"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
[329] Heney, on the eve of election, in reply to McGowan's argument
that the bribe-takers should be prosecuted, effectively
answered this contention. Heney's communication read: "To
Frank McGowan, Esq. Sir: You are reported by the newspapers as
having stated that you will prosecute the boodling Supervisors
and that you will also prosecute Patrick Calhoun and the other
rich bribers, and that you will grant immunity to no one. I
invite you to answer specifically the following questions
either in the newspapers or the next time you make a public
speech:
"1. If you prosecute Supervisor Lonergan (or any other
Supervisor) for accepting a bribe to influence his vote in the
matter of the trolley franchise, what witness, or witnesses,
will you call to prove that he accepted the bribe?
"2. Every child in town now knows that if Lonergan received the
money at all it was from Supervisor Gallagher. Will you prove
the fact by Gallagher? If you call Gallagher as a witness, how
do you expect to induce him to testify without granting him
Immunity?
"3. When you prosecute James L. Gallagher for giving a bribe to
Tom Lonergan or to any other Supervisor to influence his vote
on the trolley franchise matter, by what witness or witnesses,
will you prove that Gallagher paid the money to Lonergan or to
any other Supervisor? Will you call Lonergan or any other
Supervisor as a witness, and when you call him, how will you
induce him to testify without granting him immunity?
"4. By what witness do you expect to convict Gallagher of
giving a bribe, or Tom Lonergan, or any other Supervisor of
accepting a bribe in the matter of fixing the gas rate, or in
the Home Telephone Company franchise matter?
"5. If you prosecute Ruef for giving money to Gallagher to
distribute to the Supervisors to influence their vote on the
trolley franchise, by what witness, or witnesses, will you
prove that Ruef gave the money to Gallagher? Will you put
Gallagher on the stand to prove it, and if so, how will you
induce him to testify without granting him immunity? Will you
put Ford on the stand to prove that he gave the money to Ruef,
and if so, how will you get him to testify without giving him
immunity? Will you put Fat Calhoun on the stand to prove that
he gave the money to Ford to give Ruef to give to the
Supervisors, and if so, how will you induce Pat to testify
without giving him immunity?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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