The San Francisco call., 1896-04-29

with stories about his corrupt doings in
the Fire Department.
Then as Martin Kelly rose higher as a
boss came bigger stories about corporation
sacks that had something to do with Su-
pervisors and about all the mass of things
that a corrunt political boss will get him.
self tarred with.
Keily's last political play was to beat
the Republican candidate for Governor.
partly in behalf of the railroad, it is cur
rently said, and partly because Dan Burns
didn't give him sufficiently large show
at the taxable things of politics.
If the depths of municipal corruption
have ever brought forth a ward rounder
that has developed into a boss who knows
no party and knows no principle higher
than that which sweils the yulture's heart.
it is well known to the people of San Fran
cisco that Martin Kelly is the one.
Martin Kelly is now financially and po-
litically "busted," as he is morally. His
last saloon has passed to other hands. his
waterfront characters, past fortunes which
made him partner in saloon on Third
street have given him such high ideas
that he doesn't want to go into the Junk
business again, and then he is victim of
that fascination by which practical poll
tics enslaves forever so many victims.
When the present political campaign
cold. 1t was natural that with nothing to
lose and all to gain he should make a
desperate play for foothold in local poll
tics where he might again flourish in some
degree as political debauchee.
Thus it is that this Martin Kelly is at
the head of an alleged Republican,
movement in the Fourth District.
Its success would give him prestige by
which he might work things so that he
could nominate somebody and get the
recognition" which to one like him would
mean that he could dictate some appoint
ments, draw down percentages on some
salaries, and otherwise pursue the business
of small boss again.
1t was the most natural thing in the
world that Kelly should form partner
ship with Jerry Mahoney. Mahoney is
rather in the cold, too, since Dan Burns
went to his mines.
That Mahoneys political record is as
infamous as that of Martin Kelly is known
to most people of California Mahonev' s
political record began about the time that
his old political partner, Sam Rainey,
gave him a small job at the House of Cor
rection ten or twelve years ago, and it is
the political career of Louis Sternberg, who
has gone to San Quentin for steering
illegal registration in Senator Mahoney' S
district.
The sweetness and light of J. H. Ma
honey's political record would illumine a
long story.
That Kelly and Mahoney were the sole
authors of the contesting movement in the
Fourth District is as well known as the ex-
lstence of the movement.
That they have controlled and manipu-
lated it throughout is well known to all
who know the inside of the affairs of the
Kelly -MabOney contest.
An exposition in detail of the small
collection of political workers who are
supporting Kelly and Mahoney would
show that nine-tenths of them are old
political associates of Kelly or Mahoney,
bound to them by special ties, and that
the other tenth is principally composed
of chronic kickers who have always
been found trying to force more recogni-
ton than the party was willing to give
them; few people new to politics, friends
of Kelly and Mahoney, who have thought
they saw way to fame by holding Mar
tin Kelly's hat while he tries to break in
by back window. There are some gentle
men who have been misled by these two
takers in politics.
The Kelly -Mahoney contest rests on two