The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-25
The Grand Jury Invited to ASK
Him the Question.
STANTON WANTS AN AFFIDAVIT.
Without 1t He Will Not Go to Law
About the Matter-A Spicy
Session.

asking the Grand Jury to summon Mr..
Sutro before it and have him explain In
detail the facts on which ne passes DIS
charges. The discussion was terse and
pointed throughout, although II was con-
fined to three or four members, two oil
whom had taken the precaution 10 write
what they had TO say, so that there could
be no mistake about it,
Mr.. Sutro's Objectionable utterances
were in the form OF an interview in which
he is reported as saying that the Super
visOrs never grant any privilege unless
they were well paid for it, and that Super
visors Stanton and James, although elected
on the Non-Partisan ticket. bad been
bought over by the railroad, and The re-
ward for the one was the Democratic
nomination for the Office of Railroad COM
missioner and of the other for Mayor.
Al the earliest opportunity in the course
OF the proceedings 7. j. Kennedy took the
floor, adjusted his glasses, took from his
pocket a roll of manuscript and read:
In an interview in morning paper Mr.. Suro
made Wholesale assertion against the Board
of Supervisors which, If true, this board should
be In San Quentin wearing the colors OF the
State Instead of leglSlating for the city aad
county OF San Francisco. / have known Mr..
Sntro for many years aud have always admired
him Tor his many good traits, Tor bis inuoml-
table energy. pluck and perseverance. knew
him on the Comstoek when he was as poor as
Jobs turkey, but that was nothing 10 his dis
credit. | knew him when he inauguraisd the
SutTo tunnel. knew him when like a Titan he
fought the combined strength of the Union Mill
and Milling Company and the Bank of CalifOr-
MA and their ablest lawyers and lobbyists he
fore Congressional committee and over the
heads of his adVeTSaTies procured tn Sutro
tunnel franchise, which made his n me famous
in more respects than one all over the world.
Mr.. Sutro has had large and varied expert
ence with legislative bodies and he ought TO
know whereof lie speaks. he owns about one
tenth OF the city and county OF San Francisco,
ana has had business In various ways with elf
ferent Boards OF Supervisors for years, and
should now IN the interest of good government
come before this board and substantale his
assertions, or better still. go before the pres
en Grand Jury and make a clean breast of il
by following the example OF that spirited citt.
zen. William Cornwall. before the Wallace
Grand Jury. resent in the name OF the board
the unfair assertions made by MIR. SutTO l
have lived on the coast for half century; 1
have grown up family, whom regard as the
| apple OF my eye; / have friends whose respect
hold d ar; have always paid my honest
debts ana acted The part of good citizen, and
l will not allow Mr.. Sutro or any other man 10
brand me as a feion ana remain silent
Mi. SutTo shouldn't pose as the embodiment
OF all that Is good and pure In human nature
He is not immaculate. He was conceived IN sin
like other ordinary NOR ais. and we as board
are aware OF his frailIes. his board shortly
at eI being seat O. In order to exclude bogus
bidders, passed a resolution that every appli-
cant Tor stre6tcar franchise should pay into
the city treasury $4,000 as an evidence Of good
faith. Mr.. Sutro was the trst applicant under
the new rule and he complied With The resolu-
ton By handing In bis check for $4,000, but
Immediately after pleaded for its return on the
ground that lie came In at the eleventh hour,
when all the good hiDgs had been given away
and wanted an exception made in his favor.
His request was denied and Mr.. Sutro felt
sore. subsequently the Market-stieet syndi-
cate paid into tile city treasury $1,000. not for
nine franchises, as enormously stated by Mr.
SutrO, but for nine connections, which are Of
no earthly use 10 anybody outside OF the syndi-
cate.
AT one time 1 thought the altruistic spirit and
not the selfish dominated MIR. Sutro's nature
posed wave-washed Shag Rock as a fit site for
pesthOuse in order TO keep II away from his
landed possessions. A more humane PROPOSE
ton would be TO hire a lug TO take the patients
beyond the heads andfdump them into the sea-
During the ever memorable pesthouse discus
sion the owner OF the land on which the pest
house stood was clamoring ana threatening to
sue the city for rent; but desised when Mr.
SutTo voluntarily promised before the Health
and Police Committee TO pay the rent until a
location was selected. The promise was never
kept. The rent is still unpaid. A straw in
dlcates which way the wind blows.
Mr.. Christian Refs promptly followed
with type-written proposition and a type
written address moving its adoption as
follows:
WHEREAS, in an interview published IN a
Supervisors never grant privilege unless they
are paid for lt''; and whereas, Mr.. Adolph Sutro
Is himself the grantee of street railroad
franchise or privilege. and therefore stands be-
fore the board and public in the light OF a self
proclaimed cOrruptionist; and whereas. IL is Of
the greatest public interest that such practices
should be exposed and brought TO punishment.
now therefore be IL
Resolved, That the Grand jury be and Is
hereby requested TO summon Adolph SutrO be-
fore II 10 give full information concerning the
means used to obtain the franchise lie now
holds and concerning the means used TO OBJ ain
any other franchises or privileges OF whichhe
may have knowl dye.
Mr.. Refs address ran on to this effect:
II know nothing about the franchise
granted TO Mr.. Sutr0 except that 1t was
duly advertised as provided by law, and
Sutro's bid oil 5000 was accepted and the
money paid into the treasury. After
ward, Sutro sent in petition TO have the
money returned to bin. That was denied.
The other franchises he mentions were
| advertised in the same way and sold to the
highest bidder. and the money was paid ITO
the city treasury. | do not see how. under
the present rule, franchises or privileges
can be obtained except by making The
| highest bid in open competition. But cer-
tainly Mr.. SutTo's charges are of nature
10 call Tor a searching inquiry on the part
OF the Grand Jury, as he says, In sub
| stance. that he made corrupt payment
Tor his franchise.
move that the CLERK be instructed TO
| furnish list and description of the vari-
Gus franchises granted by this present
board. don't think there have been any
new railroad franchises granted except
| Sutro's. The others were. | thiuk, ex-
! tensions of a block or two or changes"
The motion was seconded and then Mr.
Stanton said briefly and blushiugly that il
| was rot the time or place for him to make
political speech, but that IL Mr.. Sutro
would put what he had said with regard t.
him (StantOn) in an affidavit, he would sue
him (Sutro) Tor libel. His nomination for
the office of Railroad Commissioner came
fairly and honestly, he said, and he would
be pleased to have Mr. Sutro 90 with his
charges tt the Grand Jury. IL he would
not do that, then Mr.. Sutro must himself
SHOULDER the responsibility.
MT. Hoyer went over much the same
ground as had Mr.. Kennedy in his address
he said Mr.. Sutro had given the Super
vlsors more trouble with his personal mat
ters than any other three men in San Fran
cisco, and referred to the past trouble and
other affairs.
In all these matters, he said, which wers
given the appearance of public affairs, it
was always found that Mr.. Sutro had a
personal, mean and contemplate motive
he was always out for advertising aud this
| looked like another effort in that direction.
Mr.. Heyer also referred to his own family
relations, and said his children expected 10
continue to live IN San Francisco aud he
| desired that his name should oe respec ed
| But at this time, be said. every body was
attacking eyerybOly else and "howaveF