The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-07-22


the assurance that the police would not
be allowed by the administration TO
interfere in any way with the manner
in which they conducted their business.
There was also the guaranty, given In
a roundabout way, they auege' that
the Grand Jury would not bother them
with Investigations.
They were satisfied with the guar
suty. they say, because the police did
not prove troublesome and the Grand
Jury remained in state Of BEATING
lethargy as far as their business was
concerned.
Moreover they declare that they
were quietly given to understand that
they were TO do business with the
Western National Bank. Consequently
they made their deposits there, col
lected bills through the agents OF the
banks and discounted their notes there
They aIIege that when forfeits for
sporting events were posted they were
deposited with the Western Nationai
Bank. This, they CLAIM, was the bank s
reward for lending large sums of
money TO the Hilbert Mercantile Com
pany when that concern could do no
business with any other big city bank.
MUST TAKE OVERsUPPLY.
It is alleged that the notes given by
the saloon men in payment for the
whisky sold them by Secretary OF the
Grand Jury MYRTLE Cert prove that
the administrator pushed these red
light owners TO their extreme buying
limit. Some OF these notes call for
twice as much whisky as the buyers
could possibly use In a year and more
than twice as much as they would or
dinariiy purchase at one time. they
were forced to buy more than they could
pay cash for. so badly did the Hilbert
Company need ready money, and they
maid for the goods in monthly install
Inents Many Of these notes have been
rendered worthless because Of the IRE.
Cert. il is declared. would enter one
Of the red light resorts and ask the
proprietors how much whisky he could
use.
Eight barrels" was the reply OF a
former Mason street owner.
Can you use forty barrels?" asked
Cert
No" was the reply; Il can't use
more than ten"
Then you sign up for twenty" was
Cerfs alleged reply, and pay for 1t at
the rate OF sl0o month"
The owner says that fear of the adj
nninistration compelled him 10 sign a
note for twenty barrels Of whisky.
The Hilbert Mercantile Company sold
wine as well as whisky, but the ad-
Ininistration agents seem TO have cen
tered their whole attention on whisky
selling. II Is said, however, that the
administration received its commission
from the sale Of all goods to the red
light element. Yarney Gaskill sold the
champagne for the Hilberts. No red
hight owner ever thought of purchasing
other brands than the one Gaskill sold.
Legitimate saloon-keepers declare
that they were approached by the
agents OF the administration and threat
ened when they refused to leave. the
wholesale houses with which they had
dealt for years.
I told an agent OF the administra-
ton TO get out and never come near
my place again" said one of these le-
gitimate owners yesterday. Il wouldn't
have dared give him such treatment
had I not been conducting a legitimate
business. for I would have felt the
wrath of the administration az once
would have lost my license. But they
did not dare TO touch me"
MURDOCH EXPLAINS.
william c. Murdoch, president Of the
Western National Bank, denies that
his INSTITUTION has had any understand
ing with the administration or has en-
gagged IN any unbUsinesslike transac-
lions, a letter written by him 10 The
Call being as follows:
"John d. Spreckels ESQ, Proprietor
OF The Call, San Francisco. Cal.-Dear
Sir: Your paper Of this morning has a
leading article, which very unjustly
charges the Western National Bank
with engaging in unbusiness-like
transactions with the Hilbert Mercan-
tile Company.
'0rhe article states that this bank ad-
vanced sss, 600 on notes given by red
light saloon men of this city. AS a
matter Of fact, notes representing the
amount mentioned were discounted by
US; the makers were doing business all
over the State Of California and Ne
vada, not 20 per cent OF which were
made by saloon men in this city. These
notes were made usually for small
amounts, payable thirty, sixty and nine
" days, Endorsed by the Hilbert Mer-
camille Company, and discounted by US
IN the usual way. AS a rule they have
been promptly paid at maturity.
The Call further states that the
bank knew Of a secret understanding
the Hilberts had with the administra-
ton Of this city; that Abraham Ruef Sc
cured the loans from the bank for the
HiIberts.
These statements are not true. The
writer had never met Mr.. Ruef until
after the fire, and at no time did Mr..
Ruef or any one connected with the
administration, negotiate for loans on
behalf of the Hilbert Mercantile Com
pany, or anybody else.
You state that the Western Ma
tionaI Bank helped sell whisky on