The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-28
BONDS OF STRAW.
The Cry Is Still They
Come.
CLERK FARREN THE VICTIM.
Detectives Hunting for the Fraudulent
Sureties-Chief Crowley's Views
on Remedying the Evil.

on Remedying the Evil.
II the acceptance of straw bonds goes OF
at the present rate the Board OF Supervisors
will have TO appoint permanent committee
to be known as Special committee on
straw bonds accepted by police court
clerks
1t is just as common to hear the remark
nowadays within the precincts OF the old
City Hall of, "Oh. have you heard about
that other straw bond" as to hear that
Prosecuting Attorney Reed and Judge
Campbell have had another dispute as to
some trifling point of procedure.
Another straw bond was made public
yesterday.
1t appears that on Monday night W. D.
Ohlandt, a Market-street saloon-keepe per, was
arrested on a warrant from Police Court
for selling liquor to minor. He was taken
TO the Southern police station, and shortly
after being locked up he was visited by j.
Ford, who told him that he could get the
case fixed for $40, and it would be unneces-
sary fer him TO appear in court at all.
Oh.audt agreed TO pay the amount as soon
as lie was released from prison.
Ford Immediately got hold of w. T.
Fitzgerald. better known as "N0Sev." and
the pair wrote out q bail hOnd in $500 Cor
Oulauul , ItledSty luey DbluB the DOuQ SlHen.
They first drove 10 the residence Of Clerk
GavG gan of Police Court 8, but he was ont.
HIS brother, however. gave them bit of
his mind for wishing 10 go on anybody's
bond, as they had not cent they could
call their own.
They next drove to the residence OF Clerk
Stevens OF Police Court !. Stevens
promptly told them he would lave nothing
TO do with the bond and refused point
| blank 10 aceeptit.
lafa tad hut MT / l-nxy
10 the residence of Clerk Farren of Police
| Court 4. They poured into his ears such
! tale of woe about Ohlandt being such a
| nice man and arrested on such a trivial
| charge OF selling liquor to a messenger boy
| that he hesiIated and was4ost.
Farren says he asked the men if they had
| personal property Of the value of $500 each.
| and each declared that he had. But neither
| Is worth cent.
The TWO worthless drove in haste TO the
police station with the order for Ohlandt's
release signed by Farren and the prisoner
was soon at liberty.
The case was called in Police Court on
Tuesday morning, but no one responded. A
I continuance was ordered till Wednesday,
| but again no one RESPONDED when the case
| was called The bond was, thereupnn, de-
| clared forfeited and bench warrant was
| issued for OhlandPs arrest. He was taken
| into custody and appeared before Judge
| Campbell yesterday.
He exclaimed his reasons for not appear
| ing so as to purge himself from contempt
Of court He believed Ford had settled
l everything, as he said he would. and pro-
| duced receipt, which reads as follows:
SAN Francisco. ApII "a 1898.
| Received from II. Ohiamdt $40 for legal services
rendered. Received payment J. FORD.
Meantime the forfeited bond had been
| handed to Attorney Straus for collection
/ aud he recognized IL at once as one Of the
! old-time straw bonds.
| The matter was promptly turned over 10
! Captain Lees ahd he detailed Detective
| Seymour upon the case. charge of per-
! jury Will be placed against Ford and Fitz-
/ gerald, and in addition Ford will be charged
with obtaining money under false pre-
/ lenses.
Clerk Farren. speaking of The matter last
evening, said lie had been awakened on
! Sunday night by his daughter, who said
that two gentlemen wished 10 have friend
| of theirs released. lie had pleaded sick
ness, but his daughter begged him to relieve
| the poor man" and he got up and went
| downstairs. He found two weli-dres sed.
respectable looking men, who EXPLAINED
that Ohlandt, a saoOn-keeper on Market
| street, had been arrested for a nominal
| Offense. Farren thought lie recognized one
| of the two WOuid-be bOndsmen and the
| other SEEMED reputable. On their inform
ing him that they had tried large number
| of Judges and clerks and found them out
! FarTen questioned them rs TO their ability
TO qualify for $50. and being assured on
FarTen saws lie had 10 interest whatever
| in the transaction. and If the men are rot
J what they represented themselves to be he
| hopes they Will be prosecuted for perjury
| and dealt with vigorously.
| You can see how badly handicapped
the police are" said Chef Crowley yeste--
| day, by these straw bonds. 1t is simply
| demoraiZnE and most discouraging to US.
| / can tel you this that TIE police force of
| this city is the best arm the government
has"
What remedy would you suggest?"
u would take away the power entirely Of
| accepting bonds from the clerks" replied
the chief That is where the evil lies If
We had men as clerks whose position would
he permanent, and obtained through their
ability and m egrlty and not through their
political affiliations, II would be ali right, MS
such men would be extremely careful not
TO do anything to mperi! their position.
But, owing 10 The change of administra-
ton every two wears, the clerks simply
look upon the office as one to be made as
remunerative as possible while it lasts, in
! other words tey wish to make hay while
the sun shines
1T is not so very many years ago that the
police we're openly dtfed; bonds were ac-
cepted from anybody. aud even the Judges
dismissed cases without cause.
But although that can't be done now,
still there IS occasionally Spasmodic at.
tempt to defy the police by those having
pull and anything of the kind should be
most severely dealt with.
''lf some of these professional straw
bOndsmen we're made an example OF by
getting sent down some years for perjury it
would have a most excellent effect
Yes, ] know that some respectable ctl-
zen might be innocently thrown into prison
at night, and ii would be n hardship TO
keep him there all night if he could not get
baied out, but that possibility would not
deter me from taking out of the hands of
| Police Court CLERKS the power 10 accept
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