudg-
ing from the public print YOU have
addressed communication to me
which you desire to reach me through
the public press ! desire to reply to
your communication in the same man
ner.
In the beginning, allow me to dis
pei any idea you may have that this
office needs any urging to do its duty.
You say that if Captain Fredericks will
40 so and so in this matter there may
be in store for him gubernatorial hon
orS and political power. [ viii say in
reply to that, that | have no political
ambitions other than to faithfully serve
the people in whatever capacity may
be placed.
II very very rarely publicly express
my personal opinions, because it is my
duty to enforce the law as it is, regard
less of my opinion Of its value or effect.
However, ] desire to state to you that
IN this case, if there were a law by
which Ascot park could be abolished,
IT would be a great pleasure to me to
hn1 rt,N AI,,,N
sition in this matter was thoroughly
understood by the public.
Please do not waste any time or
energy endeavoring to fix me on this
subject. L am fixed. However, I can
not work a miracle. / have said re-
peatedly i'll public and in private that
there is now no law on the statute
books of this county or state by which
Ascot park. as at present conducted,
can be eradlcated. / desire to reiterate
to you this statement.
You say that after mature consd-
Grafton and consultation with one of
the strongest lawyers in this state that
you believe there is Il law, which, il
enforced, would bring about the result
you desire. Having expressed myself
as to my sentiments. it remains simply
proposition of law. | call on YOU
now to name to me this lawyer, who
you say is one of the strongest law
yers IN the state, to publicly bring him
to my office or put me in communca-
ton with him. If you and he know OF
any such law you are both derelict in
your duty in not bringing that law to
my attention
You are right when you state that
the office of district attorney is the
most powerful office in the state. but
above all officers and offices there
reignS supreme the law, and the dis
nj Of n t,fI,.
bring about state of affairs or to
abolish state of affairs in existence,
except by means of the administrations
of the laws of the state, would be an
anarchist.
I'VE must all abide by the law
whether we like it or not, and we must
not attempt to twist or bend or sub
vert the law even for the purpose of
obtaining what may appear to us to
be a meritorious end