The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-12-04
THE PACIFIC BANK EXPOSE.
THE GALL has completed its revelation of the
menods by which the Pacific and Peoples Saw

metnods by which the Pacific and Peoples Saw
ings banks wrecked
The disclosure was due first to the people who were
despoiled by wonderful conspiracy, which had on
one side fnanciering and official sharpers and on the
other morally weak and venal young men, who had
moral comprehension of their duty as trustees of
their depositors
In the second place it due to the banking and
financial institutions of this State, which suffered in
repute from the fall of these looted banks.
of equal interest has seldom occurred in real
life. Fiction deals with the wreck of banks and the
collapse of great financial enterprises and their at
tendant tragedies But it is probable that among the
properties of the story writers there has been no ma
teria dramatic as that furnished by the facts in
this local case they have appeared in our columns
in the language and letters of the parties themselves
The great purpose we had in view was the finding
OF way to measure of restitution TO the people who
had been robbed. In furtherance of this we uneov-
cred property, conveyed and sequestered in fraud,
which will finally add largely to the dividends which
depostorS will receive out OF the liquidation of the
two banks Indeed it is not impossible that, joined
to the very excellent management of the assets which
the conspirators not able to conceal or carry
off, these properties discovered by The Call may pay
out par to the creditors and make them whole the
principal at least OF their deposits.
Above all is the lesson taught to all iduciary trus-
tees that indelity to their trust cannot be always
covered up, that all newspapers cannot be paid for
looking the other way and crin1inaty and reckless
ness must some day come to light and property won
by conspiracy cannot pass through any completely
OF conveyance which will purge its possession of the
vitiatng fraud in which it was first acquired.
In doing this work we had to deal with names
which retained public respect, but not word has
been printed in proof that not writ by the actors
themselves, or of each other We have created moth
ing. The case made by the parties to it. Theirs
the greed one side, and the vaulting ambi-
ton, the weak pated susceptibility to fattery and low
moral tone on the other. The marvellous intrigue,
reaching from the Sweat room" OF bank clear out
to the cactus plains OF Arizona extending into poll
tics literature movements for temperance and moral
reform; invading the public school system, and
touching with tar two State offices provided for the
protection of those who trust banks and not to par
tcpate in their robbery, makes story that could be
staged with advantage.
Over all is the cloud of sorrow and distress that
came thousands of people whose savings were
lost whose hope and trust turned to terror and
despair, and whose voices at time joined in cry
for summary vengeance upon the guilty.
From many sources have come to us thanks and
gratitude. Out of the ranks of those whose expo
necessary justice have issued some threats
and many cries for mercy for protection against their
written evidence of their many ofenses. In
these have been the tragic elements of the task we
have accomplished AS in the of all crimes the
guilty appeal in the name of the innocent, who
must suffer than the toughened natures which
have been thickened and dued by the experience of
criminal adventure.
The air has been cleared The actors are face to
face with the public. The sufferers for the first time
have knowledge of the ways and means taken to rob
them. The law has had pointed out to it the devious
path down which the guilty packed their plumber to
dump it in what they thought secret safety. Our
duty is done and task is accomplished