The herald., 1898-01-19

chief instigator and director Of a ring.
formed for the purpose of matchmaking
teachers out of part of their hard
earned money and for preying upon the
public school fund in various ways. Not
man in the court room-judge. jury.
lawyers, all-but knew that Walter
Webb was in great measure responsible
for the infamous state of affairs that
had been disclosed in the school board.
walter webb, with the backing of a
legal vindication," is now more bold
and audacious than ever before; he even
becomes aggressive. Is he not an inno-
cent man in the eyes of the law? Is he
not a wronged and prosecuted man in
the eyes of the community? And hasn't
he some people to punish? On your life
he has.
BY singular unanimity the daily
press of Los Angeles had handled Wai-
ter Webb without gloves. That is TO
say, it had reported all developments OF
the investigation and the trial without
fear or favor. Any facts, or asserted
facts to Webb's advantage were pub
lished with the same impartiality as
those brought out against him. But the
Doodle scheme was so completely ex-
pesed--the ugly truth was laid bare In
such an unmistakable manner-that ev-
cry one of the daily papers uttered edi-
torially it's honest convictions in con-
demnation of Webb and his gang
Strange unanimity, indeed! But there
was the same unanimity among the fair
minded people of this city. There were
few to apologize for Webb; there were
none to proclaim him an innocent and
much-abused man. No honest and un-
biased person could do so. Thus the
same indictment that lies against the
press, lies against the whole community.
But there are certain weekly publica-
tions of precarious existence and easy
virtue that may be made available, and
through these Webb seeks a vindication
in the public mind. Tray, Blanche and
Sweetheart. they are soon in full cry.
And then comes the San Francisco Call
seeking q sensation at any price and
only anxious to increase it's circulation
in Los Angeles. What mess they do
make of it, threshing over the old straw
of the investigation, and out Of the dust
they raise emerges-Walter Webb, pure
and spotless as lily of the valley.
There have been boodlers in Los An
geles before, just as smart, just as deep,
just as bold as Walter Webb. Hervey
Lindley was one Of them. He carried
things to a much greater length than
Webb has done or ever can do. At one
time he even reached out so far as to
play the role of boss for both the Repub-
lican and the Democratic parties. On a
certain occasion he established his head
quarters in one of our principal hotels
and received alternately delegations
from the Republican campaign commit
tee and Democratic congressional con-
vention. 1t was asserted on pretty di'
rect authority that he had brought his
profession of political boss to such c
degree of usefulness that he enjoyed 6
place on the payroll of the Southern Pa
cific. But where is Hervey Lindley now
Up in the lumber regions of the fal
north, trying to rehabilitate his shat
tered fortunes. He could not make a
success of the boss business after all, be-
cause he could not endure the sunlight
of constant newspaper exposure. And
there are other notable cases in other
places. Boss Tweed, Boss McKane,
Boss Buckley, ct i'd omne genus. If Wal
ter Webb has any ambitions to become a
bold, bad political boss let him take
warning. He is only a cheap boodler
now and he has made an awful failure
of that.