The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-23
GRAND JURY IS INTERESTED
MORE INDICTMENTS AGAINST
"PETE" McGLADE.
Accused of Robbing the City While
Acting as Bookkeeper in the
Office of Superintendent
of Streets.

The numerous straw bonds that have
been accepted by Police Court Clerk Kelly
were the subject of investigation by the
Grand Jury yesterday Police Captain
Seymour was called to testify to the
worthlessness of the bonds accepted by
the clerk of Judge Gtaham's court. Sey
mour exhibited over hundred bonds ac-
cepted by Kelly and which were pro-
nounced worthless by Bond Expert New
man. In the majority of cases where
criminals were released on bonds the
names of William Gallagher and Mike"
Flynn, saloon-keeperS, were named as
sureties. Flynn and Gallagher keep
saloon on Grant avenue and Morton
street Kelly had an office in the sa-
loon where he has been in the habit of
accepting bogus bonds. D. Becker and
his brother, Abe, both of whom are sa-
loon-keepers. appeared before the Grand
Jury and were closely questioned reia-
tive to the straw bond business. 1t de-
veloped at the investigation that the
Beckers have been responsible for the
release of several criminals on bonds &C
cepted by Kelly.
The brothers admitted that they had
signed their names to. bonds for the re-
lease of q number of prisoners for politi-
cal reasons.
1T is this way" declared D. Becker,
VINO COnQuCIS Il SdlOOn dl o uhdSOIl SlltGt'
I'VE are not in business for our health.
In every case where / went as surety on
q bond I did so as q matter of business.
When frequenter of my saloon had the
misfortune to- be arrested 1 gladly con-
scented to become one of the bondsmen
rather than have him stay in Jail over
night"
for several female denizens OF the ten
derloin who were arrested for transgress
ing the law.
cepted by Clerk Kelly, was also closely
questioned. He admitted that ne was on
friendly terms with Kelly and did not
hesitate when necessary to ask him TO ac-
cept him as a surety on bond. Lederer
frankly confessed that he was paid for
his services. frequently receiving as much
as $50 to sign his name to bond for the
release of a woman charged with grand
larceny.
BY dint of inquiry the Grand Jury has
learned that in many cases where Grim
inals have been released the necessary
bonds were not furnished until the day
following their temporary discharge from
custody. In one instance it was shown
that a notorious woman named F1ossie
O'Brien, who Is known as the queen OF
pickpockets, was released on an order
signed by Clerk Kelly five minutes after
she had been arrested The following
morning the necessary bonds were fur
nshed and placed on record in the court.
Billy" Gallagher. when questioned be-
fore the Grand Jury. acknowledged that
he had a number of blank bail bonds and
orders of discharge in a desk in his sa-
loon. AS soon as one of his customers
was arrested he would have Clerk Kelly
make out an order for the release of his
friend. He emphatically denied that he
was aware that Kelly was in the habit
of Issuing an order of discharge before
the requisite bonds were furnished.
At the conclusion of the investigation
into the straw bond business the Grand
Jury again took up the cases of Peter Nc
Glade, the ex-bookkeeper in the office of
the Superintendent of Streets. After a
short investigation they returned two adj
ditional indictments against the disgraced
official.
1t is understood that the indictments
are for forgery in collecting money from
the city on dummy" warrants.