The San Francisco call., 1898-01-10
PERSECUTION RATHER THAN
 PROSECUTION Liqht Upon the Los Angeles School
 Inquiry. Com pines to Punish One Offender and Shield
 Others. Cruel and Persistent Attacks on Webb by the Local Press Ring. REV. BURT HOWARD TALKS Admits That He May Have Been Made an Unconscious Instrument in
 the Conspiracy.
Cruel and Persistent Attacks on Webb by the Local Press
 Ring.
REV. BURT HOWARD TALKS
Admits That He May Have Been Made an Unconscious Instrument in
 the Conspiracy.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 9.-Rev. Burt Estes Howard, the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, is one of the leading spirits in the prose cution undertaken by the League for Better City Government against Wal ter L. Webb. He is one of the three who constitute the municipal reform committee of the league. The other two are George Parsons and Charles For man. This committee is in charge of all matters pertaining to the exposure and punishment of wrong-doing in the public affairs of the city.
 MT. Howard declares that there is no conspiracy to undo MT. Webb so far as he knows, but in the course of an inter view he was forced to admit that there were a number of things in con nection with the school board scandal that he did not know, and before the interview was ended he confessed that he might have been made an uncon- scious instrument in such conspiracy. If he had been, he said, he would place himself right as soon as he was con- vinced of that fact.
 This admission was made after his consideration was asked of the pecu- liar relationship that exists between T. E. Gibbon, W. A Cheney, W B. Cline, and F. K. Rule, and the further fact stated that Messrs. Gibbon, Cheney and Cline had made personal appeals for the reinstatement of Miss Mae Owen as a teacher and that Webb had made such appeals futile.
 What came to MT. Howard as the greatest surprise was the information that T. B. Gibbon was part owner of the Herald newspaper, and that the Times was most bitterly opposed to that wing of the Republican party with which Webb is identified. Had he. been informed of the further fact that F. K. Rule was part owner of the Express he would probably have been even more surprised. He would then also have understood, as many people already understand why these three newspapers have acted as if controlled by one mind in their malicious, unfair and persistent attacks on Webb and why they have been almost hysterical in their defense of J. H. Braly, whose offense as a public official is more ap- parent and more heinous than that charged against Webb. It will not be amiss to again show how Gibbon, Che ney, Cline and Rule have joint and several reasons for the persecution of Webb.
 Gibbon, Cheney and Cline sought to have Miss Mae Owen reinstated in the School Department without success, ONluS to the ODQQrdCy or w eDD. (IlO- bon and Cheney are respectively at torneys for the Los Angeles Electric and Los Angeles Lighting Companies, of both of which Cline is president Gibbon is vice-presldent of the Los An geles Terminal Railway Company, and Rule Is auditor, secretary and treas urer Of that corporation. Rule is pres ident Of the League for Better City Government, Gibbon is a director of that organization and Cheney is a member of it.
 It is well known that the league. through Charles Cassat Davis, made a bold but unsuccessful attempt to or ganize the Board of Education a year ago. Their efforts. it is also well known. were defeated by Webb Hence Webb Is doubly persona non grata with all these gentlemen.
 .. Not the least significant of the incl dents connected with the prosecution of Webb was the failure of the league to secure the services of two of the most prominent attorneys of the city Henry T. Gage and ex-Judge Variel. It is common report that these gentle men refused to take the case because they did not consider the evidence of 2 '' character to bring about a convic- ton.
 In justice to the gentlemen named however, 1t must be stated that thev assign other reasons for declining to po N-~O NN~0N" . said to be that he has vowed not to take any more criminal business. Mir Gage stated that his reasons were sick ness and a failure to come to a satis- factory financial arrangement with the league. Both gentlemen aver that Mr Cline cut no figure in the matter at all, so far as they knew, in the nego- tiations for their services
 Being the pastor of one of the most fashionable and influential churches of nes A V0er Hlnc |
 Howard has to say of this affair will no doubt be read with interest
 The League for Better City Govern ment. said MT. Howard, was organ ized merely for the purpose of securing the best type of city government noeei7 ble, as against the ring or rings and machine and boss politics in both par ties. The municipal reform committee was constituted last spring to keep an eye on persons in the city departments and in case there seemed to be any cor rection or improvement to be made they were to prosecute the work of the league.
 This School Board matter was called to our attention several weeks ago The committee was called together, and fr nasty way organized a plan of cam. paign. Then we secured an attorney A number of gentlemen were discussed but for enc reason or another they di6 not seem available. Mir Gibbon Is one Of the board of directors of the league and as a logical sequence he was asked to take hold of the matter"
 Speaking of the negotiations with Mir. Gage, after Gibbon had decided tc go East, Rev. MT. Howard said: ''l saw MT. Gage myself, and took to him proposition signed by the three mem. bers of the committee. It was prop. ositton to take hold of the matter SC far as it concerned MT. Webb, and such cases as might grow out of if MT. Gage was sick in bed at the time and his physician stated he would not be out of bed until Christmas. MT. Glib. bon had been called East, and we had