The San Francisco call., 1895-12-24
Corrupting Literature Printed and
Sold Throughout the
Country.
INSPECTOR ERWINs STRATEGY.
The Culprit Captured While at Work
Finishing the Binding of
Books.

Broback was arrested here today bv
United States Postal Inspector James E.
Erwin on charge of having used the
mails for illegal purposes. Broback was
arralgned before United States Circuit
Court Commissioner T. L. Carothers,
waived examination and was bound over
under $4,000 bonds. These were provided
by c. W. Broback, the prisoners father,
and J. o. White, and Broback was re-
leased.
The particular charge against Broback is
that at this place, on October last, he de-
posted in the United States mails GER
tain letter, inciosed in sealed envelope
and addressed in black pencil to L. Levin
& Son, % Stockton street. San Francisco.
This letter contained the following semi
cipher:
UKIAH, CAL, Oct. 8, 1895.
Levin d Son-DEAR SIRs: In reply will quote
you follows: Rosa, 100 lots, 10c each; over
l have no others in stock. Rosa is not bound,
and you may have price printed on outside or
inside of cover without extra charge.
The charge, IN the language OF the United
States Revised Statutes, is described as
mailing a letter giving information, di-
rectly and indirectly, where and how, and
of whom, and by what means, certain OBJ
scene books and pamphlets might be OBJ
tained.'
Broback was identified by F. W. Lee,
San Francisco reporter. When his arrest
was made large amount of improper
printed matter and many photographs of
the same questionable character were con-
fiscated by the officer. The crime charged
is very serious one. 1t has been stated
that for some time Broback was engaged
in this business but no proof could be
obtained against him until the matter was
taken in charge by the postal authorities.
Broback's father is a wealthy property
owner of this place, but he did not know,
it is said, anything about his sons busi-
ness.
The arrested man is a helpless cripple,
having been paraIyzed in both lower
limbs. He can move about from place to
place only while seated in tricycle. made
for that purpose. He is about 35 years of
age and unmarried. His spare time was
spent in conducting printing Office, ana
here he produced the literature COM
planned of.
From information obtained at the Office
of the postal inspectors in the Appraisers
building in San Francisco, it develops that
Broback has been doing a lively business
in his particular line. Among dealers in
questionable literature he has been known
familiarly enough as "Broback, the Ukiah
printer" Two men in San Francisco
with whom Broback co-operated have
already been convicted. They were Solo,
mon Levin and Isidore c. Wood, doing
business under the firm name of l.. Levin
& Sons, at 26 Stockton street.
Secretary Kane of the Society for the
Prevention of Vice went after this firm
number of times, but they baffled prosecu-
ton until at last one of their publications
was sent to boy pupil of the SWEET Gram
mar School, and the postal authorities
took the matter up.
Broback was in a fair way to food this
City from his Mendocino County printing
office with debasing literature, and Levin
and Wood were doing the work of distri-
button. Some of the books sold as high
as $5 each and none lower than 81, though
they were cheaply got up. They were
profusely and abominably illustrated.
Inspector Erwin decoyed Broback by
means of letters, to the extent at least of
ascertaining from Broback himself that he
was in the business. The Ukiah man took
the precaution to always write his replies
with a lead pencil and without attesting
any signature to them. Mr.. Erwin secured
an envelope with the imprint OF firm in
Broback's confidence on it, and secured an
answer that gave the Governments au-
thorities the surprising intelligence that
he was prepared to quote the most entic-
ing figures. Broback was made to believe
that he was about to make big deal with
a Montana man, so he informed his CORE
spondent that he had in stock 500 each
of various books, the names of which are
too suggestive to be published.
When Mr.. Erwin arrested Broback yes
terday he seized 1900 of these books, 800 of
which were still unbound. Broback was
caught at work on these unbound volumes.
A lot of vile photographs, said to have
been taken by a brother in Santa Rosa,
also fell into the possession of the arrest
ing officer.
The penalty for Broback's offense is five
years imprisonment or a fine of $4,000 or
both.