The San Francisco call., 1899-05-27
THE STRAW BOND INVESTIGATION.

yHEN the Grand Jury began to investigate the
AAI charges made against Police Court Clerk
X Kelly OF accepting straw bail bonds The Call
expressed the hope that the inquiry would be eX-
tended beyond that case and made as comprehensive
as possible in order that the whole subject might be
opened up and the extent OF the evil made known
There is now reason for believing the hope will be
eratfed and that thorough investigation will be IN
derraken,
Ii appears there IS ample evidence to show that the
practice OF releasing arrested persons on straw bonds
has been carried on with impunity for so long time
the offenders have now become so bold they hardly
practice concealuent at all Il has not been the
clerks OF Police Courts only that have been to blame
in the matter 1t is said the Supervisors themselves
have shown undue willingness to relieve from
their obligations the sureties bonds that have been
forfeited Thus. with clerks ready to accept straw
bonds and with Supervisors ready relieve sureties
on good bonds the lie OF a criminal in San Francisco
has been by nG unpleasant one.
The magnitude OF the evil is far greater than the
public has supposed Attorney O'Donncll, who has
for some years been engaged look after the recov
cry OF forfeited bonds, stated to a representative OF
The Call that when he was appointed take charge
OF that work about eight years ago he discovered that
an organized gang in existence that made living
ii the business OF accepting straw bonds. By
strenuous efforts the gang was dispersed and the
practice checked for time but Mr.. O DOnnell says:
Within the past two years this perncious system
has again been rearing its head and many surecs en-
trely worthless have been accepted. Clerks in the
Police Courts and others have been extremely negli-
gent in accepting bonds if nothing worse and I have
experienced great trouble in getting possession OF the
bonds forfeited as the excuse was always given that
they had been pigeonholed or mslaid | have s1g
gested many times in my reports the Board OF Su-
pervisors a system whereby person should take
charge OF and be responsible for all bonds accepted
more particularly in the Police Courts. I can
watch the Police Courts and must rely upon the
clerks OF the courts to notify OF any bond that is
not considered right. My duty is merely take ac-
ton when a bond is declared forfeited There must
tc responsible party look after these bonds and
register and index should be kept showing what had
become OF each bond"
1t is imperative that something be done not only
TO punish persons guilty of the straw bond frauds now
being Investigated by the Grand Jury but that steps
be taken prevent similar practices in the future
The evil has become notorious as to be an open
disgrace Attention has been directed to the fact that
arrested criminals have been released before their
bail bonds were filed. Persons known to be profes-
sional and nveterate Crooks have been turned
loose in that summary way 1t is time to have a clean
sweep Of the gang engaged in the frauds and then
the adoption of some measure which will at least
make their preparation more difficult in future