The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-23
MUCH HEARSAY,
NOTHING PROVED
Cigar-Makers Fail to Bring
in Direct Evidence Against
Commissioner DrinkhOuse
STILL DEMAND REMOVAL
Allege That His Position
Hurts Them by Forcing
Saloon Men to Favor Him

The Cigar makers Union failed to
make good its charges that Police
Commissioner John A. Drinkhouse uses
intimidation to induce saloon keepers
to buy the non-union cigars for which
he holds the agency in this city. The
only evidence that the compliments
could offer on this point at the hearing
conducted by Mayor Schmitz yesterday
was hearSay, and that was not accept
able by him.
Nick Blum admitted that he could
not establish his allegations as to in
timidation, his explanation being that
it was impossible to get witnesses to
come forward because their business or
other interests would be jeopardized.
His case resolved itself intO@an appeal
to the Mayor to help the local cigar
makers, by the removal of Drinkhouse
or otherwise, for they were being
thrown out of employment as a result
of the Commissioner success in SELL
ing goods manufactured in the East.
The spokesman for the union declared
that Notwithstanding proof of wrongful
intimidation was lacking, it was plain
to any person that the moral intimi-
dalton" the Commissioner exerts over
the saloons "by virtue of his office" has
enabled him to corral the cigar business
of the town, and that he is therefore
responsible for the depression under
which the cigar workers are laboring in
San Francisco. To this the Mayor re-
piled that it was undoubtedly true that
Drinkhouse's business had been aGvan-
tagged because of his public station, but
it was not clear how the situation could
be remedied. He did not believe that
the Commissioner should be removed
from office because he had thus been
benefited.
The first witness yesterday was Ed
ward Horn, cigar manufactures at
$751; Grove street. He was asked TO
proceed with his statement, and he de-
clared that many saloon-keepers had
told him they couldn't buy cigars from
him because they had to handle Drink
houses cigars.
What saloon keepers?" demanded
the Mayor.
II can't give their names, because it
would injure my business" answered
the witness.
The Mayor announced that he could
attach no Importance to hearsay testi-
mony. but he decided to go on to give
the union the opportunity of a thor
ough presentation of its complaint.
Horn resumed, and then gave the
name of Ludwig Busse of Howard
street as one of the saloon men who.
told him he had to handle Drink
was revoked several weeks ago by the
Police Commission because he was
found guilty of selling liquor to minors,
but it was subsequently renewed.
After the renewal of the license"
Horn testified, "Busse handled nothing
but Drinkhouse cigars. Before that
time he had none on his shelves He
told me he had to sell them"
W. ]. Fl. MohIer of Eleventh and
Mission streets had also told the wit
ness he deemed it wise to patronize the
Police Commissioner.
Horn then gave the name of H Do
Ian, 900 Fell street, as a saloon keeper
who was morally inundated
Did Dolan tell you L forced him to
buy cigars from me?" queried Com
missioner Drinkhouse.
He told me that he had refused to
give orders to your salesman, with the
result that a policeman was detailed
to watch his place. A boy was caught
buying beer and Dolan was before the
Police Commission. He did not lose
his license but since that time have
sold him only one order, Commissioner
Drinkhouse's statesmen having gained
the business"
James Fl. Thrane, cigar manufacture
er at 1912 Seventh street. testified that
several Saloon-keepers told him they
bought cigars from Drinkhouse because
they deemed it good business policy to
patronize him, inasmuch as he was
member of the Police Board.
David Eichorn of 107 Fifth street, CT
gar manufacturer, could not tell of
any instances where Drinkhouse had
used intimidation to sell his cigars, but
a number of saloon-keepers had said.
We've got to handle Drinkhouses
goods
E. J. Hurley, formerly a manufac-
turer but now a journeyman, said that
he believed he was driven out of bust
ness because of the unequal competi-
ton of Commissioner Drinkhouse.
Albert Johnson, manufactures, en-
ploying two men, was never told by
saloon-keepers that they were intimi-
dated by Drinkhouse, but they said
they were under obligations to him"
The witness was not able to explain
anything further as to the "obliga-
tons"
The saloon-keepers whose names were
given by the witnesses were subpenaed
last evening to appear at the investiga-
ton this morning.