The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 14, 1901, Page 2

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1901 POLICE INQUIRY CLOSES WITH A PLEA FROM ~ THE EXAMINER TO BE SAVED FROM EXPOSURE Investigating Committee Refuses to Receive Testimony of Vital lmportance--Attbrney Coffey Makes Sensational Expose of Phelan’s Cunning Plot. Cited for Contempt---William J. Biggy HE question which was aske hen the investigators from th e Assembly began their inquiry into the affairs of the police, is still unanswered. The committee has adjourned and still the query remains: Is the Pol n pro but t 1, but Cy were r hand, ; new in its las wrough seve of a corrobora »r the Examiner. e, however, the Ex- control of for its own v sed. Its corrup sal of Sergeant e than hinted risk the further it would be involved by t from Biggy. g committee o secure et m h predicament of t of further oug! . er had now to pre- er of its scandalous acts from g made public in an official inquiry. this secret session of the legislative co 2. J. livernash, representing the Examiner, addressed the investigators &nd begged them not to permit the paper he represents to be held up to public scorn ridicule. He pleaded that Biggy be nted from proving under oath the o corrupt compact into which ts of t tor of the Examiner. matter of the deepest possible the Examiner not to have that he had recelved as Police Commissioner t his vote was to be given to the the Examiner so that the man- r of that sheet might secure f the Police Department and ma- LIQUOR-CRAZED COOKS RUN AMUCK: Kitchen Hands Attack Guard Who Tries to Quell Row on Alcatraz. o A fight that resulted wounding of & prisoner employed in the prison kitchen occurred yesterday at Alca- traz, and that it did®not resuit more se- riously is due to the piuck of Guard Look- ab Two prisoners who were working in the kitchen secured a quantity of liquor and gfter imbibing freely started a wordy war, The argument progreesed, growing fiercer and more personal every moment, until both the men finally lost thelr tempers and grabbed knives At this juncture Thomas A. Lookabill, 1 that gambling, social © was know uld give testimony of corr nquiry unquestionably was degraded into a special, prejudiced prosecu- to wwhose commands a majority of the investigating committee bowed, or Phelan had entered with the man- | revealed under oath. The rep- ; hat newspaper knew that nd of the managing editor | miner and with the understand- | in the smevere | ted. ption more va 1 as to announce that it did not wa schemes by which this or, altogether profiiless. s and that Chinese gambler his remowval. te its vast power for selfish pur- The representative of the Exam- r knew this, and he pleaded with thé mmittee to prevent Biggy from expos- ng the corrupt scheme which had been d to pre ite the department. sentative knew also that reveal every fact in the dis- ain, and he implored that g which weuld injure the Exam- e permitted to become part of the ny in the case. The Examiner was d the inquiry. It had proved s to offer. d him was the shadow of Ser- | ce, who had been removed from 1d for a bribe of $10,000, which a | sald had been received by the 1 who fought Price. The legisiative | ' had become a boomerang and the | entative pleaded with all | t his command. sston - the legislative com- it} ify to any cumstances aminer attempted by gain control of the or Phe-"| Schil- ¢ the f the inquiry_and Assem- voted not to do had sworn to n This testi eading newspaper. sisted upon Assem- ted the story Acting Chief of was then in- of his brief e Police in Chinatowr 1 that and the committee had decided permit him This to testify upon announcement of any the other point proceeding ostensibly ial provoked a derisive » the courtroom. ey Joseph Coffey was then sum- before the committee and informed | t his conduct in issuing a subpena for | Cherles 8. Cram, the lying protege of the | iiner, was so reprehensible that he | appear to-morrow at noon before ber of the Assembly to answer. The nittee then adjourned to meet at Sac- | amento to-morrow morning. In secret session’ it has already taken the testimony of Chinese who swear that they pald bribe money to Sergeant Brophy with the understanding that Cap- tain Wittman was to receive a share. { The names of these Chinese will be given to the police. PRI B LEGISLATORS OBEY Biggy Is Arranged in “Star Chamber” Session. Fearing an expose of its shameful com- pact made with Mayor Phelan that the San Francisco Police Department should be turned over to the Examiner and one of its pets made Chief of Police, the Ex- aminer vesterday held its lash over the head of the legisiative investigation com- mittee and deliberately choked off the testimony of ex-Chief of Police Biggy be- | fore the committee. It was known on Tuesday that Mr. Big- | By was to be called before the committee ! and In expectation of the testimony he | might give as to the Mayor's compact with the Examiner by which Lieutenant FEsola was to have been made successor of Chief Lees, a large audience filled the courtroom where the committee has taken testimony. But not a word was Mr. Biggy allowed to say which would hold the Mayor and the Examiner up to the scorn of the peo- ple of this city. | Before Mr. Biggy was placed on the wit- | ness stand the entire legisiative commit- the men. 'Forgetting their own quarrel, the cooks turned on the guard, and for a | few moments the latter was compelled to | move around pretty lively to escape the knife thrusts made at him by the drunken | men. He attempted to fix the bayonet on his gun, but the sharp instrument was | knocked out of his hands, and an attempt | to slip a cartridge into the rifle met with like success. All this time he was com- | pelled to jump from one side of the room |10 the other, as the men were endeavor- { ing to bu?' their long butcher knives in | him. He finally secured space enough to | swing the gun over his head and brought the butt end with terrific force against the skull of the larger of his assailants. That settled the conflict, for the other bel- | ligerent quit at the sight of his drunken | companion lying on the floor with blood | streaming from his head. The plucky soldier then disarmed the | remaining cook and turned him over to {the guard, the members of which, at- |tracted by the noise of the battle, came | running to the cookhouse. |, Lookabill received many scratches and | bruises during the course of the lively battle, while the cook, whose skull came in contact with the butt of the guard's Bun, was taken to the hch(nmI, where he | will remain for several weeks. | Ima sentry, interfered and tried to pacify To Curs a Cold in One Day. Take Laxative Bromo Quinime Tablets. All druggists refund the money if it falls to cure. . E. W. Grove's signature is on each box, 2c. charge, but it had not another I It was fearful of Biggy, | n at the Instigation of the Ex- | t did not want to know | Department of San Francisco corrupt in its relations to the Chinese? no light, that is not shadowed by the doubts of perjury and self-interest, has been shed wupon ce and a particularly degrading form of :laz'crj\ n to the public and admitted by the police. ny has been introduced to show that the police were vigilant in their duty rather than The difficultics of suppressing crime in the Chinese district were demonstrated and 4 The uttgr worthlessness of Chinese testimony was established luable than hearsay. it to know the truth when the newspaper bargained with Mayor Department for its own selfish purposes. / It proved that an honest officer was driven s and highbinders paid the oppo- The corrupt compact between Mayor Phelan and ice Department was admitted by the Mayor himself under ocath. > existence and activity of the investigating committee. tee was closeted with Mr. Livernash of the Examiner in a private room. The Examiner's representative begged, pleaded and threatened by furn that Mr. Biggy be not allowed to state under oath what he knew of the compact made by Mayor Phelan and the Examiner, for, like a eriminal, it feared, the light of ex- posure. Chairman Knowland was forced to put the matter to a vote and his fellow com- mitteemen did the bidding of the Exam. iner. Judge Laird, Webber, Schillig and Wright ail voted that Mr. Biggy should | not be allowed to give the evidence which the Examiner feared. L TORMER. POLICE COMMISSIONER WM. LBIGGY hed the revengefu of the prosecutor, which s tion with the fact that no direct tes-] | porting the allega- | 4, ainst the police had at the investigation,| And so the Examiner's investigation ha had an Important bearing | was brought to a close in short order. DO - I A NGAST Cris | “Mr. Biggy was called to the witness And the investigators kept their prom- | Stand after the “star chamber” meeting the farce went on. ucted the examination, follow Judge Laird c which was 2 What is your name William J. Blg- here do you reside?”’ *“At 50 Va- lencia 5 g have you lived in this city?” here “Have you ever held a position Police Department?’ “I was Chie “While Chief of the department did you have any experience in Chinatown as to making arrests of gamblers?” i “Tell us what your experiences were?"’ ““On/assuming the duties of Acting Chief I con: d with the various captains of the department. The Chinese district was under the control of Captain Wittman and I confined myself to his confidence as far as my_ operations {n Chinatown were concerned gave my personal su- pervision as to the selection of the men 1 wanted to work with. I took the best fifteen men in the depaftment. 1 divided them into three squads, each squad under the direction of a sergeant, the squads being under the order of Captaln Witt- | man and myself. I familiarized myself with the provisions of the law and then | endeavored to close up the fantan games. In this connection I will say that at the time there was a highbinder war in Ero- gress between the Suey Sings and the Hop Sings. 1 was most anxious to stop the war. I acted also against the notorious | resort known as the Nymphia and also | against the Chinese and Japanese houses | of 111 fame. in the - | | BIGGY REMOVED | FOR BEING ZEALOUS | He Tells How Mayor Phelan Took Occasion to Make Unwarranted Accusations. “In operating against the Chinese | houses of {ll fame I wanted to strike at | the warring tongs."” “What success did you have?” *“I operated all day and was quite suc- cessful.” “Did you securs many convictions of Chinese gamblers?” “I cannot say that we secured many convictions. My object was not so much to secure convictions, but to harass the highbinders and gamblers and drive them | out of business.” : “Were your efforts in that line success- | tu1?” | “I was removed by the Mayor for being too active.” “That is not an answer to my question.” Mr. Biggy—Yes; 1 was most successful. “How long were you in charge of the department?” “Less than six weeks.” pVhat did you do to stop Chinese gam- ng?” CVIL SERVIC BOARD IS AGRY Believes That Tax Collector feott Is Guilty of Sharp Practice. —— The Board of Civil Service Commission- ers, believing that Tax Collector Scott has deluded 1, is In an an mood and is preparing to strike back. On Monday afternoon Scott, after a confer- ence with the commission, agreed to ac- cept fourteen deputies from the eligible list, who were to begin their duties yes- terday morning. Three of these are in- cumbents in the office and the other eleven presented themselves to Chief Deputy Tax Collector Levy yesterday with a request to be assigned to work. Levy informed them that Scott had gone tovg'ah!ll. and during his absence he would decline to + “I kept 8l the doors of the so-called | elubs open.” | “If that policy had been pursued would it have resulted in driving the gamblers | out?” | “Yes. I only had a limited number of en to work with." ¥ men did you say you had?' Chairman Knowland—Did you break up | gambling to any extent? | “We brought about {ts termination 1whlle the sauad operated. I was there with Captain Wittman all the time, from {10 in_the morning until midnight. A man like Sergeant McManus, with thirty men, could eliminate the gamblers."” “How?" “By constantly harassing them. The Legislature mlxi\( take some steps to | break up the tongs, highbinders, murder- | ers, ete.” | “How many men do you think it would | take to breal \;P gambling?"” | | “Myself with Captain Wittman and thir- | ty._ men couid drive them all out.” | Mr. Wright—Is it difficult to secure the | evidence of fantan games? | ,,“Yes: by the time the police get inside | the room ‘the evidence has gone down the | hoppers to the sewer.” Mr. Webber—When you found doors at | the gambling places did you always breai | them down? { hoYes, when the Chinese refused to open " & em. “Would it suppress gambling 17 the | doors were 4 “Yes.” kept open?’ “That is what you think?" “Yes; it would take men of strong char- | acter to carry out the law. There are such men in the department.” pusd st WITTMAN ALWAYS [ OBEYED ORDERS | Ex-Chief Biggy Praises the Work of the Police Officers Who Worked Under Him. “Did the men who operated under you in Chinatown always obey your orders?” ‘“They always obeyed me." “Did Captain Wittman always carry out your orders?” “He always did.” “Did you raid the Chinese brothels?” “I aid.” “Did you have any experience as to a co‘r;:upuon fund?" No "gld Yyou ever hear of 1t?" Chairman Knowland—You say you were withdrawn for beilng too active in China- town? “Yes; that 1s what the Mayor stated in his letter to the Board of Supervisors when he withdrew me. He also stated that the Police Commissioners had ob- Jjected to my action in Chinatown. It was no such thing. The Commissioners never made the slightest objection, and I want to say that the other objections which the Mayor made against me were equally assume the responsibility of displacing the 51d deputies for the new. Levy said Scott would probably not return for a month or maore, The commission was apprised of this ac- tion, and came to the conclusion that Scott had bunkoed it by agreeing to ac- cept the names certified to him for the positions and on the same day leaving for an extended trip for the benefit of his health. The commission is hampered in any move it might desire to taks by an- other writ of mandamus served at the instance of J. Seyden, who is acting for himself and fellow deputies, to compel the holding of new and separate examinations for, deputies in the license and tax offices. he matter will come up to-day before one of the Superior Judges, and as soon as it Is decided the commission will serve a notification on the Auditor not to sign the demands of the old deputies when they come to him. The commission contends that the charter requires its approval of all temporary ngpoim- ments in the city government and this ap- proval for the old deputies has not been issued. ~ Consequently the commission holds that the civil service eligibles are alone entitled to the salaries, though the others are still holding on to the positigns. e civil service appointees have dé¥er- mined to report for duty every morning in order to strengthen their claime when the matter comes up for final adjustment, To Cure the Grip in Two Days Laxative Bromo-Quinine removes the cause.t ATTORMNEY “JOE" COTTEY T is extremely fortunate for Mayor Phelan and his ex-partner, the Examiner, that William J. Biggy was not permitted by the legislative investigators to tell yesterdey what he knows of the disgraceful compact made by t.he Mayor with the mewspaper to degrade the Police Department into a machine of corrupt self-inter %st. Mr. Biggy was seen last night and expressed his regret that the investigating committee had been so fearful of the truth. “They caged me in one of their rooms,” he said, “secreted themselves in an- other, and when I was placed on the witness stand deelined to hear what I know to be of man:rial bearing upon this entirdgnquiry. “I wanted to prove to ihis committee that Mayor Phelan at- tempted to sell the Police Department of this city to the managing edi- tor of the Examiner, and when he swore that he did not he. com- mitted perjury. I wanted to prove to the satisfaction of the inves- tigating committee that the chief e.re'artf':'e of-San Francisco and ng. Examiner entered into a corrupt bargain to use the police power of the municipality as an engine for private profit and that in this whole disgraceful, shameful affair Mayor th_fm; has been a liar off the stand and a perjurer upon it. I have no feeling against Mayor Phelan, and in my discussion of this lamentable business I want to be prejudiced only in/his favor; but I believe that the people of San Francisco should have been permitted to learn, through a judicial pro- ceeding and in statements under oath, the limit of daring to which Mayor Rhelan and the Examiner went to secure mn{ml of a power which may be made of great good or tremendous evil. “I wanted to tell the committee of investigation under oath that Mayor Phelan gave the entire selection of the Police Commis- sion to A. M. Lawrence, managing editor of the Examiner, for the sole purpose of insuring the election of Esola as Chief of Police. 1 wanted to tell the investigators that Mayor Phelan swore to a lie when he declared that he would not grant the demand of Low- | |rence. Mayor Phelan coerced the | | Commissioners of Police in every possible way to secure the election | |of Esola. When he had threat- ened me past the limit of endur- ance I said to him: ‘Mayor Phe- lan, if you insist upon the election of Esola as Chief of Police the people of San Francisco will do everything to you except spit upon you in the streets, and if I agree to do as you demand of me they will spit upon me. Every reput- able interest in the city is opposed to this plot. It is o diabolical scheme to milk the town.” “T wanted to tell the investigat- ors this because it is the truth. I wanted to show them how Mayor Phelan and A. M. Lawrence cor- raled the other members of the Police Commission and myself in the Mayor's office the day before our appointments were to be an~ nounced and attempted to force us to appoint Esola, and how Commissioner Thomas protested, ES THE LEGISLATIVE IN\'ESTIGATOR‘S OF THE POLICE WERE AFRAID YESTERDAY TO PERMIT W. J. BIGGY TO TELL THE TRUTH, AND COMPROMISED BY CITING ATTORNEY COFFEY FOR CONTEMPT. declaring that the meeting and its purposes were more infamous than the plot in which Horace \ unwarranted, a sations of the Mayor.” 'Were you ever sued for any of your actions while you were Chief?"” “The Nymphia people brought a suit agalnst me for §000 for closing them up, but the suit was dismissed,” ‘.]l)lddld}"u close the Nymphia?"* Mr. Knowland—You said just now that the Legislature might take some steps to brea‘l‘( up gambling, what would you sug- gest? “The Chinese fear deportation. That is the only way to reach the gamblers and highbinders. The Police Courts should en- force the full penalty of a fine of $250 or six months’ imprisonment for the carr, ing of concealed weapons for one, thing. Murmur in the Courtroom When Committee Does as the Exam- iner Orders. At this point the committee held a whis- pered consultation and the lash of the aminer was then shown by the stateme: made by Chairman Knowland after the confab. Addressing Mr. Biggy, Chalrman Know- land said: m" e committee desires to go no fur- er.” A_murmur ran through the courtroom ding of the Examiner to leave the witness stand. Attorney Coffey was then called up be- fore the committee and Mr. Knowland ad- dressed him as follows: “‘Mr. Coffey, your offense yesterday was of g0 serious ‘@ nature that we order you to appear before the bar of the Assembly HIDES GRARNIS FAMILY SKELETON Decedent’s Widow Agrees to Dismiss Will Contest. In a stipulation filed yesterday the heirs at law of the late Colonel George W. Granniss agree that the family skeleton shall not stalk forth through the medium of the Probate Court to satisty the public curfosity. Colonel Granniss’ will was filea for probate January 3. By its terms his widow, Elizabeth I. Granniss, was to re- celve §20,000 and the residue of his rich estate was to go to his daughter Enl g::mer marriage, et Granniss Two days later Mrs. Granniss Instituted a contut, .to t;m will, nlln n"x t.hnuhar stepdaughter had exer undue_ influ- ence over deceased and had thereby se- cured the execution of his testament in I want to deny here the as Mr. Biggy was thus forced at the bid- | h — at lm] ramento on Friday morning next at 1o Addressing Attorney Dunne, Chairman Knowland asked if he had any evidence to_offer. Mr. Dunne said that the Police Depart- ment was there to assist the committee and was not a party to a controversy. He suggested that as the PenalsCodé provided for certain kinds of evidence in various cases, the Legislature should pass a law which might cover the cases of gambling by Chinese in fantan games. “‘Sergeant Christensen has summed the matter up right,” said Mr. Dunne, “it is hard to get into the gambling clubs, hard to get the evidence and hard to secure a Davis had been trapped at the Poodle Dog. “I wanted to show the investi- gators what even high officials on the Examiner thought of the scheme when one of them declared that ii had taken the Ezxaminer fourteen years to earn a reputa- tion and seven days to lose it. All | convietion.” Mr. Dunne then discussed the Penal Code relating to lottery games and then suggested to the committee that a law might be passed similar to one operating in New York City, by which the Chief of Police would have the power to issue war- rants. “‘The law in New York allows the Chiet of Police to issue warrants for that class of offenders and this suggestion is made | because it would aid® the police to act 7 | quickly when they desire to make a raid. At present warrants are issued after complaints have been made before the Warrant Clerk and sometimes it is difficult to find a police magistrate to is- sue warants. Very often the police have to make a raid on short notice and if the Chief hadgthe power to issue warrants it would help them in a great way. I would suggest this power for the Chief so that e could act in iesuing warrants irre- spective of the power reposed In masis- rates. After a short discussiont between Chair- man Knowland and his fellow committee- men Mr. Knowland said: “We will . now._adjourn until Friday morning to meet (n Sacramento at Il o'clock. R o e X X MR MR R R R IIIRRIIPY her favor. In addition to this allegation Mrs. Gganniss claimed a large portion of the estate as community property. In the stipulation flled yesterday it is d_that the contest be d sed. It $20,000 bequeathed her by her deceased hus band, Mrs. Granniss is to be paid fort! with on account of family allowance the sum of $1000 and hereafter such regular sum for family allowance as the court may see fit and proper. Ly At this pnlné the stipuiation becomes in- teresting. arriet Center binds herself to keep secret any documents or com- munication that may be in her written by her father which theow -‘:; light on the relations existing between Colonel and Mrs. Granniss du’r‘& the last few years of his life. Mrs. Gnnnfss agrees to remain equally uncommunicative and hence the seal of the law is placed on the Granniss’ closet, never to be opened. —— Memorial to Frances Willard, The ladles of Central Union, W. C. T, U., met yesterday afternoon at State headquarters on McAllister street in g memorial service in honor of t late Frances Willard. Music was rende?:d and a poem read by Mrs. Wh High trib- eat. ute was paid to the memory of the great reminis- tempesance leader in rsonal Mrs. Mec- cences by President McCoy and Cracken. The plan of placing Miss Wil- le.hm:h g‘“‘g mued m-nd" B as discu: Wwill be made to carry out :'m'."gm"" of this I believed would have been of moment in showing the com- mittee how the Police Department of this city may be corrupted and prostituted by others than Chi- nese. I wanted to prove to ihe committee how Mayor Phelan at- tempted to use the Police Depart- ment as a field for political pa- tronage, as he demanded of wus that Dr. Baget be made police surgeon. I would have expecied the investigators to draw thir owwn inference in reference to what Mayor Phelan is doing now in full control of the department with/his creature Sullivan in the chair of the Chief of Police. All of thig I wanted to show, and my only regret is that the investigat- ing committee could mot see the wisdom of it.” The Only Way to Get a Com= plete Cure for th, Deafness, EAT IT ANTISEPTICALLY. The onty ey te do this ia with the Cottine- ham NEW ANTISEPTIC METHOD. Invented and patented by DR. COTTINGHAM, AR, NOSE, THROAT and LUN Expert on AR, N PASES, " 204 Sutter St., NW, Cor. of Kearny, FREE—Absolutely free Examination and ona week's treatment given to convince you of the superior merit of this new treatment. 3000 te: ases 95 cent cured. Try it FREE and be convinced while you can. Call at once or write.