Imperial Valley press., 1920-06-11

was gambler started in to question
him to get some information regard
ing the underworld conditions which
was satisfied existed and were being
carried on right along in our town.
In one Of the first conversations | had
with Mr.. Shortridge he It'd me about
having paid 100000 for protection.
l was not so awake to the condi-
tions existing until | attended a meet
ing of the city council at which time
five colored people came in there ask
ing for protection of their homes
against prostitution that was going
on in our town and with this idea in
mind | began to question Mr.. Short
ridge.
One time in talking with him he
said to me that he had been fined $3.50
for gambling and that he had paid $50
and went to see Chas. Waite regard
ing the fine and that Chas. Waite said
to him We'll just let the $50 go OF.
the fine and cancel the remaining $40.
Later on, after the raid had been made
he, Mr.. Shortridge, was summoned to
appear and pay the remaining $40. In
stead of gong to the justice of the
peace he went to Chas. Waite, he said.
and told him what had been done. That
he had been called upon to pay the
remaining $40 and he said that Mr..
Waite SAID to him then, Il will give
you the $40 and you go and pay it,"
He said Mr.. Waite gave him the $40
and he went right away and paid it.
After Mr.. Shortridge had paid the $40
remaining fine he came right over to
my store and he told me all of this
| said to him, "Mr. Shortridge, if any
set of men had treated me the way
you say these men have treated you
and had paid me that $40 or any other
money to go and pay my own fine, i
certainly would make them pay me
back the rest of the fine, the $780," and
he agreed to go and try to collect it
and said to me, "you wait here until
| come back and he went away.
waited to see whether he came back OF
not but instead of coming back he
walked down the main street towards
the pool hall. then walked around
went into the pool hall to see if he had
gone in there and | walked back
through the pool hall. l saw him sit
ting talking with man, Mr.. Short
ridge having a number of bills in his
hand apparently showing the roll to
the man. | passed him so that he
could see me and see that | was there
to remind him that he had asked me
to wait until he returned to my store
thinking that he might come on ir
and see me. | went back to the store
then and was only there short time
when he came in. ] asked him how
he succeeded in collecting his $50 anC
he said that Mr.. Waite had paid him
back the $50. | then said to him
"Now, Mr.. Shortridge. if | was yor
J., ard the things you say are true about
these men, that is that you had paic
them $500 in cash for protection
money, and that they had paid you
back your fine money as you say they
have, then | certainly would make
them pay me back my.entire 5000 thai
lection money" He said he would &c
and see Mr.. Waite and ask him TO,
that $500 and | asked him if he woult
let me know how he got along with il
and he said he would.
, | did not see Mr.. Shortridge for /;
; number Of DAYS, then | saw him pas
my store one day and invited him il
, and he told me then that he had spok
| en- to Mr.. Waite about the $500 ant
| that Mr. Waite said he was "hard up
, ut that time but that he would see hin
in d week or two. | never spoke t.
, Mr. Shortridgc again regarding it.
! Some time after that and only
7 short while ago asked him if h
t would not go to the district attorne.
and report what he knew about thi
thing | told him that the best thin,
for him was to go to the district a
torney and ell everything he knew
about it and he said, well he Woul
: see about it and took it as an infer
ence that if they paid him back hi
: 5000 that he would keep still and
: they did not he would tell.
VIM. Randall, former principal o
4 Central Union High school. is III Lo
4 -