The record-union., 1891-03-06
SERIOUS ACCUSATIONS.
sssemblyman Bruner Charged With
Selling Police Appointments.
Alleged Detective Work by San Fran
cisco Newspaper Reporter
Rruner Denies 1t All.

'SAS eAliON IL lllIO d Slttlc VI lilltliSt ia
eitement yesterday, the cause being the
publication in one of the San Francisco
newspapers-the Examiner of sensa-
tional story to the effect that Assembly
man Elwood Bruner, of Sacramento, had
accepted bribe of 800 in return for his
services in securing q place on the San
Francisco police force for an individual
supposed TO be named Stoley.
Mr.. Bruner, it will be remembered, in
troduced the bill to increase the San Fran
cisco police force, and, the newspaper
mentioned says, that in exchange for this
work he was promised number of ap-
pointments on the force, and that he bar
tered these appointments at $400 each.
THE CHARGES IN DETAIL.
The San Francisco journal states that
a man named Jones, alleged to be Mr..
Bruner's agent, was found offering posi-
tions on the police force for sale. and that
reporter made the acquaintance of Jones
and offered to buy one of the positions for
a friend named Stoley.
a report of the interview between
Jones and the reporter is given as fol-
lows:
You see," he commenced, "Pm great
friend OF Lieutenant-GoyernorR Reddick,
and did great deal during the campaign
to get him elected. Consequently when
the new Legislature went in Reddicll
created a position for me in the House as
bill clerk at IS day, besides what /
could make, and tell you the salary was
nothing compared with what / used to
get out of it in other ways.
wen, when L was up in Sacramento |
got onto the ropes pretty well, and know
how things are done.
'The Senators and the Assemblymen
are all working for stuff that's what
they're there for Now. YOU know there
is new bill passed, which was signed by
the Governor the other day, giving
Boards OF Supervisors in cities of the
first, second, third and fourth classes dis
cretionary power in the appointment of
policemen at the rate of one man to every
800 of the population. This will give
policemen. The maker of the bill
has control of six appointments, and
can get you one or moro of these for
$400 each"
The reporter said he thought the figure
very reasonable, and told Jones that he
had friend who wanted to get on the
force and for whom he would readily put
up 800.
TELEGRAM.
Very well,' went on Jones. ''The
thing has to be done through a friend of
mine in Sacramento, who works the
scheme out for the Assemblyman. You
see, had couple of fellows ready to
take up to Sacramento the other day to
put through, and when everything was
ready and we were about to leave they
found that they couldn't raise the stuff
and the thing fell through. But see here.
Here IS a telegram | received from my
friend telling us to come up-that every
thing was ali right"
AN ENCOURAGING TELEGRAM.
I.
telegram, which read as follows:
SACRAMENTO, February 24,1s91.
TO Louts Jones, 2523 Mission street, San Ercn-
CISCO Cal: The party says it gees for two.
-Four hundred. Come up tomorrow and
bring stuff. DICK.
H'Now, this shows that the thing is dead
sure, and if you like to go up with me on
Monday we can get your friend in uni
form and on the streets in less than
twenty-four hours. All 1 have to do is
to Introduce you to my friend and we
will then go together to the Assembly
man, and the thing can be fixed in five
minutes. lfyou are not perfectly salts
fed with what the Assemblyman will
give you, why you needn't turn over the
money. He has the appointment of six
men altogether. He can get two on now to
I'LL vacancies, and four more little later.
when the Supervisors vote for an in
crease, and if you have another friend
you'd like to get on the force on the same
conditions, why we may rs well put the
two through together"
SATISFIED WITH ONE.
The reporter said that one appointment
was all he cared about at present, but
would let him know if he heard of an
other person anxious to get on the force
An appointment was then made to meet
on the following Monday at the corner of
California and Montgomery streets, when
1 R,l fI,
have the 'stuff' and Jones would be pre-
pared to accompany him to Sacramento
and work out the scheme with "Dick''
and the Assemblymen. Jones stated that
he had influence with the railroad people
and would secure couple of passes.
At 1:30 o'clock on Monday afternoon
last the reporter met Jones at the place
appointed, and the latter in order, as he
explained it, that everything should go
without hitch, sent dispatch to ''Dick''
IN Sacramento, informing him that ''he
had the party with the Stuff.n and asking
whether they should come on. This done
the two went to the Crociler-W Woolworth
National Bank, and the reporter laid
800 in gold before the receiving teller and
asked for certificate of deposit for that
amount.
''That's the stuff that makes the mare
go! Jehosaphat, doesn't it make fell
low hungry" enthusiastically remarked
Jones.
The reporter replied that il did, and
Opined that some people got lots of money
very easily without working for it, while
others worked hard and secured very
little.
JONES' 'tINFLUENCE."
After they left the bank, so the story
goes, they had another talk.
During the last campaign" went on
Jones, del Vale, who is Native Son,
came up here and got great reception
and everybody thought he was going to
poll big vote. After he went away my
friend Reddick came to me and asked me
if / couldn't suggest some way to counter
act this influence. / told him I was
pretty near Native Son myself and
would turn in and see what | could do for
him. l then went among the Native
Sons, and what / did may be Judged
from the fact that Reddick ran away
ahead of his ticket on election day"
Wonderful said the reporter.
well, you see," continued the man of
influence, lit was in recognition of this
that Reddick created the position of Bill
Clerk for me-"
DO you know of any other appoint
ments being made similar to the one you
are getting for my friend?" asked the re-
porter.
Good gracious, yes. But the thing is
done so smoothly that no one knows
the first thing about ii until the men ap-
pear on the street in uniform. l may as
Well tell you that it's Assemblyman
Bruner of Sacramento that is doing the
work for us. But for Gods sake don't
mention this to any .one.'' The reporter
said he wouldn't.
''Bruner, you see,n he went on sis the
maker of this bill, and he showed nv
friend q letter from several of the Police
Commissioners here guaranteeing him
six appointments, and possibly eight, if
l01Il rnVl