The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
PREPARING FOR THE FRAY.
Opponents in the Board of
Health Scramble Hunt
ing Evidence.
LIVINGSTON MAKES ANSWER
He Denies Friendship With the
Bosses and Repels the Charges
Against Him.

II want to be made Health Officer as q
matter of vindication," explained DR.. Marc
Leyingston in talking of the Board OF
Health scramble yesterday. II have only
asked for one thing else. That is the
Quarantine Office for DR.. Miner.
II have not requested any other pat
ronage and don't expect it. 1 do hope
to get the position of Health Officer,
though. Not because l am friend of Mr..
Budd or for any personal favors 1 have
done him, but because l am a Democrat
and because I worked hard to assist in Mr..
Budd's election.
''You will admit that change will be
made in the Health Office. 1 think that as
Democrat 1 have right to apply for'the
place. feel thoroughly qualified for it as
1 have studied the subject of sanitary
science and have a number of changes in
mind which would, if l were allowed to
put them into practice, greatly lessen both
the expense of the City Government and
the death rate.
DIR. Livingston has in course of prepare
ton an exhaustive answer to the charges
made against him by the Civic Federation
and individual politicians. He asserts that
their efforts are made entirely through
desire to make political capital or to crafty
spite.
He quotes his report to show that during
his term of office. SCI ,913 26 was turned
over as the property of the dead This, he
asserts is sum larger by over $780, 900 than
any other Coroner can show for the same
time. By this. he says it is made evident
that the charges OF robbing the dead are
untrue.
The stories of orgies at the Morgue and
disgusting maltreatment of bodies were,
he says, told to relatives of the dead by I'M
dertakers who had been disappointed when
the burial of bodies was placed in other
hands than their own. These stories, he
says, were never shown even by their orr gil
majors to bear any foundation in fact.
At the time he was Coroner DR.. Leving-
ston says the County Hospital was furnish
ing more cadavers than the medical col
leges needed. This, he urges, would have
rendered it impossible for him to have
traf6cked in corpses even had he desired to
put them on the market.
Finally, he alleges that he is not and
never was Buckley man. In this respect
his story of the first nominating conven-
ton in which his name came up for
Coroner is interesting.
1t was in 1881. There were two rival Demo
Club, was dominated by McMann. This wanted
me nominated. The other, the Yosemite Club,
was under Buckley's management and wanted
Mr.. McAllister nominated. McAllister re-
ceived the nomination, but was badly beaten.
In 1882 the Union Hall convention was held
had five districts sure. l also had some
strength in others and Buckley, whose prestige
has grown largely from the fact that he has
good judgment and allies himself with the
winning side, threw his district, the Tenth,
for me. was elected, but did not owe my
position to him.
This election was the instrument that brought
Mr.. Buckley his boss-ship. Everything went
places for nearly all the professional poll
ticians Most of these owed their positions to
Buckley, and afterward rewarded him by their
fealty.
Even if nothing else would indicate it my
action three years ago would show that was
not with the bosses. 1t was then the fight for
purity was made. The records will show that
out in the Forty-third District consistently
opposed Sam Newman, ]. ]. Flynn, Matt Fallon,
Ed Cassidy, Dave Magner and other of Buck
ley's adherents.
Speaking of the political bosses Of to-day,
DR.. Livingston was equally emphatic. He
declared that he had no affiliations with
them. He said:
l have not talked with Maurice Schmidt
more than ten minutes in all my life. l don't
think have spoken to Sam Rainey more than
two or three times. Mr.. Buckley came to me
quite recently to have me operate on his nose
ever. Judge Walter Levy l know quite we'll
He congratulated me a short time ago upon my
good fortune in having the Examiner attack
me editorially. That is all. have never talked
with him about the Board OF Health matter.
AS for slated positions know nothing. 1 do
not know Senators Percy Henderson and Billy
Dunn, Assemblyman Mccarthy, Ed Reddy or
Peter McGlade. The only person said to have
been assured of place by me, whom know
is Dr. S. S. Kahn, and DO not like him much
personally.
DR.. Levingston declares that no charges
against him can be substantiated. He
says that the Grand Jury, which inves-
tigated the office during his incumbency,
praised the management He is going
to ask that the Governor leave judg-
ment on his case to the editors of the
CALL and Examiner, and any two Demo-
Gratis whom they may choose. He says he
is willing to have them Judge the testi-
mony of witnesses, and will abide by any
report they may make to the Governor.