The San Francisco call., 1898-03-24
>ONE MORE ATTEMPT TO
 BORROW COIN A Little Note That Harry Thomas Calls
 a Forgery. It Was Taken to Off, cer Hamerton by
 Friend. The Middlenaan Disappears at a Time His Presence Is
 Desired. THE SAME OLD AMOUNT. One Hundred Asked and a Hint That It Would Be Well In
 vested.
The Middlen1an Disappears at Time His Presence Is
 Desired.
THE SAME OLD AMOUNT.
One Hundred Asked and Hint That It w Ould Be Well In
 vested.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call

sos Broadway, March 23. The stories of alleged bribery in connec- ton with municipal appointments which appeared in The Call many weeks ago and which were ridiculed in certain quar- ters are daily receiving corroboration at the hands of the Grand Jury, and in other ways.
 This afternoon Harry Thomas, son of the Mayor, and secretary of the Board of Public Works. would have been sum- mariIy removed from office could City At tOrney Dow have arranged a special meet ing with City Engineer Clement
 And all this is the result of another of the suggestive little business transac- tious'' that MT. Harry Thor as has been conducting with anybody who had money ito loan," and who incidentally wanted an appointment or promotion.
 The Board of Police Commissioners met this morning, and to the surprise of MT. Dow a resolution was introduced by MT. Clement appointing Officer Quigley a de- tecttve. MT. Dow objected there was no recommendation from Chief Lloyd, and the Mayor propounded the doctrine some time ago that no appointments should be made without recommendation from the heads of departments. This morning, af- ter a pause, Mayor Thomas seconded Clements motion, and, against Dow's protest, Quigley was appointed
 Then came the sensation of the day.
 T think things are getting pretty rot ten around this board Harry, is it fact that you applied to Officer Hamerton for s10U?' said MT. Dow.
 T never did," said the secretary. You never applied in any way for it?' T never did, in any way"
 You never wrote a note to him say ing you needed, $1O0, and could help him T deny that ever wrote or signed such a note"
 know that the note purports to be s.gned by II. ". Thomas"
 T again deny ever having written such e note to Hamerton."
 T will be glad if you have not.''
 Have you ever applied to any police T have not. I borrowed from James kesler. l wrote to him.
 After this conversation the board ad- journed and the borrowing incident was req med in the City Attorneys office. OfTser Hamerton was present. MT. Dow asked him to produce the letter purport- ing to be signed by Harry Thomas. Ham, erton's note is as follows:
 CHARLES: Find some one to loan me s1Oo till the first of the month and will be grate- ful Am in trouble and don't know where to
 II. W. T.
 The letter is written on a half sheet of tinted paper. and if counterfeit is ad- initted to be a very clever one bv those familiar with Harry Thomas handwrtt- ing. MT Dow says he believes it Is not [. nied positively that he had written the letter.
 Hamerton is the man who it was thought would secure the appointment Of detective, which carries with it an in- crease of S25 per month. It is also un- derstood that Chief Lloyd was intending to recommend Hamerton.
 Officer Hamerton told Harry Thomas he did not believe his denial. ''I saw Harry Thomas leaving the City Hall on Monday morning." said Hamerton. "The man who afterward brought me the note was with him. They walked through the City Hall park toward Fifteenth street.
 About five minutes later the man who was with Thomas came into the police office and asked for me. When l stepped to the desk he handed me this note. After I had read 1t 1 told the fellow to tell Thomas that I was pretty well tied up myself. He then left. I do not know the mans name who gave me the note. but l could recognize him any time If saw him. He had sandy mustache, wore a derby hat and faded overcoat and seemed to be about 25 or 26 years 1T wish to say that I was a candidate for this position of detective, but did not propose to buy 1t by an advance of Sl0O or any other amount If my record as a police officer is not good enough to 1lerit promotion l do not want the rlace."
 added this afternoon, when Officers Cur tiss and Hamerton recognized the note bearer near the City Hall. He was in- 
 positively identified as the man, but he claimed not to remember anything of the note. His name is Robert McKen- zie and he has been young Thomas com nanion in the office for several months. Harry says he was there because he was anxious to learn how to manipulate a Hr Dow took Mckenzie into his office and asked him to tell the whole truth in the matter. Mckenzie said he would, hut made an excuse to absent himself for a few moments. MT. Dow followed Just in time to see Mckenzie flying out of the hall by a side entrance He couId not De found later and neither did Secretary Thomas show up at his ohlce thls after City Attorney Dow would have called 2 snecial meeting this afternoon to dls- charge Harry Thomas, but 1t was not convenient to the City Engineer so the secretary is not yet removed o,a FIamerton and two newspaper men. Mayor Thomas said, after examining the the letter: Tt looks like dd narry I,;;tb the writ ing of inc secretary in the official docu- ments in the office and those present de- clared that the two were oy the saine And while this was going on, at the City Hall the Grand Jury was busy a. the Courthouse going back nearly year into the alleged scandals that have neld up to contumely the present municlpai administration. were in attendance showed that the grand jurors were probing the rumors connectso with the Mayors appointments on the Board of Health and the alleged sale of 1rsitions on the police force. When Ravor Thomas made his appointments soon after taking office it became ap- parent that there was something brewing, so the doctors resigned as fast as ap- pointed Then came the sudden appoint rnent and revocation of Dr. Simpson as City Veterinary, and his oft-repeated story that a man named Hughson, an employe in the Mayors real estate of- fee, had ''borrowed' from him about the Those subpenaed were Peter Garrity,