The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-28
BIC SCANDAL IN
THE FOURTH OF
JULY COMMITTEE
Alleged Attempt to
Extort Money.
!. M. CHRETIEN'S BAD BREAK
PUTS T. P. ROBINSON IN A PECU-
LIAR POSITION.
A S. Baldwin Says Chretien Asked
Him for Fifty Dollars, on Be
half of the Colonel, for
Services Rendered.

Ugly rumors are being circulated con
corning alleged attempts on the part o.
certain members of the Fourth of July
committee TO eXtort money in connection
with the big celebration, and a letter
written by a. S. Baldwin of the Gler
Park Company to Colonel I. p Robin
son, chairman of the fireworks commit
tee yesterday afternoon in which he d.
rectly accuses that gentleman of solicit
ing a bride through the agency of Johr
NJ. Chretien, has created q sensation ana
the matter will be thoroughly investi-
gated at a meeting of the executive COM
mittee tonight.
Mr. Baldwin was approached" 10y Mr.
ChTetien Yesterday with a request that
he send Mr.. Robinson his check for $50
Baldwin refused point blank to do as re-
quested and started out with Mr. Chre-
ten 10. find Robinson, intending to de
mand an explanation. They visited the
headquarters of the Fourth Of jury COM
mittee in the Grand Hotel and several
other places. but the Colonel could not
be found. Mr.. Baldwin then returned to
his office and indited the letter which has
created CONSERVATION in the headquar-
ters. The letter is as follows:
SAN FRANCISCO June .. 1899
Mr.; T. P. Robinson. Chairman Commit
.tee on Fireworks Fourth OF July Celebra-
ton Grand Hotel City-Dear Sir: This
AFTERNOON was called upon by Mr.. John NJ
CURED and demanded Of the Glen Park
Company the sum OF $50 personally in con-
sidsration Of the services rendered by you
in securing a Display OF fireworks on the
night Of the Fourth Of July at Glen Park.
confess that l was somewhat surprised
at this apuarently unwarranted and IN
usual demand but Mr. Chretien assured
NE that he was fully authorized by you 10
request Il OF me 1 called with Mr.. Chre-
MfAr H. .1.rrVs,
IN. the Grand Hotel, and also made other
efforts 70 find you.
Ny object in writing you Is 20 inform
you that ! do not Intend to comply with
this request and after considering the mat
ter. 1 have concluded TO withdraw the per
mission which was granted TO have any dis
play. OF fireworks at Glen Park. Ny reason
for doing this is that il seems apparent
from Mr. Chretien's statement that you and
other members OF the Fourth of July Com
uittee Will have TO be properly compensated
for services which have heretofore consid-
cred we're for the benefit OF the public AID
not for personal profit. Yours truly,
A. 5. BALDWIN.
The letter was delivered to Colonel
Robinson about o'clock last evening, and
he Immediately started out to find Mr.
Chretien. He located the latter at his
house and they then proceeded to Mr..
Baldwin's residence, accompanied by q.
r. Fletcher, chairman Of the executive
committee. Colonel Robinson declined to
discuss the affair until he had talked with
Mr. Baldwin, but Mr.. Chretien was less
cautious. He was seen at his residence
before he had been informed of Mr.. Bald
wins action in sending the letter and ad-
mitted that he had talked with the latter
concerning compensation for Robinson
although he was careful to deny that any
thing wrong had been intended.
';TniS matter is a great surprise to me-
he said. I hardly know what TO make of
it, but l certainly do not know anything
about any attempt to eXtOrt money. |
saw Mr.. Baldwin to-day and we got to
q a Orl-G md h.
tons that were being made TO celebrate
the Fourth. remarked that Robinson,
as chairman Of the fireworks committee,
had worked hard to have a display OF
fireworks at Glen Park. and he expected
something for his trouble. l did not ask
Tor $50 or any other sum. 1t seems
strange that Baldwin should write such a
letter When. before the committee decided
that Glen Park should be given a part of
the appropriation, he was ready to do
anything and everything to get the fire
works there. l believe he would have
been glad to have given Mr.. Robinson sl0O
Tor his influence before the distribution
was made, but now that he has obtained
what he was after l suppose he feels in
Colonel Robinson gave out a statement
after an interview with Mr. Baldwin. in
which he branded Chretien as a meddler
and declared he had given the latter no
authority to solicit money on his account
or even to collect subscriptions for the
Fourth of July fund.
T. took Chretien with me to see Mr..
baldwin, said Robinson, las I was de-
sIrois Of getting at the bottom of the
matter as quickly as possible. He ad-
united that he had asked Mr.. Baldwin
tor money but denied that he had acted
as: my representative in doing So He
s9id he had asked Baldwin to subscribe
S9n ana requested him to send a check fol-
that amount to me, personally He ad.
United. that he had used the word per.
sonallT, but could not explain why he
had done so.
LAS a matter of fact I have had moth.
Ing to do with the collection Of subscrip.
tiOns; and have told everybody from whom
we. expected to receive help, Mr. Baldwin
lucIuded, not to pay any money to any.
body but member of the finance com.
mittee, When the question of selecting
locations for the fireworks displays came
up 1t was proposed that the lot opposite
the Chutes, North Beach and the lot az
the corner of Sixteenth and Folsom be
selected.
The Mission Improvement clubs refused
TO subsc"'be fc" the fund if the FusC n
In favor, Of having the display a. ,1le1
Park. They promised to raise about $40
and half of that amount has been sub
scribed, Mr. Baldwin giving So Glen Pari
on the authority Of Mr.. Chretien who /,
a member 90 the fireworks committee anC
vice president Of the executive committee
that Mr.. Baldwin would give $50 Ate
the meeting last Thursday Chretien said
When shall L go to Baldwin for tina
$500 1 have no recollection that he wa,
told to go at any time and If he di,
so he went on his own authority
II told Mr. Baldwin that / should brin.
this matter up at the meeting Of the eX
ecutive committee tomorrow night am
asked him to be present, to which h,
agreed. ! intend to demand a thorough
investigation of the whole affair."
Colonel Robinson's account of VIVA
transpired at Mr.. Baldwin's house put
Mr.. Chretien in a peculiar position n
made different statement according t
the colonel, at that conference from tina
given out by himself earlier in the even
ing. He certainly visited Mr.. Baldwin
with a request for money, or at least witt
an intimation that Robinson expected
Something" and he is likely to .hav
some difficulty in explaining what h
meant and who authorized him TO act
tonight promises to be interesting