The San Francisco call. [volume], March 07, 1899, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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VOLUME LXXXV-NO. 97.
SUPERVISORS DEAL A DEATH
BLOW TO A GIGANTIC EVIL
Adoption of a Law Prohibiting
Book=Making and Pool=
Selling in This City.
Ten Members of the Board Deter=
mined to Save the People of
San Francisco From the
Curse of Ingleside.
WHEREAS. The practice of horse-racing as formerly car
ried on in this city and county was intended to and
did encourage the breeding of fast horses, and such
emulation so engendered was of some material benefit to the
State; and
Whereas. While the same reason is given for the
continuance of race-meetings, it now appears, and the results
show, that the great success of these trials of speed of different
horses is because of the interest taken by the young and old of
both sexes in the purchase of pools and in the making of bets
and wagers: and
Whereas. The evil results engendered by the hope of gain on
racetracks are apparent in the disruption of homes, the dissipa
tion of savings, recklessness as to moral and social relations,
and ultimately to crime and ruin; and
Whereas. The continuance of this pernicious custom for
many years of pool-selling, otherwise gambling, being permitted
on racetracks has led to a deterioration and loss of character
of young men. whose desire to participate in this gambling has
led them to be dishonest, in peculating from their employers, and
is a potent factor in debauching young girls and women who,
atisc would be honest, virtuous and reputable mem
bers of society: and
Whereas, This board, in the interest of morality, cannot per
mit such a debauching practice being pursued, as not alone the
participants suffer, but the inno
cents have to bear the wide
reaching influences and conse
quences of this gambling; and
Whereas. This board owes it as
a <hny to the community to stop j
all nefarious practices as a nieans
of protection to those persons,
young and old. who are unable to !
exercise control over their dispo- j
sitions to acquire money by the
hazard, excitement and allure- i
inent of the gambling now being
permitted on racetracks; there
fore the people of the city and
county of San Francisco do or
dain as follows:
Section I. It shall be unlaw
ful to sell pools or to make
books or make bets or wagers
wherein money or other articles
of value arc staked as pledges on
races or other contests between
es within the inclosure of a
racetrack or in any other place in
or within this city and county.
Section 2. Tt shall be unlawful
for any person or persons, man
ager or proprietor or corporation
owning or controlling any race
track, or any other person or per
sons in or within any other place
in this city and county, to permit
the sale of pools or books or wa
gers wherein money or other ar
ticles of value are staked on
horses or other contests between
horses in this city and county or
elsewhere.
Section 3. Any person violat
ing any of the provisions of this '■
order shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor, and upon convic
tion thereof shall be punished by
a fine of not more than five hun
dred dollars ($500), or by im
prisonment of not more than six
months, or by both such fine and
imprisonment.
Section 4. All orders or parts
of orders in conflict with the pro
visions of this order are hereby
repealed.
The crusado aerafnst the gipantio evil
of Ingteaide has home fruit. The peo
l>]p of San Francisco, through their of- j
ficial representatives, the Board of Su
pervisors, have rebelled against the
crime and death-breeding influences of
the race course and have taken the first j
Her toward closing the terribl* «.vf>- I
The San Francisco Call.
The Ten Supervisors
nue that so many rtifn and women of
this city have traveled to dishonor and
death.
At the mectine of the Board of Su
pervisors yesterday afternoon a reso
lution of vital importance was passed
to print. Another vote of a majority
of the hoard will kill the evil that has
thrived at the expanse of so many
homes and lives in this city. By their
votes yesterday the Supervisors incor
porated into the organic law of San
Francisco an absolute prohihition
against poolsellin^ and bookmakins
within the limits of this city and
county.
The horsemen may, under this law,
race their horses ;is they please, but
' they cannot legally hazard a cent on
th>^ outcome of a race. The ordinance
that was passed to print yesterday
places no restriction upon hors^ racing.
j If the masters of [ngleside fare to d<
so, they may keep their gatos open ev
ery day In the year, hui they will be
placed under arrest if they hazard a
dollar or permit a dollar to he waK'TKI
on the issue of any contest in which
they are interested. More than this,
the Supervisors have officially decreed
that no <>ne in this city may gamble r>n
any hor.-e race whether held in Ban
Francisco 01 anywhere else.
The resolution thai was adopted yes
terday Is sweeping In its consequences,
but the Supervisors believe that des
perate remedies are the only cure fur
a desperate social disease. The prohibi
tory resolution was introduced by Su
pervisor Perrault and nine of his asso-
I elates voted with him to close the ne
farioos business of the bookmakers .n
; San Francisco. Two members of the
; board, HOWARD BLACK AND W.
!H. PHELPS, balked at the resolution.
SAX FRANCISCO, TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1899.
These men listened to Dr. Perraulfs
arraignment of Ingleside. They heard
him tell of the destruction and death
that the gamblers of the race course
have brought to San Francisco. They
listened while Dr. Perrault told of
homes wrecked, young men led to dis
honor, suicide, prison or flight. These
worthy members of the board heard
the story of young men ruined and
women debauched and then they voted
to protect the scoundrels that have
made this city their field of evil.
Supervisor Perrault repeated the
ftory as The Call had already told it.
The grewsome records of the Morgue,
the registers of the State penitentiaries,
the history of recent crime in Pan
Francisco and the silent testimony of
wrecked lives and homes tell the story
of Ingleside. It was this story that
Dr. Perrault told yesterday to his as-
Bociates and then begged them, in
obedience to the duty they owe to the
people of the city, to destroy the evil.
The vote upon the resolution was ten
to two. The new law was started well
on its way. Another vote will be neces
sary before the resolution becomes
operative. This vote will be taken at.
the next weekly meeting of the board.
If this vote is in the affirmative, and
there is hardly a possibility that it will
be anything else, the bookmakers will
havp to seek a new field after next
Monday or fight their way through the
courts out of jail.
The resolution was presented late in
the afternoon by Supervisor Perrault.
After it had been read by the clerk
Supervisor rhelps asked why it could
not be referred to the Health and Police
Committee of the board.
Dr. Perrault then ma.de a determined
! stand that it be passed to print at once.
Ho scored the racing as now promoted,
saying: - 'I think every member of this
board knows the dire consequences and
the blighting influences that surround
i the racing at Ingleside. Our young
That Are Determined
girls and boys become dissipated and
drfrr-nerate and resort to petty larceny
to get the money with which to bet.
This evil may and sometimes does lead
them on to murder and suicide.
'Homes are wrecked and the live? of
innocents ar" blighted by this rapidly
spreading evil. I do not believe in re
ferring this matter to a committee. If
you do the only person who will appear
before that committee is 'Colonel Ma
mma.' "
Mr. Phelps ninv^ to amend to include
dog racing or coursing and the amend
ment was at once accepted by Dr. Per
rault, the maker of the original motion.
Chairman Collins of the Health and
Police Committee was indignant at the
suggestion of "Colonel Mazuma" ap
pearing before his committee. "I don't
know Colonel Mazuma," he said. "I
suppose, however, he is a gentleman
! like ourselves. I want a printed copy
of the resolution, so that we may read
It and understand the question UDon
which we are voting."
This ended the discussion. The vote
was then on passage to print and was
adopted. Those voting in favor of the
resolution were: Supervisors- Holland,
Kalben, Perrault, Lackmann, Byington,
Collins, Heyer. Deasy, Attridge and
Aigeltinger. The two voting in the
negative were Black and Phelps.
Members of the board showed their
interest in the measure which they had
adopted by expressing freely what they
know of Ingleside and its many evils.
Supervisor Holland, at the conclusion
of the meeting, said: "I have visited
the Ingleside track twice since it was
opened. The last time I was there a
girl of nineteen approached me and
said: 'How do you do, Mr. Holland!'
"I did not know her at first until she
told me her name. I knew her family
well and was shocked to see her there.
After a few moments' conversation she
left me saying, "Don't tell my mother
you saw m Jhere!'
"Wher *; ye left me I saw her give
money to.: Stout to bet for her. That
is the way iemoralization spreads from
the race fcra.sk. "
Supervisor Aigeltinger has a story of
the wrecking of a home caused by the
track. A man and wife had $3400 in
bank and intended to build a home for
themselves. The husband had reason
to look at the bankhook. which was
jointly in his name and that of his wife.
To his horror he found every dollar had
To Save the People
ENGLAND AND AMERICA
OPPOSE ITALY'S DEMAND
been drawn upon the signature of his
wife. When taxed with it she could
only say '-Ingleside." The husband
took his wife's duplicity so much to
heart that he separated from her, their
home being wrecked.
At the conclusion of the meeting of
the board each Supervisor was asked
to express his opinion of the resolution
which had been adopted. The inter
views that follow illustrate what the
Supervisors think of the evil they in
tend to suppress in San Francisco:
Supervisor Deasy — I believe on
general principles that horse racing
should be regulated. The town has
gone mad on the sport, and the time
has come when a halt should be
called. Horse racing is all right, but
it should be restricted and not al
lowed to assume the proportions it
has assumed here. The time has ar
rived when a check should be put to
both it and the coursing. It is dis
graceful the way women visit the
tracks and parks and bet openly.
Supervisor Perrault — In addition
to the corrupting influences of the
race track on our social life, it is
even worse on business. It diverts
money from the proper sources and
gives nothing in return. It is time
a check was placed on these bunko
steerers who have fleeced the public
so long and so fearlessly.
Supervisor Heyer — Horse racing
has gone beyond all reasonable
bounds, and, in justice to the people
of this city, should be restricted.
Thieves and vagabonds come here
from the East to rob our people. It
is getting worse and worse each year,
: and a stop must be put to it some
, time.
Supervisor Byington — The resolu-
Of This City From the
tion is a sweeping one, but some such
legislation is required to regulate the
sport. I know of the evils that have
developed at Ingleside, and it is the
duty of the board to end them.
Supervisor Aigeltinger — I am in
favor of placing such restrictions on
racing as will make it a legitimate
business proposition. If conducted
properly much of the evil could be
eliminated from the sport.
Supervisor Holland — I favor all
sports, provided they are carried on
in a proper manner. There should be
a check placed on it when it gets to
an extreme. When it degenerates
into gambling it should be stopped.
Supervisor Collins — I have not
given the resolution my undivided
attention as yet. From a cursory view
of it, however, - am impressed with
its significance. Horse racing and its
accompanying evils have certainly
But Uncle Sam Is Not Ready
to Engage in War Over
Chinese Territory.
Humbert's Government Sounded the
Washington Authorities Before
Proceeding to Forcibly Take
San Mun Bay.
O PEKING, March 6.— Owing to the insulting manner in which the O
© Chinese Government has refused the request of the Italian Govern- ©
© mem for a lease of San Mun Bay, Province of Che-Kiang. as a coal- O
O ir.g station and naval base, Signor Martino, the Italian Minister, de- O
O clines'to hold direct communication with the Tsung Li Yamen. O
O LONDON, March 7. — The Peking correspondent of the Times O
O says: The Tsung Li Yamen's rejection of Italy's demands was Q
© couched in studiously contemptuous and minatory terms. I find that O
© the French Minister, a fortnight ago, warned the Tsung Li Yamen O
O that Italy was about to present a demand, and counseled its rejec- O
O tion. Signor Martino's dispatch used the very words "sphere of influ- O
© ence," which, owing to difficulty .in translation, were rendered "pro- ©
© tectorate" in Chinese. O
© O
O According to a dispatch to the Associated Press on Sunday the ©
O Tsung Li Yamen has returned to the Italian Embassy the dispatch O
O containing the demand for the concession, accompanying it with a let- O
O ter declaring that the Government was unable to grant the request. O
O O
oooooooooooooooocooooooooooooooooo
worked disaster to the young and old
of our city. I have never in my life
seen v horse race. My impressions
have simply been formed by the
many sad cases resulting directly
from the betting ring that are daily
published in the newspapers. At the
present time I can hardly say that I
am in favor of total restriction of
gambling on horse racing. The rac
ing season should be limited. That
would remedy the evil.
Supervisor Phelps — At the present
Shame of Ingleside.
time I cannot say anything in regard
to my position on this resolution. I
have friends on "both sides.
Supervisor Black — Dr. Perrault's
resolution is too far-reaching. I am
in favor of restricting the privileges
of the rare track people, but I am not
in favor of total restriction of gam
bling on horse races.
Bwperriflox Kalben — I do not care
to state my position.
Supervisor Byington — I am in fa- I
vor of restricting gambling on the
nee tracks altogether. It works a
great harm to the morals of our city.
I sincerely trust that this resolution
will be passed by the board, but I .
have small hopes that it will be. The
race trpck people have plenty of capi
tal to back up their schemes, and I
fear that they will use it in this case.
Supervisor Attridge — I am heart
ily in favor of Supervisor Perrault's
resolution to put a 'stop to gambling
on the race track. I coincide in all
the views expressed in the resolu
tion.
The Dreyfus Revision.
PARIS. March ti— The United Courts
of Cassation met to-day under the presi
dency of M. Mazeau and appointed M.
Ballot de Beaupre, who succeeded M.
Quesnay de Beaurepnir.^ as president of
the civil division of the court, to report
upon the application for a revision of the
Dreyfus trial.
Putnam Will Acept.
BOSTON. March 6.— Herbert Putnam,
librarian of the Boston Public Library,
has s-iirt that he will accept the post of
Librarian of Congress, previously tendered
to him by President McKinley, In case
the offer la renewed.
PRICE FIVE CEINTS.
NEW YORK, March 6.— The Herald'a
Washington correspondent sends the
i following: In making her demand on
China for the cession of territory and
I sphere of influence surrounding it, Italy
| has the support of France, Germany
| and Russia and the diplomatic opposi
tion of the United States and Great
Britain. I learned to-day from a high
diplomatic authority that before mak
ing her demand Italy sounded all the
, powers of Europe and then submitted
i a note to this government detailing her
i purpose and asking what action would
| be taken by it in case her plans were
I put into execution. The reply of Sec
retary Hay, formulated after careful
consultation with the President, depre
cated the proposed course of Italy, and
was in the nature of an objection to its
adoption. But Italy has taken no heed
to the wishes of the United States,
though she was careful to ask before
hand how far this government would
go in opposing her pretentions. Infor
mation in possession of the authorities
confirms the press reports of the land
ing of Italian marines at San Mun Bay,
despite the refusal of the Tsung Li Ya
men to comply with the demand.
In refusing the Italian demand the
Chinese Government is supported by
Great Britain, notwithstanding the re
ports to the contrary which have been
published, and the British Government
would like the United States and Ja
pan to join with it in strongly protest
ing against this invasion of Chinese
territory, even to the point of making
a display of force and engaging in hos
tilities to compel Italy to withdraw.
But the administration has no inten
tion of engaging in a European war, or
of making entangling alliances. Of
course, it has under serious considera
tion the policy it shall adopt. As told
to me to-day, there are two courses
that can be pursued. One is to make a
diplomatic representation to Italy de
claring that her acquisition of Chinese
territory and of "sphere of influence"
surrounding that territory is injurious
to trade interests of the United States,
and that this Government would be in
clined to see abandonment of her pre
tensions. The second contemplates the
submission of a remonstrance and then
protest against such acquisition, and
preparation to hack up such protect
with a display of force, and if neces
sary to engage in war.
It is needless to say that the admin
istration, while appreciating the inter
ests involved, will not adopt the second
course, certainly not at this time. Min
ister Conger at Peking, under instruc
tions from Washington, is sharply
watching developments in the situation
and keeping this Government informed,
but so far as I have been able to learn
he has made no direct representation to
the Chinese Government against the
granting of the Italian demand, though
the Peking authorities undoubtedly un
derstand the attitude of the United
States.
WASHINGTON, March 6.— There is a
mass of information on hand in both
the Navy and State Departments rela
tive to the encroachment of foreign
powers on the Chinese coast, but it is
in such shape that a concise statement
of the situation is difficult to obtain.
The fact is, however, that the oceupa-
Uon ef available ports along the coast
has gone to such lengths that the ma
jority of the desirable harbors, both in
value as roadsteads and for communi
cation with the interior, are in the
hands of foreign governments.
With England in possession of "Wel-
Hai-Wei, the Russians at Port Arthur,
the French at Anam and Tonquin, the
Germans holding Kiaochau, and with
the additional ports of Hongkong and
Singapore in the hands of the English
there is but little left in the way of de
sirable ports on the Chinese coast.
Shanghai is nominally in control of the
Chinese Government, but really is con
X -^ Continued oa Fourth !'««•.