The San Francisco call., 1899-04-02
Charley Mautalen No
Longer Useful.
FROM BOSS TO BARKEEPER
KICKED ASIDE WHEN HE LOST
HIS POWER.
A Story With Moral That Shows
the Workings of the Railroad
Influence in California
Politics.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,

OAAiNC san IdIlClSCO Gall,
90S Broadway April l.
The railroad company is not good to its
OWL 1t evidently does not make a spe-
cialty of dispensing gratitude. In the
language of Mrs. Browning, it evidently
regards human beings who have served
1t but can serve it no longer as chattels
to be kicked aside, like an old hat with
a feather stuck in it."
Time was not many years ago when
Charley Mautalen-everyhody called him
Charley-could- boast of his intimate ac.
quaintance with Steve Gage He was
somebody. People went to him, ran after
him and were anxious to guess from the
crumbs that fell from his lips the nature
OF any feast that there might be in sight
or that might be had for the groveling
Charley went deep into politics with such
pronounced prestige and by continual ref
erences to Stephen T. he was able to
lead very pleasant life. In keeping with
the railroads idea of politics. Charley
owned a saloon and for a few years did
a good business. The saloon was fre,
quently the rendezvous of workers; /;
deep schemes were laid there and the
CLINT of gold was frequently seen in the
back room, and the statement that the
bags containing it were branded IS. P"
no one doubted.
Seven years ago Charley Mautalen was
elected County Republican Committee
man from the Sixth Ward. This ward Is
always conceded at election time to the
railroad candidate, whoever he may be.
No "reformer" or Municipal League can
didate could ever do anything in 'the
bloody Sixth" Mr.. Mautalen controlled
that ward and whatever he said was law
1t being always conceded that he was
speaking for Mr.. Stephen T. Gage ct al.
For the first two Years Charley did so
we'll that his employers promoted him.
They had him reelected and he. was hon
ored by being made chairman of the Ala
media County Central Republican Com
mittee.
This added largely TO his prestige. In
fact, TO such a degree did he prosper that
he was enabled TO sell out his profitable
saloon and exist entirely for two or three
years on his prestige No one ever
pressed the button; Charley did the rest
and did it well, or he would never have
been retained in service for five years.
Two years ago Alameda County got
rather tired. of Mr.. Gage. This was due
to an action of Mr.. Mautalen'S, that at
once wrecked the railroad prestige in the
Republican party and ultimately brought
about the downfall of Mautalen. At a
public meeting, at which Mr.. Hilborn was
to have made a great speech, Charley
Mautalen as chairman of the county
committee called the big gathering to
order and announced as his choice for
chairman Of the evening his sincere friend
and Staunch Republican, Hon. Stephen I.
Gage. On hearing the name Of the man
under whose auspices he was to speak
MIR. Hilborn promptly got up and walked
out of the hall. This secured Mr.. Hill
born's reelection at that time, but 1t was
the lifting of the keystone from out of the
Mautalen arch. From that hour Char
ley's prestige began to fall.
Two years ago he failed to be elected
a committeeman to succeed himself, but
still continued to handle his following in
the. interest of Mr.. Gage. Although
robbed of all his peacock-feathers Charley
still had himself, TO whom were attached
quite a following Of personal friends He
continued to swing these into line and
remained faithful to the desires Of Gage
AT Sacramento Mautalen was clearly
shown that he was "a dead duck in the
railroad yard. Years Of service counted
most private of citizens. He secured a
temporary job at the Legislature and ex
pected that his old employers would look
appointed, and he returned to Oakland
broken in spirit and in politics.
Now Charley is tending bar at Hanni-
fms An honest man was needed in the
up, for no one ever doubted his honesty
or his fidelity to whoever employed him.
Since Oakland was Oakland Hannifin's S
has been a feature, and it loses none of its
interest with Charley behind the bar to
tell of what has been. Some queer things
had transpired in a couple of saloons in
did not work or were not permitted to
work and the nickel-in-the-slot machine
proved to be very obstinate, and 1t was
thought that If any one could restore a
normal condition of affairs under such pc
culiar circumstances ii would be Charley
Mautalen. So the ex-boss of the railroad
was sought out, and since then the ma
chimes have been working as perfectly as
did the political system of which Charley
was formerly so prominent part.
Had Charley not been turned down, and
could he have delivered a vote or two to
Dan Burns, he might now be drinking in
stead of mixing cocktails.