The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-10-07
NO USE FOR BLATTNBR.
Grand Army Men Will Vote
Against Him.
AND AGAINST BOSS KELLY.
The County Clerk Would Have Nothing to
Do With Soldiers and Now He
Is Sorry.

PAY no attention to the - soldiers;
they vote the Republican ticket anyhow"
said Crimmirs to County Clerk Biattner.
BIattner obeyed. Now he wants to be
Sheriff, but the Grand Army men will
knife him.
The Kelly and Crimmins candidate for
Sheriff, William j. Blattner, Is very much
worried Just now over the attitude OF the
old soldiers in this city and county. ma
jority of whom have a large-slzed, keen
edged knife up their sleeves for him and
will use it without mercy whenever the op-
portunity offers
The cause OF the hatred displayed toward
the bosses pet lamb is best told in the fol-
lowing letter to The CALL written by a
Grand Army veteran who stands high in
the counsels OF that organization and also
in the Republican Veteran Soldiers and
Sailors Club.
The letter reads as follows:
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 8, 1892.
To the Editor Of the CAL: IL Is generally un-
derstood among the veteran soldiers and sailors
that the man who wears brass collar labeled
Battner In the clerks Office found few veterans
holding elerkships when he took charge.
BY command Of his master (Crimmins) he lost
no time In turning them out. So far during his
term OF Office he has persstently refused 10 con.
slider the application for position OF any one who
had patriotism enough to serve In the army or
navy during the war, CrlmInins, his boss and
master, having stated, IL Is said, PAY no atten.
ton to the - soldiers, they vote the Republican
ticket anyhow"
collared Blattner of the clerks Office has proven
himself such q faithful servant of the saloon junk
combination bosses that they propose TO adorn
him with sllver-plated nickel collar aud have
him distribute the patronage OF the Sherfs once
In accordance with their orders
Ii the above Is fair statement OF the facts
a a uti7T oxpnn nh
ject TO being Disseminated against. They, to-
gether with their sons and friends. have not less
than 5000 votes that VIII be cast for the Non Parti
san candidate, Sect, and prove the truth OF Grim
Minis declaration by an exception that will rele-
gate Mr.. Blaitner 10 private life. We would like
for you to tell us the above are facts.
ONE OF THE GRIZZLIES.
The writer has set THE CALL a hard task,
for the reason that ''the grand kick" against
Blattner'5 nomination was made so loud
that he heard of 1t, and, with his friends, at
once proceeded to shut, bolt and bar every
door that would open upon the facts in the
been discharged by him and coax them TO
keep still.
1t is a fact, however, and one easily
proved. that shortly after Blattner's cleo
ton as County Clerk several old soldiers
were dismissed from his service, and 1t Is
also fact that during his term of office not
a single old soldier has been able TO secure
work in the County Clerks Office, although
score aud more of them, competent men.
applied for positions at various times when
there were vacancies to be flied.
Some of the soldiers discharged by Blatt-
per found work in the Mint. one found work
at the County Jail and the others retired to
private life.
1t was these men who, when Blattner
was first nominated told their comrades In
the Grand Army and the Veteran Soldiers
and Sailors League what the men who de-
Tended the flag might expect II Blattner was
elected.
They talked long and loud at first. but
gradually they have lowered their voices
and intimated that they had been told they
must keep still or lose their positions.
"The fact is, said one old soldier who
works in the Mint. that one OF the Third
street gang yesterday stood on the steps OF
the Mint and, waving his hand toward the
building. said, Kelly and Mike de Young
have got those fellers In there solid and
they know they daren't cheep. Well,
We'll fool 'em when it comes to voting"
1t is said that when Blattner was spoken
to about the discharge Of the old soldiers he
found in the clerks office when elected. he
replied that they were incompetent and
some of them were drunkards. One Of the
men Blattner is said to have cited as belong
ing to the latter class has been steadily en-
plOyed in position of responsibility and
trust under another county officer and is
the victims carries glowing tribute to his
ability aud character written and signed by
Blattner himself.
While ii is hardly likely that the Veteran
Soldiers aud Sailors Club will take any
action In tho matter as body, IFS members
will pursue their investigations rs in
dividuals and act accordingly. The club is
composed of stanch. true and tried r..
publicans so far as the head of the ticket is
concerned, and those who object TO Blattner
say they have earned the right, by long
years OF service on many battlefield to
vote against men who discriminate againt
old soldiers and sailors simply because he
thought they would vote for him anyhow
so long as be was on the Repu bican ticket.
MIR. Blattner. IL is said. has no explana-
tons to offer concerning the charges against
his bosses, Kelly and Crmmins. in this
matter, nor does he explain why no atten-
ton was paid to the applications of old
soldiers who were competent to fill vacan-
cies existing. who were known Republicans
and honest workers for the party but who
could not be made to divide their scanty
salaries with the bosses and sub-boss,