The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-18
Schmitz Central
Club a Device
for Holdup
OdGraH to be Probed

The next big task which the Grand
Jury viii undertake is the investiga-
ton Of the graft and extortion that
for wears is alleged TO have been prae-
ticed by Ruef and Schmitz in connee-
ton with the old SchmitZ Central Ciub'
This club" it is alleged, was nothing
more than a holdup scheme engineered
by Ruef and Schmitz, and the Grand
Jury is said TO be in possession OF evil
dence to show that the boss ana the
Mayor managed TO bleed ali the city
employees and make them contribute
10 the campaign fund.
Since the recent investigation by
Burns and Heney, several disappoint-
ed followers Of Ruef and SchAhitZ have
come 10 the front and told the whole
story They recited how they were
held up for months around election
time and forced TO part with a portion
Of their wages in order that the So
called campaign fund might be swelled.
According 10 the stories told TO the
Grand Jury every man on the munich
pal payroll was forced to contribute
his mite. A regular schedule was in
force, and when payday came around
the municipal employees were forced TO
turn over their percentage. which, Il
is understood, went either to Ruef or
Mayor Schmitz direct
Even the street swNeepers and labor
ers employed by the Board of Public
Works were assessed their pro rata
AT the end Of every month It is known
that several Of these employees rebelled
on the grounds that they were not
supposed 10 support the Schmitz party.
However, when they were Informed
that refusal would mean the FORGETTING
OF their Jobs they quickly lapSed into
-FH a FaTf n
As thousands Of men We're on the
parrolls Of the municipal government
ii Is estimated that the Mayor and the
big boss collected fabulous sums, which
their unfortunate underliugs were
forced 10 work long and weary hours
TO earn. All this money was
Supposed 10 have gone toward conduct
ing the affairs of the Schmitz party,
but whether or not Ruef and Schmitz
turned I'm all this money into a real
campaign fund or not, remains 10 be
seen.
The old sehmitz Central Club was
supposed to be a patriotic organization
when it was formed The orators
would spellbind the wOrkingmen when
they gathered at its meetings and tell
them what Ruef and Schmitz would
do for them when they took the reins
Of Office
But all the time the boss and the
Mayor were busy passing the hat. ac-
cording to stories told by some of their
former hirelings. The patriotic cloak
which covered the real methods of the
club" did its duty well for while.
The municipal employees handed over
their contributions and Ruef and
Schmitz are said to have rsked in the
coin as fast as it came, with never a
soul 10 question their methods.
When the Grand Jury takes I'D this
work of inquiring into the campaign
fund contributions. il viii surely secure
some startling evidence. There are SO
many employees of the municipal de-
partments that were forced 10 give up,
according to the stories, that the in
quisitorial body is certain to secure
the whole workings Of the club from
some Of them who have naturally be-
come sore when compelled time after
time 10 dig down in their pockets and
share their earnings with the boss and
the Mayor.