The San Francisco call., 1909-10-10

plosion OF a bomb and the wreckinR
OF a gambling hall Five OF the bombs
were exploded IN single month. each
being attended with enormous damage
to surrounding property
But an account of the bomb explo-
sfons does not tell all the story. IN
cendiary fires, improvised battering
rams and such methods of destruction
as outlaw hands could employ have
aided the forces OF powder. dynamite
and nitroglycerine in the widespread
devastation.
And in all the series OF outrages no
arrests were ever made until the state
OF Illinois came to the cisy's aid The
United States governments also has
taken a hand
But with all the forces at work the
bomb thrower yet goes free The few
arrests that have been made all came
to nothing. those made by the police
seem to have been purely superficial
Plans are now on foot for the or
ganfzatfon OF a vigilance committee.
and the Commercial association and
other public spirited organizations have
banded together to employ expert
criminal catchers from Scotland Yard
and other private agencies. The "vigi-
lance committee" is the idea OF County
Treasurer John r. Thompson. whose
restaurant was IN the path OF one OF
the explosions.
As outlined by Thompson. the COM
mittee will conduct the search for thu
bomb thrower by:
Raising a fund OF at least $4,000 to
be used chiefly as a reward. to be d.
vided equally between the Informant
and the captor of the bomb thrOwer;
Guaranteeing absolute protection to
the gfver of information and the captor
of the bomb throwers. the name OF
anybody giving such information to be
suppressed as protection from attack;
Placing the financial part Of the
undertaking in the hands OF David r.
Forgan, banker. or some other well
known fnancier. whose name would
guarantee that the work would be
properly managed"
Acting Chief Schuettler admits that
he has not made any effort to prevent
the gamblers from getting telephone
service-which could be stopped under
agreement with the Chicago telephone
company-excepting by pulling out the
telephones where gambling was found
He admitted that he had not even
informed the telephone company that
he had raided clearing houses operated
by Mont Tennes-three IN the loop dis
trict within six weeks. Under the tele-
phone cOmpany's agreement with the
city IL can not reinstate these tele-
phones after 1t has been informed By
the police that they were conhscated
because they were used for gambling
purposes.
With all that may be charged against
this outlaw bomb thrower. il must be
admitted that he IL doing great deal
to reform the city. While an enormous
amount Of other property has had to
fall with the demolition OF each gam
bling house. this bomb thrower OF
Chicago is doing more TO reform the
city than all the other forces com.
bined- Not the united efforts OF the
police department, the forces OF the
states attorney and the multitudinous
reform associations have done as much
TO wipe out gambling from the city
as this mysterious source OF the Chi
cago bombs.
The city experienced a reign OF
terror similar to the present one in a
gamblers racetrack war OF 10 years
ago. This began with the blowing up
Of the house OF John Hill Jr.. when
he was lighting racetracks and bet
ting. Then bomb throwers hired them
selves out to different factions OF tha
gamblers to operate against opposing
cliQues. and they went, as IL working
for themselves, unmolested By the po-
lice.
This uncompromising war between
the two gambling elements caused the
racetracks TO be exterminated. The
Washington Park track where the
great American derby was run. was
one Of the last to succumb, but the
constables through violence and arrests
made life so strenuous for the man
agement that they had to give II up
in despair.
A member Of a printing house which
furnished programs and tickets for
certain tracks was said TO be inter
ested In trackside gambling After
he had furnished bonds for some OF
the racetrack men who had been ar
rested by the constables. he was called
up over the telephone one day and
told not to repeat the aid. He dis
regarded the warning. So, one night
when piles OF completed programs ana
tickets lay In the shop to be delivered
at Hawthorne track the next day ona
Of the biggest racing days OF the sea-
son. a gang OF men entered the print
ing establishment at night. destroyed
the programs aud tickets. as well az
all other printing in the place. burned
IL with acid. started the presses going,
and. inserting crowbars into the ma
chinery. stripped them and tangled the
parts hopelessly, wrecked the presses.
pied" 40 cases OF type. and did, all
told. $4,000 damage
In 1903 supposedly the same group
OF men, managed by a system OF dupli-
posit vault boxes in the Masonic tenn
pie $4,000 belonging to the various
book makers.
Following this. an attempt was made
to burn the poolroom at Deerheld, Ill
Pronting by past experiences the pro-
prietors were prepared for the attack.
A pitched battle between guards and
the invaders ensued- One OF the mem
bers OF the gang now employed by a
prominent Chicagoan, becoming excited.
shot one OF his own allies. former
constable. Carrying the wounded men
with them. the raiders escaped.
Then the Harlem track was blown uo
by bomb. Dakota Dick an employs.
was asleep on the premises and ona
Of his feet was blown on. Other depre-
dations followed until every ,racetrack
in and about Chicago was closed
Not single arrest was ever made In
any OF these outrages.
After the closing of the racetracks
the guerrilla warfare continued. but was
confined to poolroOms and gambling
houses. 1t was done for the same o.
ject as before. that OF getting the men,
bers OF the gang on the weekly paw