"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft ProsecutionHichborn, Franklin
History
"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft Prosecution
Hichborn, Franklin
Political corruption -- California -- San Francisco; San Francisco (Calif.) -- Politics and government
Lonergan, instead of returning the $500 he had accepted in the
skating-rink transaction, as he had promised Ruef he would do, accepted
an additional $500 from Roy. As before, Burns and his men witnessed the
transaction.
Roy had told Lonergan of an ordinance authorizing the establishing of an
oil refinery in which Roy claimed to be interested. He promised Lonergan
$500 to support the measure. The ordinance had been cleverly prepared,
with an acrostic in the title, spelling the word "Fake."[159] Roy had
interested Boxton in the measure as well as Lonergan. Boxton had
introduced it at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors. On March
7, while Ruef was a fugitive, Lonergan went to Roy's house to get the
money to be paid him for the support of the "Fake" ordinance.
The same arrangements had been made for Lonergan as for Boxton. Burns
and his men were concealed in the darkened dining-room; the folding
doors were ajar. Lonergan took the money.
"What," he demanded of Roy, "have you in the next room?" and advanced
toward the partially-open folding doors. At that Burns threw the doors
open.
"You see," said Burns, "what he has in there."
"I want you to arrest this man," cried Lonergan, indicating Roy. "He
bribed a Supervisor."
"Yes, I saw him do it," replied Burns. "But you did not tell me to
arrest him when he bribed you down at the skating-rink."
Lonergan at first denied the skating-rink incident, but finally admitted
it. Langdon and Heney were sent for, and joined the party at Roy's
house. Lonergan was urged to tell what he knew of graft of the
Schmitz-Ruef administration. He finally consented. It was not a long
story. Supervisor James L. Gallagher had acted as go-between, Lonergan
stated, from Ruef to the Supervisors. From Gallagher, Lonergan
testified, he had received $475 to influence his vote in the ordinance
granting permits to the organized prize fight promoters to hold fights
once a month; $750 to influence his vote in fixing gas rates at 85 cents
per thousand instead of 75 cents, as had been pledged in the Union Labor
party platform on which he had been elected; $3500 in the matter of
granting the Home Telephone Company's franchise; $4000 for his vote in
granting the United Railroads its permit to establish the overhead
trolley system. Lonergan stated further that Gallagher had promised him
$750, and later $1000, to influence his vote in the matter of passing an
ordinance for the sale of a franchise applied for by the Parkside Realty
Company, with the "biggest thing yet" to come, when the deal was
consummated, by which the city would accept the plans of the Bay Cities
Water Company.
In addition to the sums received from Gallagher, Lonergan confessed to
receiving $5000 from T. V. Halsey, representing the Pacific States
Telephone and Telegraph Company. Halsey had paid Lonergan the money, the
Supervisor said, to oppose the granting of a franchise to the Home
Telephone Company.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account