The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-03
FIGHT FOR SHERIFF.
Striking Contrasts Between the
Candidates.
Laumeisters Official Record Is His Pride, and
Should Crown Him With Victory-A
Few Pointed Cases.

A desperate effort, like the graphing of
drowning man at bubbles, is being made by
the Democratic boss and his lambs" to Sc
cure at all hazards hold of the Sheriff's
office of this city. And all this clamoring
and striving may be accepted as sign of the
times. For, should the lambs" fail in their
fight for possession of the County Jail. they
are given to understand from their astute
boss that the last hope will then have disap-
peared.
There are arguments which contain more
truth than poetry, and this is one. The
County Jail is the recognized home of the
majority of Buckley's followers at some
time or another, and therefore a good, per-
haps the best place in San Francisco to re-
coup the Democratic losses and cultivate
acquaintances that would be useful in
future campaigns.
Under boss rule is found in the institution
on Broadway an immunity dear to the lambs
heart from strict Jail discipline, which en-
courages thieves, vagabonds and low char
acters to pursue their respective calling of
pickpocket, burglar, thief, vagrant, ETC..
when liberated from this criminal caravan
sary.
A COVETED PLUM.
Another reason for the boss struggle for
the Sherff's office, which is recognized as
one of the coveted plums which the boss and
his lambs wish TO pluck from the municipal
tree at to-morrow's election is, it is among
the most responsible public Offices in the
city. This is only a well-known fact. I'm
der the law the property of all insolvents is
turned over to the Sheriff, subject to the
order of the courts. Consider valuable
property placed in the hands of Buckley's
hrelimgs. Valuable property transferred
to Buckley'S lambs would not be intrusted
to good keeping, in view of the fact that
uine-tenths of Buckley's lambs are Grim
inals, ex-convicts and miserable opium
fendS.
The all important matter of summoning
juries to try criminals is intrusted to the
Sheriffs Office, as also are all issues between
ltigants. To convince the public that
Buckley is not the man tosselect the men
who summon jurors, without argument. it
" Little Pete" iury-brbing epoch in this
city few years ago and the scandals then
brought to light in the Shrievalty
Again, the better class of citizens will I'M
derstand what an opportunity for rottenness
is presented in summOning juries to try
cases involving heavy damages. Not alone
is there the long-l0oked-for chance OF an un-
scrupulous politician to pick out the desired
jurors, or, in palmer words 10 pack the jury
and at the same time to receive the bride
for which his palm had itched incontlnently.
CoGENT REASONS STATED.
In view of all these grave responsibilities
and the power aud influence which nomi-
mated L. |. OBrien, it would seem an out
rageous act upon the part of the voters of
this city to elect him to the office OF Sheriff
against such man rs c. S. Laumeister. the
present Sheriff. who has filled the Office for
ha ttun wifi ora1it opd honor IN
himself and the Republican party.
Compare the two men, beginning with
their records as public officers. The result
of the comparison is striking and must bring
before ones mind the seriousness of casting
a vote, without weighty consideration on
election day, for Sheriff. The difference is
so great, the contrast SO pronounced, the
real worth of character and executive abil
ity So fOrcibiy defined. that Il rational being
cannot fail to be struck with the picture
few minutes thought has drawn. Differ
ence like that between day and dark c0nSti-
tutes the contrast.
LAUMEISTER's CAREER.
Sheriff Laumeister entered on his public
career with clear record, characterized by
uprightaess, capablity and decision rs
business man, purity and unseliShneSs in
his private life, and kindness and charitl0il-
ity to his fellow men. He took hold of the
partly demoralized affairs of the then shamb-
ling office OF Sheriff, and entered upon
term which has won for him the esteem and
confidence of San Franchises eople, who
have now learned TO admire his integrity
and honor. Newspapers, both Democratic
and Republican, have. during his TWO years
of office, testified repeatedly to the improve
ments inaugurated by him.
The County Jail, formerly conducted as
political headquarters, has witnessed many
a change for the better of late. Where pre-
viously opium and morphine tends were al
lowed to indulge in their vices, now, wholly
because of the strict attention to discipline
and TatchiulneSs on the part OF the Chief
Jaier and deputies in charge, the jail is as
free as it can possibly be from the presence
of these baneful drugs, without which the
criminal element (and the greater majority
of petty Offenders in this city are slaves of
them incarceration holds horrors which only
a De Quincy could describe.
UNDENIABLE FACTS.
And The consequence is, petty criminals
plead 10 be sentenced to the Democratic
House OF Correction, or the number of their
offenses are grown fewer. The sanitary
condition OF the jail-once pest hole-has
been so far improved that now sickness OF
any kind is almost unknown there.
In the other departments of Mr. Laumeis-
ter's Office the same good management has
prevailed, and it is his pride to-day to refer
to his official career, against which SANDER
may be cast by enemies, but adverse criii-
cism in good truth never. For all this he
Slduuo Hiou III tLC SotIiudtiUh VI al VIM
know him.
Nor can it be said of Mr.. Laumester that
he ever condoned an offenSe or breach of
faith of his employees, as is too often the
case with other men in similar positions.
He never suffered his public trust to be
furnished by the presence of deputy or
other emplOye who had fallen from grace,
and so sustans a certain responsibility
among his men, which has heretofore been
an unknown quality.
Dt,~ ln,NA g.
that I. !. OBrien is the creature and tool
of Boss Buckley; that he has been Buck
ley License Collector for few years, and
as such has herded twenty of the boss IA
vorite lambs in his Office at the bidding Of
buckley.
AT THE LAMBS MERCY.
To elect Mr.. O'Brien to the office of Sheriff
is to place Buckley, Rainey, Driscoll, Joe
| Coekrane, Jake Rudolph and other Buckley
lambs in position where the Sherff's Of
fee will be at the mercy of the Bush-street
fraternity for good or evil, according to the
credentials of him who presents them.
In lis record Is an affair of quite recent
date which has been kept remarkably quiet
in these troublesome times, which plainly
shows how kindly he has been treated in
the political contest. On its face it certain
ly appears fragrant violation not only OF
decency. but of the legal ordinances as well.
BY some peculiar means best known to
the inner Buckley ring, local butcher is
saved the expense of paying licenses for
each of his meat-peddling wagons through
out the city, in spite of the decision of the
courts OF course, all the retail butchers
have remembered this, and will carry it to
the polls with them on election day, and
prevail On friends not to support man
whom they do not look upon as friend
CLEAN ADMINISTRATION.
Among the re utable German citizens of
this city Mr.. Laumeister is held in high
esteem, for they may well feel proud of the
present Sheriff as an adornment to any
people. Approaching his worth as man
and an official they will uphold his banners
and carry him through to victory.
Citizens of San Francisco can, if they
will, have and secure a clean, pure and
honorable administration of the Sheriff's
Office in the future as it has been during the
past two years by voting Cor c. s. Lau-