The San Francisco call., 1895-07-18
The CITY Halls SHAME,
A Horde of Rascals Who
Haunt It's Corridors for
Victims.
UNMoLEsTED BUNK0.sTEERERs.
More Than a Hundred "Macers' y
and Grafters" Daily Ply
Their Calling.

The new City Hall is the only place in
unmolested by the police. There are over
hundred of them there and they are
known as "macers, "steerers," "grafters"
or .'cappers." Their victims are numerous
enough, for large proportion are un-
sophisticated people in trouble for the first
time and glad to grasp at any offer OF ad-
vice or help.
The ''macers" number from fifteen to
twenty and are the small fry of the bunko-
steerers OF the hall. They gather early in
the morning in the lower corridors to wait
for victims. Any one coming into the hall
seeming in doubt, stranger, and un-
sophisticated enough to be overcome by
their guile, is approached and asked what
he is looking for. If it is couple wishing
to get married they are taken to Justice
and after the knot is tied the groom is
petitioned for money or ''maced," +" in the
language of the hall. Later the beggar
goes to the Justice and asks for trifie out
of whatever fee he may have received.
A poor peddler looking for a free license
is told that it will take one who knows the
ropes to procure it, and before he leaves
the hall is induced to give up something.
No amount is too small for these gentry.
If it is one with petty casein Justices
court, he is taken to shyster who divides
the fee with the "macer."
One looking for a warrant of arrest is
told that it will cost 81 so or S. and
through a confederate of the better class of
stteerers, who may be allowed to approach
the prosecuting attorney, it is procured.
So much ior the "macer.' He plays a
small game.
The "steerer" and "grafter" generally
work together. Their victims are nearly
always those who are having their first ex-
periences with police courts.
In some cases the steerer will work
alone. He starts out by saying that he
knows the Judge or Prosecuting Attorney,
he sees some well-dressed man passing
through the corridors, he will say: "There
he goes now. Wait and | will see him. !"
He goes up ana speaks to the well-dressed
man on some pretext, and on returning to
his victim tells him that he has fixed the
case; that there need be no further fear.
He gets from his victim as much as he
can, and as matter of precaution stays
away from the hall for few days. These
cases generally pay well, but often turn out
different from what has been promised.
The "grafters' are largely men who have
in the past been employed in some of the
courts or departments as deputies. They
obtain for victims brought to them by the
"steerers" free licenses, warrants of arrest,
special privileges from the Board Of Super
visors for granting which there are no
charges made by the City.
The applicants are always persuaded
that 'pull" or little money is neces-
sary.
For their cases in the police courts the
"grafters" have many methods of pro-
cedure. The commonest is to tell the de-
fendant that his fine will be much greater
than the law allows, and when the smaller
fine is imposed claim that that was due to
influence with the Judge.
The ''steerer" is always on the lookout
for defendant who has put up cash bail.
When he finds him he will magnify the
case and tell him that he has seen the ar
resting officer who will testify strongly.
When his victim is badly enough scared be
will tell him that he can get him off for the
bail put up, which, of course, he knows is
much more than the fine can be-
He then introduces him to the ''grafter."
The "grafter" in some cases will 60 to the
Judge and SAY that he comes from some
well-known man who is related to the
prisoner. He may even go so far as to
bring card with the name of some influ-
entail man. In the case of battery when
the cash bail is $40, the fine imposed will
often be only SIS. The balance the ''grafter"
will get on the pretense that some of it has
to be paid the officer to testify leniently or
even to pay the Judge.