The San Francisco call., 1910-09-21
LID CLOSES DOWN
ON MARTINS HEAD
Grand Jury Puts Dive Keepers
on Carpet and Reform
Era Begins
Continued From Page L


that the uptown tenderloin is to be
banished to the Barbary coast district
by the present administration shows
that such a step is not only under con-
temptation but is very likely to be en-
forced Representatives of the city
government have been diligently at
work for some weeks past securing the
opinions of leading merchants of the
city on this subject.
That there have been violations, na
grant and open, the city ordinances
governing the conduct of cafes is the
conclusion that has been reached, and
ii is for the purpose of protecting the
good name of the city that the tender
loin Will be blotted from the main ar
teries Of the city and sent into OBJ
security.
While it is programmed to notify the
proprietors of the cafes and transient
hotels within this week that they must
get out of the business district, the
problem confronting the administration
is just how long time should be given
to these people to close out in their
present locations. 1t is not the inten-
tion of the administration to work a
great hardship on the property owners
in what is now known as the uptown
leHueIlOln 10 IO1ce IDelf tenants 10 va
cate their premises on too short notice.
The plan is TO give the tenderloin
element chance to dispose of their
leases and arrange for locations in the
new district and at the same time give
the property owners ample time to Sc
cure tenants for the buildings which
shall be vacated. So far as can be
learned the shortest time suggested for
the absolute abolition of the uptown
&c
suggested that six months should be
allowed and some have placed the time
limit at a year, but il is hardly likely
that more than six months will be OIL
lowed
One prominent politician, who wants
to see the prestige of the administra-
ton restored, has suggested that the
cafes be allowed to remain where they
are. but TO have all music and dancing
abolished. Such a move would un-
doubtdly be agreeable to those desiring
a reform, but as the life of the cafes
depends on the amusement offered the
patrons there is hardly a single one of
them which could keep it's doors open
so days without music, singing and
dancing TO attract trade.
The arrest of Kitty Becker propri-
etress of the 'HoteP' Bartlett, with
severtl men and girls last Sunday night
now has its significance. The Becker
woman state to the police that she was
to conduct a straight rooming house
Then she sent out cards announcing a
grand opening" The place was
promptly raided. In speaking of the
arrest, a prominent official said:
The Bartlett hotel WITS closed, as we
DO not propose to allow any more of
these so called transient hotels to be
opened in the uptown district. Those
that are already located there are
slated to be moved to the coast under
the scheme now being worked out by
the administration There WITS no preju-
dice against the Becker woman and she
would have been accorded the same
privileges as other women in her bust
ness if the administration had not de-
termined to abolish these transient ho-
tells from the vicinity of Mason and
Eddy streets. The raiding of the Bart
lett hotel merely marked the first step
in the genertl movement to drive the
tenderloin from the business district
Almost every cafe proprietor of note
in the city was hauled before the grand
jury They included Wally Levy and
Milton Levy of the Mirror Red" and
Spider Kelly, James Stack, James LIE
Strange, Ben Schiff and his brother,
Edward SchifT. They were questioned
regarding the fund of which Dave
Becker wa sthe custodian. the alleged
purpose of which was to hire legal aid
in talking the supervisors into extend
ing the time of keeping their places
open during the carnival.
That their tales were different was
made evident by Fickert's statements
at the conclusion.
1T is plain" said Fickert, that per-
jury is being committed by the whole
sale. It is my intention to try to have
indictments returned against some of
the men who have testified
The grand jury went into the matter
thoroughly. The members evidently held
! opinion contrary to the stories told by
the dive keepers, for late last night
they sent out officers in au automobile
to bring up fresh witnesses. Steve
Douglas, an entertainer at Schiff
Brothers cafe. who was believed to
know the true workings of the deal.
was one of them.
Spider Kelly. in telling his side of
the affair. declared that he was an
preached by Becker to contribute to
the fund, but refused to do so.
They wanted $3.50 from me-" said
Kelly. "but / told them that IL was
against my policy to stand in with
rings of any kind. When the nresead