The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 9, 1901, Page 2

[} THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1901. WITTMAN PLEADS FOR HIS REPUTATION AND MAKES A FUTILE EFFORT TO CAPTURE A CHINESE ACCUSER No Proof Has Yet Been Submitted . That the Police Department, in Reference to Chinese,Is Corrup - HE le fairs of the Police Depart islative committee which is investigating the af- ment was treated to a series of exciting incidents, but the inquisitors are as far as they ever were from any force ved a d other coolie offenders. Captain Wittman created som accepting He treated the and defied a urs eswred co ealer. spec vas tacular g sesslons ning, marked sc nd w of the wit tain Wittman a had a pe- ld that he cannot T Wittman asst His testimon £ the afternoon was ngr reporter, who that gambling is ind many whit clared that k to the ] this prove that s that the pc all in He cc word of Ch 10t be_ b anywhere e \formants he ewhall, fon, where S de- names 1t s proof of corruption was concerned, of Boyle therefore had no wou biackm . Rev Drs. Baker and Bane related their experience in Chinatown, where they w gambling being conducted utter- st molestation from the police 1 evil is rampant and.under con- ke it horrifying. r the inquiry may be bastened to its conclusion an evening ses- nd several witnesses were The first was Fred Hobro, pposed to know something, and Hugh took the Iy w The sc ditions which jer had informed him that he from police molestation because lottery de was safe when he not pay a fine in court he Wittman rres iestified that he found ao in playing “he lottery, and Po- hy took the stand and swore while in Chicatown he was sulously honest. Captain Wittman the courtroom and asked that the Jealer at 731 Pacific street be A Deputy Sheriff was sent but he coul§ not find him. Captain Wittman voluateered to go after the coolie, to smash in the doors of nis bouse and bring him to court. This spect- acular effort caught the fancy of the crowd and Wittman, at the head of nearly a hundred men, marched to 781 Paci street. He smashed jn three doors, but found no coolie lotterv dealer. He and the crowd returned to the Hall of Justice and the inquiry was resumed. James H. Barry was placed on the wit- ness stand and told how he played a Chi- nese lottery and saw other white men do the same. The last witness of the night | was Assemblyman Wright, one of the members of the invesugating committee. who went in the early evening with an ' Examiner reporter to the Chinese quarter | and played both lotterv and fantan. It | was interesting that both -he and the re- porter were at the game. Anybody else in the courtroom could, had he desired, | aave played as he had, but the recital of bis experience created considerable laugh- ter. The investigation will be resumed | this morning, when an effort will be made | to have Ho Yow, the Chinese Consul Gen- | eral, on the stand. Ho Yow has been served with a subpoena, but has asked permission to consult als attorney before serv investigators investigators first witne CAPTAIN WITTMAN IS He Treats the Commission With Lit- session held yest Committee did not | them of their stars and weapons, | side all th mngible proof that any member of the police ollar in blackmail from Chinese gamblers or cthing of a sensation by volun- g the proposition that in this inquiry his reputation is in an insolent manner, ar- the Examiner as a malicious sheet which has hounded him ne to prove that he ever accepted or his life. with the gamblers of solated of- ses testified conz When three witne tion — & It is expected that ex-Follca | sioner William J. Biggy will be the on the stand to-day. | i A FLIPPANT WITNESS tle Courtesy and Displays a De- fiant Manner. In the words of Hamlet, the sessions of | | | the slative Committee, which is in- tigating the local police de>artment, is tive of mere “words, words, gle fact material tain Witts and some 1t, inso- was young told urs; a a morning * pa ery one knows, £ tounded every one by w only white fantan with g de Commi Police Commission entered a representative of the both from either investigation rres nt to mak The bugaboo the “highbinder’” sprung by the Ex- revent publicity of the hinese and white men from ave received certain hat police corruption ex and the Commission of like the Prir “Rome) | xclaimed, ue on both houses. ing ye rday’s proceedi &s a| sampl what is to be accomplished, the | investigation of the Police Department | narrows down to shre sauabble be- v the self-styled ch of the and Police Captain Wittman, who that the Legislature of the cov- | State of California is spending ands of dollars Lo prove that he, the is, like Caesar’s wife, above sus- At the morning session all the members of the commission were on hand and Cap- tain Wittman was the first witness to be | called. Captain Wittman claimed frequently | ring his examination that he obeyed | instructions of his superiors and that | he was trained to discipline. Judge Laird conducted the examination of Captain Wittman and the good nature of the Judge is well known. The manner of the aptain in the witness chair was | itable, whatever his feelings | have been that he had for vears | nded by the Examiner, as hci | | | been " h claimed. A grand stand play in denounc- ing the Examiner drew cheers for the captain from the spectators present. In reply to the questions put to him, Captain Wittman said; “I have been on the police force of thi: city since 1853. I am 43 years old. I was | first in charge of the squad in Chinatown | in August, 1888. After serving three | months 1 was relieved by Sergeant Gano. i | | | I was a sergeant at that time. Early in 1889 Chief Crowley sent for me and gave me orders to go fo Chinatown and arrest Sergeant Gano and hi and took them to the Cit squad. 1 did so Hall. I relieved That was the only time that I had any direct | work in Chinatown. I am in charge of the Northern Police District, which in- cludes Chinatown, but the sergeant of the Chinatown squad reports directly to the Chief. T donot know of more raids being made before I was in charge of the squad than during the time I was responsible. 1 know that I made a good showing. “What officers have been dn duty in Chinatown?" “1 don’t know. You have the list. It was ordered for you.” “Who told you the location of the gambling places when you went Into Chinatown in charge of the squad?” “Officer Briggs, who had been with the previous squad, was retained to do it.” “Is it difficult to find the places where gambling is carried on in Chinatown?" “No, it is not; any one can find them to ay. “Did you ever see at any time gambling in Chinatown?” ‘I have never seen a game of fantan played or a lottery ticket marked.” “in_what manner do you make ar- ool s difficult. We h: “It is vary difficult. We have to down the doors. By the time we gat jar evidence is destroyed. They have had sliding doors, secret alley ways, hoppers leading to the sewers, and when the alarm is given they quickly destroy the evidence we are after.” “‘Could not all these places be broken up?”’ PRGN, WOULD BE HARD WORK TO BREAK UP DENS Visitors Must Be Introduced, but Po- lice Captains Enter by Using Sledge-Hammer. CAPTAIN WITTMAN MAKES A PLAY TO |1 started to make an investigation. | stopped in a little time, for I found that I | gambling_and vice. | sion and Chief Crowley. “It would be hard. You cannot catch THF GALLERY CAPTAIN WITTMAN DEFIES ANY MAN TO l | the Chinese. They evasive.” “You don’'t mean to say that the Chi- ‘n. se are superior to your men in Know- ledge?” are cunning and hat is just what I mean.” vou the records of the places you , of every raid I made, with the . 1 am glad I kept them.” How about the oplum dens?” “There is nothing to prevent a man smoking opium in his room the same as tobace The Superior- Court has de- cided that. We have to prove the sale of oplum on the premises for use in order to secure a conviction. You know what on the subject is, Judge."” Is there any difficulty in locating the um smoking dens?" Lere are very few of them. They ex- largely in the mind of a faking news- aper reporter.” “How about the. places where lottery tickets are sold?" “They all_havé strong doors and have lookouts. On the first sign of the ap- proach of the police the alarm is given and the evidence is destroyed.” “/Are they patronized by white men?” w ces?" Like every one else, they must be in- troduced.” “Did you get in.” “Yes.” Who introduced you?”’ No one. I went in with a sledge ham- can’t the police get into these me: “Have you ever made any plans for reg- ulating gambling in Chinatown?"” “I don’t make plans. I take my orders from the Chief.” ’ The witness was asked here if he could furnish a list of the places in Chinatown where gambling is carried on and lottery tickets sold, and he replied that he wou furnish such a list, but that it would take some time to compjle. Captain Wittman then described the manner in which the Chinese gamblers and lottery sellers ope- rate. He told how, if they were broken up in one quarter, they would start busi- ness in another direction. If arrested and the fine was heavy, they would agpeal the cases to the Superior courts; if the fine was light, they would gng it, and the great difficuity the police had was to se- cure evidehce to convict. 7 “‘Have you ever heard of officers of po- lice being briked in Chinatown?'’- “Yes; I have heard of it. Some years ago I heard that corruption existed, ang was making a fool of myself. Wherever I went I was spotted.” Captain Wittman denied that he had suggested a plan to any one to regulate He had visited the East in 1896, and had made a report of what -he had seen to the Police Commis- “‘Chief Crowley iold me my report was all right, but that if we tried it in San Francisco it would ralse a — of a row.” — ANSWERS QUESTION BY INSULTING INNUENDO Wittman Says White Men Play Fan- tan Where Judge Laird Hails From. Proceeding, Captain ‘Wittman told how he attended a.meeting of the Police Judges, but he had only made sugges- tions when called upon. fe had only told the Judges what he had testified to be- fore the commission. - “Have you ever heard of white men playing fantan?” “Not in San Francisco. of it in Bakersfield.” This allusion to Bakersfield raised a laugh from all present, as Judge Laird, Who was questioning Wittman, halls from that city. “Have you ever seen white men and boys visiting Chinese houses of il re- ute PUIRG; they would not allow white men or boys to enter the places. -Orders were issued in 1900 that no white men or boys should enter these places.” Captain Wittman read the orders to the police, and Judge Laird said: “You gave those orders, did you not?"* I have heard “Well, your reading shows it.” “No, it does not, and I will read it again to_you.” “{f You 'say that the Chiet issued these orders and that no white men or boys visited these places, why was it necessary to issue such an order?” ““Well, the Chief believed that men ans doing_that.” : ng “Did you so inform him?” No; I did not.” PROVE THAT HE WAS BRIBED s o Assemblyman Wright Becomes an Amateur Gambler, Plays_ Fan- Tan and Boasts of a Winning EVERAL amateur gamblers were placed on the v stand yesterday by the legislative inquisitors, and itres told hox easily, frequently and successfully they have played loite: and fantan in the Chinese quarter. purpose this testimony was suppo whites and Asiatics gambie in aware of the fact for years. The It is mot clear wh~ sed to serve. The police admit th. it Chinatowon; the public has bee.r point of the inquiry is to disc why gambling is not stopped by the police. Thus far nothing more serious than suspicion and this issue. The star gambler of the ev nuendo has been produced to bear upon rening Assemblyman Wright, who deserted his associates for the night session to follow the fas- cinating beans of fantan in a Chinese gambling-ho: proud to say he won a few dollars I‘l»l also a lottery ticket which may “win to-day. Jame: a Grand Juryman, also testified i and didn’t even make good as a | as s He 1 enture. He s H. Barry, ickle goddess piiner 75‘;’(”"(')‘ his excit g1 hat he flirted wwit] four-spot. An E added a detailed ups and downs C bling, and as far as i ot concerned the testimony was over The question still remains, Is ¢ Police Department corr ou were going in. Giv £ the officers.” “I do_not know them.” Mr. Knowland—Hayv police of the resuit tions? “T have not." “Have you ever offere police to the places w lottery tickets “I have not. “Did_you ever fils a = - ot com ANSWERS QUESTION | &Y INNUENDO | | | | 1 | o+ PISTRICT ATTORNEY BYINGTON | WITNESSES UNDER THE FIRE OF THE INQUISITORS FROM SACRAMENTO, Do such houses exist, Chinese houses of fll-fame where white men and boys can visli “No, they do not. If they do it is news to me.” ‘Do you believe they exist?” “'No; 1 believe what 1 know and know what I belleve.” ‘‘Some people believe more than they know.” “Well, I don't.” In reply to a further question, Captain Wittman safd: “I never talked with Charley Fay or Joe Coffey as to corruption in Chinatown. Fancy my talking of police matters to such a man as Joe Coffey.” Judge Laird—Answer my question, sir. “I never talked with Joe Coffey on police matters.” “What do you know about $3000 being offered to stop police raids?” “1 only know what I read im th¢ papers. I have never heard that rumor discussed by the police. I never told the Mayor that white men were not patronizing Chinese lotteries.” — . WITTMAN MAKES BID FOR GALLERY APPLAUSE the \Self-Styled “Monarch of the Dailies.” At this point Captain Wittman “played to the gallery.” He was asked a ques- tion as to wholesale arrests of Chinese being made for effect, and said: “That is another fiction of a faking newspaper reporter, Right *here I want to make a statement as a matter of privilege. I have been accused by the Examiner of having spirited away a witness In this case. That is a milicious and wiliful falsehood. It is malicious because its pur- pose is to influence the commission agalnst me. It is wiliful because I denied to a reporter of the Examiner that I had seen Officer McLaughlin since the night the poor fellow was dismissed br the Police Commission. This paper, in the face of my denial, published a fake that 1 had been seen with McLaughlin re- cently and that I had spirited him away.” Resuming the line of answers, Witt- man told of a big raid made in Chinatown two years ago for slave girls who had escaped from the Omaha Exposition, and the work he and his men had done on that occasion to help the Federal officers who conducted the raid. He told of talk- ing with Officers Connor and Davids, resigned from the Chinatown squad when Sergeant Mahoney was in charge, but neither of these officers ever said any- They resigned y were not allowed to make ralds without first informing the sergeant, The %gwn also told af how he had gone into Chinatown and demolished the gas and electric lights in front of the gam- bling quarters. ‘The witness also explained how he sent sples into the lottery piaces to secure evi- | mit that. dence and had obtained convictions on the evidence so secured. seat and other explanation. e S DEFIES ANY MAN TO PROVE HE WAS BRIBED Wittman, in Passionate Words, Takes | ain of police then arose in his ald that he desired to make an- Amother Fling at the Examiner. fic opened. So much “When the Police Commission took of- ' Wittman said, “I was ordered not to interfere with the houses of ill:fame exisi- | many times. | ing, but not to allow any new omes to be has been sald as to I where the responsibility lies for the exis.- | this explanation. any m them to defy the law. the Examiner has been at me on the same thin, never ceased in its attacks the truth {8 known I thi; iner does not believe its o inyestigatiol arges were brought again: men as Judge Alvord and Chief Crowley timony and honorably acquitted me. demanded 4n h, honorable No man dai dishonest. | ence of these places that I want to make 1 obey orders and I defy one to prove that I took a cent of ey from any woman or man to allow | They tried to fast- | en this on me ten years ago and ever since haj 2. nk t re say ering away Tne Examiner has never been willing to ad- that I am Judge Conlan at that time ap- peared against me, but afterward he to A me that he was sorry he had appearéd. The six disreputable women who gave evi- | have been magnified by scores ever since and aence againsi m «he Examiner in! they have constantly maligned me. This is more to me than a mere investigation My character is at stake and it is as dear to me as your character is to you, gentle~ I would have re- signed years ago, but I will allow no man men of the commission. or men 'to drive m out of the department. I leave it to you, gentlemen, to see that justice is done to me. Look in the Exam- iner to-morrow and see how they will garble my statements made to you.” ‘The apdience loudl; Wittmal applauded Captain as he left the witness chair and he was heard to mutter, “Well, I did not say half enough.” District Attorney Byington was the next witness and he told of the meeting of the Police Judges when it was proposed by | the Mayor that a plan be carried out to regulate gambling and vice, “The Judges and myself,” said the Dis- trict Attorney, “talked the matter over and we decided that we could do nothing in_violation of the laws.” . Byington told how the Mayor had | iinea the He also stated that .t | outlined the plan. was very difficult to warrant conviction. secure evidence against Chinese gamblers which would At this point the investigation was ad- journed until 2 p. m. iy i EXAMINER SLEUTH < ACTS AS ACCUSER | Details Given of Taking Part in Chi- | nese Gambling and Marking Lottery Tickets. John A Boyle, a reporter for the Exam- iney. was the witness who was under ex- amination during the bulk of the after- | He told how when in Chinatown he had | behind the blockade | noon session. plague scare existed volunteered to sta: for his paper and durin; came conversant wit Chinese. and reported to his ma haa been detalled to s gambling and vice in ‘Assemblyman_ Webber conducted h the g that the time he be- ways of the In_consequence of what he saw naging editor, he cially investigate ‘hinatown. examination of Boyle and ground was gone over many times. Boyle produced a bunch of the the same lottery tickets which he clalmed to have purchased in Chinatown and’ for nearl. two hours he went into details as to when, where and how he had purchased the tickets from Chinese dealers. He stated that on every occasion be had |no difficulty in entering n the *Jookout: ‘:eyen ;ulna: white me: that they l:l" layed :‘c:'re:':h'ue to the lott: in the inese lottery. that he had seen police of- dens when he ery fact he was invited i He stated that he had dens and The went into them and that they had taken no notice of him or his actions. Boyle enlightened the commission as to day and t drawings, DR e " meu and a lot of ‘““two spots’ ime of é’:nhl data The and “‘five ng winning hich be furnished by hundreds of peopie, f Lo ! thousands in this city. le, if not tness de- h | !| NO TROUBLE TO GET talled how in some of the dens he was the owners of the places had laugheq when he came in and had said: “What vou do, write up place? me no care, me pay allee samee license.” ‘The lottery places designated by Boyle were given as existing_at 9% Sacra- ment street; 613, 1i01, ‘1106, 617 Dupont street and 731 Pacific street. Boyle claimed that he first learned of | the location of the lottery dens from white men and Chinese. He had no trouble in getting into them, for they were wide open. “In one place a Chinese talked freely | me,” sald Boyle, “and I went there He told me that the police had made a raid just for effect and would | not come around again for perhaps tw to or three months. asked him how they | fixed it about the ralds and he said: “We g0 to Wittman and we pay him.” He also sald that San Jose Charlie had a pull in_other_directions Mr. Knowland—Were any newspaper men present when this statement was made by the Chinaman about payment of money to a police officer? | “Yes, Mr. Thompson of the Chronicle and Mr. Meloney of the Bulletin,” - INTO GAMBLING DENS | Witness Tells of Playing Fantan and Winning Money From Chinese. ‘‘Have you ever seen fantan played in Chinatown?" | “Yes, in five or six different clubs. I played myself at fantan.” “Where did you play?" | “On Waverly place, near Dupbnt street. | There is no number to the house. had | no trouble to get into the clubs. They | pla{ fantan and pi-gow in all of them." “You say you played fantan with the Chinese?”’ “Yes, I did play.” “Did you win anything?" “Yes, 1 did.” Assemblyman Webber—Good for you. The witness then detailed what he had | seen of the houses of ill-repute in China- town and that he had seen white men and boys visiting the places. Returning to the subject of the purchase of lottery tickets, Boyle told how he had been ac- | companied by his brother and Rev. Frank K. Baker, who desired to secure evidence | of the existence of vice and gambling in the Chinese quarter. “One Chinaman told me,” said Boyle, | “of blackmail being ievied by the police This Chinaman was interested in a gam- | bling club. He told me that a _committee | was formed ta collect money from all the dens in Chinatown. This committee dealt times of a raid. This committee collected the police. He told me who collected the “‘He said it was Sergeant Brophy. Bro- knew me as a newapaper reporter though nes: ub- lic, but will give them to the commitice the Chinese if you will keep them secret.” e. “If 1 tell the names of these Chinese be a good thing. to have played the game with Chinese, “What do you know about opium dens' ister and found that many arrests wers Palace Hotel “Yes; me, and there were other arrests men smoking oplum. 5] igations for your paper? with the police. The clubs were allowed the money from the gamblers and lottery | money for the police.” hy collected the money every Saturday. I have also heard it from other Chinese | 'Who are these white men?"” if you will pledge to keep the. names Chairman Knowland—We will not make perhaps they will be killed. Boyle then claimed to have visited a sl-g; sald that in one game he won nearly “Wittman ‘sald to-day that only a few made from oplum dens in the past m% Alle_’mbh'mln Webber—At the Palace that na 1 never saw white “You ha ou say you saw police officers near the to run and a showing Wwas made some- and slave owners and turned it over to “Who was it?" he man who gave me tnis information and white men who work for the Chi- “I prefer not to make their names secret. 1 will also give you the names of any such pledg Assemblyman Webber—Perhaps it will number of gambling clubs this week and Assemblyman Webber—You're all right existed. T have looked up the prison reg- Weeks, Four arrests were made at the Hotel the place in Chinatown known by } made in other places. been in Chinatown makin; doors of gambling and lottery dens when | | | = nown as a newspaper reporter and that | | turned to the | characterized what . these lottery dens? “I aia not Did you ever take any : matters besides reporting paper?” “1 did not.” “Why did you not give informat the police?” “Because the relations between mys and Chief Sullivan were strained and | one ocecasion he told me he did not wa | me_to enter his office.” “‘Have you ever | locate the aumbers | police officers who a lottery den when y “I have not." | *Could you recogniz saw them” | “I don’t think so.” | ——es {mvsm TO FURNISH NAMES OF INFORMERS | Police Demand Them and Examiner Insists That They Be Not Made Public. At this point Mr. Webber asked Boyle for the names of the white men and nese whom he claims told him that m. for immunity was paid to Captain W man. Boyle declined to answer on ground that he had pledged himse secrecy, and that publicity of the might lead to serious trouble. Police Commissioner Newha ard asked the commission to witness giving the names in officers if you here arose Mr. Livernash, who said he was one of the editors of the Examiner, a dressed the commission, and said s paper did not want to be the e ¥4 bloodshed and murder, which wou low if the names asked for were ade public. He insisted that the witness had | a right to refuse to give the names - cially as the Police ( o . fused to make public | in the examination int record for the same bloodshed in Chi Commissioner fray a partment desired the blood of no that if the nam ommission they c. Assemblyman Webber: to hear from either the Police Department. We don’t names if the eiv of them will ¢ bloodshed. I know something of (' affairs myself. If we get these names we will get them for our ow We don't reasons t the one s were to be given to th should be given in pub- ‘We don’t want aminer or the seek t T 8 to ¢ ulge th s al divulg he Rev. Frank K. Baker of the Methodts Episcopal church on Powell street vt was then examined. His testimony was that he had accompanied Reporter Boyle quest of Chinese lottery tickets, had no difficulty in purchasing them the witness had heard a. Chinese say t there was no danger, as he paid ‘“allee samee license.” and hat the Chinece, The witness as being ‘‘wide open Ml Secomin nied the Rev. Mr. Bane *hrough ( town a week ago Mond had been any change e mors preached against gambling by ministry. “I sAw no change,"” witness. out fo him 'certain stores which e et scribed as lottery places. They went Inio one of them and Dr. Baker purchased s ticket. He had also pointed out to him places in the alleyways which Dr. Biker sald were gambling dens. He aiso saw white men and boys go In and come oue of the places where Chinese women of shame were sitting at the windows. Dent Robert of the Examiner tes that he had detalied Witness Boy make the special investigation of (‘hina. town which the witness had testified to The commission then adjourned, to meet at 8 p. m. —— WITTMAN'S RAID A SENSATIONAL FARCE Telepathy or Mind-Reading May Have Made the Sledge-Hammered Lottery-Keeper Skip. Winnings of grand jurors and members of the Assembly committee in lottery and fantan games, and a sensational patrol wagon rald, marked meeting last night. The information obtained by the committee wag to the effect that games were running wide open in Chinatown and that it escorted by the representative of a newspaper any one could call the right turn. Inconsequential testimony was given by Fred S. Hobro,.a plumber’s helper, at 734 Washington street. He is a brother of Hobro of pecullar civil service fame, and :new nothing of Chlnat;v':'rlv;' except that pass dadly. ¥ n“)((t;ll'gv‘:g;’ lgfi.rlp Q: S. Thompson, r men, were placed on the stand. in company with nNews Meloney testifled that other reporters, including Thompson, he went into a lottery Jjoint at 731 Pactflc street, played freely,” but got - nothing. Meloney sald that he heard the Chinese Dmppietynr remark that there would Be no trouble about procuring tickets. “Som. court, fine; some- times p:')‘vnlsnpffm Wittman.” the Chiness proprietor is alleged to have said ompson in his testimony stated that he also had visited the same place, was not on speaking terms with the Chief of Police and was denied admittance to his office for personal reasons. During a lull in the proceedings (‘apmJ Continued on Page Three. To Cure the Grip in Two Days Laxative Bromo-Quinine removes the cause.®