"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
Nor was there any hasty action. The office of Mayor was not declared
vacant until after Schmitz had been sentenced to the penitentiary. But
Schmitz was in the county jail and incompetent to act. It was of
immediate necessity that a temporary successor be substituted. Until
this were done, San Francisco would be without a chief executive. To
meet the emergency, the Supervisors named Supervisor Gallagher to be
acting Mayor.[249]
After the sentencing of Schmitz the rapidly developing situation made it
necessary that the convicted official's office be declared vacant and
his successor appointed. But the successor had not been named, nor had
plans for the change in administration been formulated.[250] In this
further emergency, it was decided to name one of the Supervisors to be
Mayor to serve until a permanent successor of Mayor Schmitz could be
named. The unhappy Boxton[251] was decided upon. The Supervisors, by
resolution, definitely declared the office of Mayor vacant and elected
Supervisor Boxton to be Mayor.
On the day that Boxton was named Mayor of San Francisco, District
Attorney Langdon made public a plan for a convention to select a Mayor
to serve until the successor of Mayor Schmitz could be elected and
qualified. Mr. Langdon proposed that the convention should be made up of
thirty members, fifteen to be appointed by organized labor and fifteen
by the organized commercial bodies. On the side of Labor were
apportioned eight delegates to the Labor Council and seven to the
Building Trades Council. The five commercial bodies, the Chamber of
Commerce, Merchants' Association, Board of Trade, Real Estate Board and
Merchants' Exchange, were allowed three delegates each. That the
convention might proceed in its choice unhampered, the District Attorney
pledged that he and his associates would wholly refrain from
participation after the convention had assembled.[252]
But this did not suit the several factions at all. Admittedly, the
Prosecution could name the Mayor. Each faction wanted its man named, and
while there remained a chance for its man to be named, did not care to
see the extraordinary power in the hands of the District Attorney
delegated to the uncertainties of a convention.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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