The San Francisco call., 1905-02-24

Thomas p. Andrews, foreman OF the
Grand Jury, is a target nowadays for
the anonymous letter writer. His en-
ergetic efforts to ferret out the wrong
doer have brought upon his head de-
luge OF cowardly threats to do him
violence. The letters began coming
several weeks ago-some in script that
was miserable, others indicating
DETER hand. A few were Of grim
import and told of dark streets to be
avoided. There has been q deluge Of
denunciation. both as to personal char
acter and public acts.
No one worries less about the shud-
derry missives than does the foreman
himself. He laughs heartily whenever
they are discussed. "Oh, they were
written by some irresponsible cranks
or by the hangers-on about the dens
OF vice that We have raided," says An
drews when it is suggested that the
letters ought not be treated too lightly.
Even the other members Of the
Grand Jury have not been told of the
contents Of the anonymous missives.
The foreman refuses absolutely to let
a matter" he declares. He is preserv-
ing them, however, and when the
Grand Jury and its work shall have
gone into oblivion he will make UP
scrapbook of the choicest ones for the
entertainment of his friends.
No attempt has been made to trace
down the writer's of the letters. This
is because Andrews has kept his own
counsel and ignored the threats. Had
he submitted the matter to his col
leagues they would undoubtedly have
taken some action. 1t is only recent
ly that Andrews has divulged the fact
that he was being threatened
TREATS LETTERS LIGHTLY.
Owing to my position at the head
Of the iEquisitorial body" explained
the foreman yesterday, my name has
appeared more frequently in the pub
lie prints than that Of any other MEM
Der. 1t has looked possibly as if 1
was doing all the aggressive work. OF
course, a Grand jury is calculated to
stir aninosities in its work Of hunt
ing out evil-doers. Slander and threats
are TO be expected
IT have all along treated these
anonymous communications as huge
Joke. 1t would belittle me to give them
out for publication. The truth is that
we have been receiving so many
anonymous letters here that We are
getting tired of them and many go into
the waste basket without being read.
Il am not to be frightened out of doing
my duty as long as 1 am foreman of the
Grand Jury. But all these letters 1
have received are of so foolish a char
acter that 1 would not ascribe TO them
the dignity of being an effort to de-
ter me-
The only unpleasant experience
have had thus far was with crowd
Of saloon buns, and they didn't worry
me at all. One evening during the raid
ing season L was standing in front Of
1129 Dupont street. Lieutenant Conboy
of the Police Department was with me.
Evidently word had been passed into
a nearby saloon, for presently gang
came out to the sidewalk, and they
muttered and pointed their fingers at
me- Their voices grew louder, and
could hear epithets. directed probably
at me.
'I was feeling rather brisk that
evening and was perfectly willing to
go a round with any of those fellows.
The gang seemed to come to the same
conclusion, for IL became less bolster
Gus, gradually subsided and finally
withdrew into the saloon"
0r-r-rrxD UTNANCTaT am