The San Francisco call., 1903-09-14
THINK ERWIN
IS UNJUSTLY
SINGLED OUT
Friends Of the Former
Official Are Strong in
Condemnation.

Since the first shock Of the news that
former Superintendent Of Special Deliv-
cry for San Francisco james w. Erwin
had been indicted by the Federal Grand
Jury a Washington for alleged conspir-
acy 10 defraud the Government and had
been removed from office, postal officials
and the many friends OF Erwin in this
city have been unanimous in expressing
their surprise and indignation at the step
of the Eastern judicial body and have
been ready to voice their theories as to
how such action could have been taken
And there is the persistent query: Where
is superintendent Daniel s. Richardson
On August q the superintendent OF the
San Francisco POstoffice suddenly Depart
~, for Washington upon an urgent call
from the Fosto1fice Department Shortly
afterward the Federal Grand Jury for
the District OF Columbia held an inves-
tigation into the affairs Of the Postal De-
vice and Improvement Company, together
with other supposed frauds which were
being perpetrated upon the Government
The evidence is conclusive that Richard
son, president of the San Francisco Let
ter Box Device Company, was called be-
fore the Grand Jury and made to tell
all that he knew about the concern. On
Thursday the Grand Jury made public an
Indictment against James w. Erwin
among others. Richardson had then left
Washington Since that time he has not
been seen.
There are those in this city who do not
hesitate TO adversely criticize Richard
sons actions in the matter. 1t is
fact that he went back to Wash
ington in November, 1899, with the in
tention of bringing the postal device
before the eyes of the Government
and at that time relied upon Err
wins wide acquaintance and favorable
reputation among the officials TO become
introduced to them and feat his scheme.
Erwin entered into the spirit of the work
with a vim. both through his friendship
for Richardson and his interest as part
inventor of the contrivance-
The device once accepted, the letter box
company thrived OF the Montague In
dicator and Letter Box Company, the
first company which controlled the out
put w. w. Montague was president.
Then when the company was reincor-
porated under it's present title, with 10000
shares, Richardson became its president
and it is stated by smaller stockholders
of the concern that he has received dfvi-
dends amounting in the neighborhood of
SdOO Erwin, the man who helped perfect
the patent Icontrivance and was instru-
mental in getting Richardson favorable
hearing in it's interests before the Wash
ington authorities, was given block of
600 shares from which he has realized
inst SOC Now comes his Indictment,
served on the undoubted testimony of
q 9
the Potrero Factories that are about
to be built there will not be built for the
reason that it will be impossible to ship
goods by the water route. Vessels can
lay in the China Basin and load goods
from nearby factories provided Sixteenth
street is not closed to heavy travel II
it is closed a hardship will be worked on
property owners in the Mission and Po-
treroAa and many blocks OF land, now held
on option by manufacturing plants, will
be abandoned