The San Francisco call., 1906-11-29

Four thousand persons with noisy
demonstration greeted Mayor Schmitz
at Dreamland rink shortly after mid
night upon his arrival from Europe.
The citys indicted executive hurried
from the ferry in an automobile to
the auditorium where the crowd had
good-naturedly waited since s o'clock
in the evening.
The Mayor. amid the cheers of the
throng, stepped to the front of the
platform and at once proclaimed his
innocence and announced his intention
to fight to finish" the men who had
assailed him.
GO tell your editors" he shouted at
the representatives of the press, that
have come back in fighting mood
shall ask no quarter and give no quar-
ter
Then the Mayor embarked on one of
his old-time TRADES. After his attack
upon the newspapers he declared his
intention to assist in the investigation.
II will help them go to the bottom
of any investigation of my official
acts" he said, but 1 fear no investiga-
tion because I am brave in the convic-
ton of my innocence
After thanking his auditors for their
welcome, stating that he had been
aware of the intentions of Heney and
Burns since last February he informed
the people that he had come back to
face his traducers.'' and spoke briefly
in defense of himself.
The Mayor In marked degree shows
the effects of the mental strain to
which he has been subjected. He was
travel weary when he entered the hall
and his fatigue emphasized the change
in his features.
Above the platform from which he
spoke hung large photograph of him
self taken a year ago. In strong con-
trast to the FULL fresh and vigorous
features depicted in the portrait was
the haggard and drawn expression OF
the speaker His beard, jet black in
the portrait, is streaked with grey.
1t was twenty minutes past midnight
when the Mayor arrived. His ap-
proach to the hall was heralded by
waves of cheers. which grew louder
and louder as he neared the hall. Sud
denly from the door the cry came,
THE Mayor has come"
Instantly the crowd in the audi
toriur was on it's feet and greeted the
indicted official with cheer upon cheer.
The Mayor, accompanied by Mrs.
Schmitz, was escorted through the
throng by P. H. Mccarthy and E f.
Moran, who had welcomed him at the
ferry. When the cheers subsidized the
Mayor said:
Mr.. Chairman, Rev. Father Yorke,
Ladies and Gentlemen and Friends:
Il can hardly express in words how
grateful / feel to you who have gath
cred here to give me this great recep-
tion, after my having been so ma
ligned by the worst set of newspapers
that have ever cursed any civilized ma
tion.
They said that fed from my native
city because was afraid to face the
people, who would rise in their wrath,
but here am home, here 1 am to face
my traducers.
Not only to face them, but to help
them go to the bottom of any investi-
cation into any of my official acts. for
1 have clear conscience.
This attack was nicely planned. It
was made few days after I had sailed
from New York, when 1 was upon the
ocean, powerless to reply. 1t was care
fully planned. 1t was not gotten up in
a few days.
'I heard of the dirty combination last
February between the vile Bulletin and
the Examiner. 1 also knew that Burns
had received a vacation in Washing
ton in order that he might come here
at the instigation of my enemies and
the enemies of union labor. l was
therefore forearmed had 1 anything to
conceal.
after April 1S vindictiveness died
down; jealousies for the time were for
gotten because the feeling of self
preservation and for protection of their