"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
Governor and control him for the next twenty years. Webb was a
deputy in Ford's office when Ford was Attorney-General, and it
was Ford who got him to come down here and 'butt in' at the
time you were impaneling the Grand Jury. I know you fellows
thought it was I who got him to come down here, but as a
matter of fact I did not know any more about it than you did
until he appeared there, and I am sure it was Ford who did
it."
[108] While Ruef was struggling through the crowd to reach his
automobile Dr. Shadwick O. Beasley, Instructor in Anatomy at
the Cooper Medical College, was assaulted by some unidentified
person. Dr. Beasley turned, shook his fist at Ruef and hissed
him. The doctor was immediately placed under arrest. Dr.
Beasley, on his part, swore out a warrant charging an unknown
deputy sheriff with battery. Beasley was then made subject of
petty persecution. He was, for example, held up on the street
by a deputy sheriff and charged with carrying a concealed
weapon. He was searched by two men, but nothing more deadly
than a case of surgical instruments was found upon him. Dr.
Beasley complained bitterly of the rough treatment from the
officers.
The San Francisco Chronicle, in its issue of October 27, 1906,
thus describes the scene which followed Ruef's appearance
before the crowd:
"With fists and clubs Chief of Police Dinan and his squad from
the Central Police Station fought off the crowd of angry
citizens assembled about the Temple Israel who sought to lay
violent hands on Abe Ruef when the curly-headed usurper of the
functions of the municipal government was leaving the scene of
the Grand Jury meeting yesterday afternoon. And in the wake of
the police were the Ruef heelers from the tenderloin with
their hands on their pistols, threatening to shoot down the
citizens of the city of San Francisco who should dare to
approach too near the sacred person of their tenderloin idol.
"It was one of the most remarkable scenes ever witnessed in
any city of this country. Stung with the outrageous assumption
of the powers of the public prosecutor when he was about to be
placed on trial himself for crime, the citizens of the city,
among whom are names that stand highest in business and
professional circles, sought to make him realize the impudence
of his conduct. That he escaped a swift punishment for his
arrogant seizure of the office of the District Attorney is
solely due to the presence and strenuous efforts of the
police."
[109] In sending his officers to handle this crowd, Chief of Police
Dinan gave the following instructions:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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