The San Francisco call., 1905-06-25
Grand Jury Shows That City
Employees Pay 5 Per Cent
of Their Salaries to.
a Political Organization
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
MEN ARE QUESTIONED
Tell of Their knowledge Of
Payment of Tribute, but
Deny Any Connection With
the Schmitz Central Club

Throughout the departments of the
municipal government the tifhe coIlec-
tor of the Schmitx political machine
rOams each month and each month
brings in another bag of tribute money
for the pot of gold that is to help in
pcrpetuating tho present municipal
regime and in defeating any attempts
that the better citizens may make for
clean city government. The investi-
CATION yesterday by the Health De-
partment Committee of the Grand Jury
established this fact, 50 Foreman An
drews of the inquisitOrial body says.
How much is gathered In each month
yyas not determined, but the investiga-
ton hasn't closed yet, and Andrews
says something near the exact sum will
be disclosed. The pro rata that each
employe Is muicted is per cent, An
drews says. As there is an army of
employees, the sum gathered In a year
to supply campaign strength must Bc
greut.
Not only was. the fact that tribute
is levied by the machine brought out.
but it developed that many city en-
ployes belong to the Schmitz Central
Club, political organization formed
In the interests of the present Mayor
The admission that per cent is col
lected monthly was made by various
employees of the Health Department.
Almost every official and; employe of
the Board of Health belongs to the.
Schmitz Central Club, and while ali
deny the charge with unnecessary
eagerness. they admit they knew some
thing of its plans and that noney is
contributed bysmunfcipal emnf3yes.
The investigator took pfacE yester-
day morning in Judge Kerrigan's
courtroom at the City Hall At the di-
rection of the committee, composed of
r. Finking, p. F.-McCarthy and A M.
Davis, Assistant District Attorney
Harris propounded the questions that
have brought TO light what is believed
to be the greatest expose of official
blackmail yet known to San Francisco
CLERK COFFEY TEsTIFIEs.
Chief Clerk e. f. Coffey of the
Health Board was the first to testify.
He said he had knowledge of the
Schmitz Central Club. He denied that
he was member or that he had anv-
thing to do with the organization but
intimated that he knew City Hall Off
Gals and employees who do belong to
it. Clerk p. r. Hennessey and Messen-
ger L. p. Monaco gave testimony along
similar lines.
P. Mulligan. plumbing inspector, and
T. G. Mcguire Jr., disinfector, also
spent a few uncomfortable minutes
making denials of affiliation with the
present Mayors political organizations
DR.. F. u. Canney, bacteriologist; Dr. A.
c. Bottle, superintendent of food in
spection, and Assistants j. F. Durham
and A. d. Gibbs, together with Chemist
G. W. Beaver, e. G. Kendall, c. C.
James and William H. Sloan were also
examined
From the testimony taken Foreman
Andrews said he believes nearly all be-
long to the Schmitz organization. Sys-
tematically and thoroughly the collec-
tor of funds goes the rounds each
portion of their earnings to the ma
chine.
Reference was made by those testi-
flying to the name of Melville Her
mann.
ENQUIRY TO CONTINUE.
The size OF the contribution depends
upon the salary of the employe and
the amounts run from s12 to 500 a
year. Refusal to pay is not considered
by the officials. who know too we'll the
instant dismissal that awaits such an
action. While paying this amount for
the privilege of remaining in office or
at work, all, from high to low, eagerly
seek occasion to deny any connection
whatever with the Schmitz political or
ganization.
The Investigations Of the various
Grand Jury committees into the de-
partments will undoubtedly be con-
tinued, and the grand jurymen are GER
tain they will find a duplication of the
testimony of officials and employees OF
the Health Board.
What action the Grand Jury will
take in the matter has yet to be an
nounced, but the work has started
auspiciously, and the results of yester-
days inquiry Will be far reaching