The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-19

| liquor was sold in the "Well," and assert
| ing that A. J. Rhodes had no interest what
ever in the restaurant. Bledsoe fanciec
| the communication charged him with
falsehood, and in a question of privilege
proceeded to reply. The Speaker inter
posed and restored the regular order Of
| business.
The keenest remark of the session may
be accredited to Judge Spencer. The AS
sembly was considering the report to elect
watchmen for the gallery, watchmen fol-
the library and other places. Spencer OBJ
served that the House was electing watch
men for every place but the treasury. A
good round of applause greeted the sally.
The resolution to investigate the San
Francisco police departments, after the
fashion of the Lexow investigation in New
York, was introduced as contemplated by
Mr. Ewing. The reading was listened to
with profound attention, but at the con-
clusion no motion was made, for the rea-
son that under the rules all resolutions
must go over for one day.
The substance of the resolution is as fol-
lows:
WHEREAS, 1t has been charged and main
tanned that the Police Department of San Fran
cisco is corrupt, that grave abuses exist in the
said department, that laws for the suppression
of crime and municipal ordinances are not
strictly enforced by said department, that said
laws and ordinances when enforced are en-
forced with Partially and favoritism, and that
such Partially and favoritism are the results
of corrupt bargain between offenders against
said laws on the one hand and said department
and police force on the other; that money and
promises of services to be rendered are given
and paid to the public officials by keepers of
gaming houses, 'disorderly houses, liquor sa-
looms and others who have offended are
offending against said laws in exchange for
promises of immunity from punishment or
police interference, and that said department.
and police force, by means of threats and other
wise, extort money or other valuable consider
alton from many persons in said city as the
price of such immunity from police inter-
ference or punishment; and whereas, Strong
public sentiment demands of this Assembly a
thorough and full investigation OF all matters
above mentioned; therefore be it
Resolued, That the Speaker Of the Assembly
be authorized to appoint five members of the
Assembly, with power and authority to investi-
gate all of the above matters and charges, with
full power to prosecute its inquiries in any and
every direction and with authority to send for
persons and papers
In conclusion the resolution authorizes
committee to employ legal counsel and
stenographers and to hold sessions in San
Francisco and Sacramento. 1t is provided
also that the committee shall conclude its
investigation and report to the Assembly
on or before February Is. The sergeant
alarms of the Assembly is directed to ac-
company the commission and serve all
subpenas or other process issued by it. 1t
is resolved further that it is the sense of
the Assembly that it is contrary to public
policy that any person giving evidence be-
fore committee tending to show that he
has been party to the corruption charged
should be indicted or prosecuted upon the
evidence SO given.
Ewing says concerning his proposed in
vestigation of the San Francisco Police De-
partment: 81 believe the sentiment is ripe
now for an inquiry on precisely the same
lines as that conducted by the Lexow COM
mittee in New York. | have lived in San
Francisco thirty-six years and have served
twice on the Grand Jury l have SOME
idea of the way things are in all depart
ments OF the city government. I would
rather have country members do the in
vestigating than men from San Fran
cisco, for all departments of the city
government are so interviewer it is hard
to get San Francisco men to do as they
should without having their interests af-
fected at some point. My idea is to have
the committee begin work Immediately,
and they will be able to do a lot of work
before the time the report is called for
February 10 | contemplate investigating
the Police Commissioners as well "a the