[196] For several weeks after the great fire of April 18-19-20, 1906, the banks were closed at San Francisco. Money could, however, during this period, be transferred to San Francisco, through the United States mint. [197] Gallagher had notified Ruef that he would not deal with Rea in the trolley transaction. Ruef, Gallagher alleged, had agreed to attend to Rea's case himself. See Chapter XIII. [198] Crocker testified before the Grand Jury, however, that he had known Ruef for many years. "He (Ruef) and my brother-in-law, Prince Poniatowski," said Crocker, "both being French, and both being pretty clever men, struck up quite a friendship together and through that means I used to see more or less of Ruef and that was one of those peculiar friendships that spring up with people who are not identified and not connected in any way whatever in any business enterprise, sprang up between Ruef and myself, and when he told me that in my office it didn't surprise me a bit." Crocker had testified that Ruef had promised to do all he could to get him his franchise, and wouldn't want a dollar from Crocker, or from the institution with which Crocker was connected. [199] Of this manipulation of the books, President J. E. Green, of the Parkside Company, testified before the Grand Jury as follows: "Q. How was the transaction to appear in the books? How was the property account to be charged with it? It would have to show some property. A. It was charged for a block that was purchased from Watson and Umbsen, a block of land. "Q. Did you tell Watson to do that? A. I believe I did. "Q. How did they get paid for the land? A. They deeded this block which they had to the company and the company in turn executed a deed to them, returning the land to them, simply a matter of bookkeeping. "Q. Was the company's deed put on record? From them to the company? A. I rather think so. "Q. What was the purpose of that? A. To get a charge to the property account for the expenditure of that amount of money. "Q. What was the reason for charging it to property account? A. Every expenditure that was made was charged to property account with the idea the property had to pay it back. "Q. Did you always go through the form with every expense that wasn't actually a piece of property, did you go through a form of deeding a piece of property and then deeding it back? A. No, sir. "Q. What was the reason of doing it in this instance? A. Because--other things--there was a case--grading, sewering or fencing the blocks when they spoke for itself.