The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-11-28
Fallen Boss and ex-Mayor
Worth Million Each,
He Declares
EN- ROUTE TO CAPITAL
District Attorney Is Inter
Viewed in New York on
Prosecutions
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALI

NEW YORK, Kov. 27.-District
Attorney William H. Langdon of San
Francisco is at the Hotel AstoT. en-
route to Washington, where he viii
argue a case before the United States
supreme court. He viii deliver lee
ture before the civic forum DecembeT
Il on The Struggle Between Graft
and Democracy"
When came east" said Lzngdon
tonight, @the graft prosecutions were
at 2 standstill owing to the holidays
declared oa account Of the financial
situation. One case, that Of TREY
L. Ford Of the United Railroads com
pany, was all but finished, but it had
to be stopped. The jury IS still locked
up, and viii remain under lock and
key until the case is disposed of. Thus
far II has been in 27 days, doing time,
as Il were. for other folks sins.
TO complete the work of clean
ing up San Francisco viii take at least
z year more. The city is about clean
now. but il viii take a year TO get rid
OF the cases pending. Mayor schmitz
VIII be tried again. this time for brib-
cry. il is our intention to send him
away for more than the present 6ee
wear sentence. Abe Ruef-well. he
VIII have to work out his own saliva
tion-that is TO say. he must tell all
he knows and his services viii be con-
sidered in determining what VIII be
done with him. He has been OF great
assistance to US. but he is holding out
more or less.
'Of the Is supervisors who shared
in the graft ia VIII not be prosecuted
81 they stick TO the stories they tola
the grand jury Two that did not viii
be sent away schmitz and Ruef un-
like most grafters. made good use of
their graft. Ruef has $1,000 600 and
schmitz nearly as much.
SURE TO CONVICT CALHOUN
Z am sure we win convict Patrick
Calhoun. head OF the United Railroads,
and several other mHHonsIres who
paid for franchises CaIhoun's com
pany had no need to pay over 100000
for 2 franchise. II could have ac-
ouired the franchise without payment
OF penny. The same is true of other
companies. These wealthy men might
have escaped had they given up when
we asked them the facts. Instead they
stood pat and then the men they
bought gave them away. To my mind
il is as important to get the big men
who give the bribes as it is to get
hose who take them"
What, in your opinion, is necessary
10 eradicate graft in a big city?'
You must first demonstrate that the
condition exists, then you get your
public sentiment. and with it the op
portunity ofyputting the guilty behind
the bars. The chief difficulty lies in
srousing the people to the existing
state OF affairs. Then it is important
that the mercantile interests help.
CITY ALMOST NORMAL
In another year San Francisco will
be normal in every way. The graft
trials will be over and the city practi-
cally rebuilt The last election de-
cided that, for Immediately 1t was de-
cided men went ahead and awarded
contracts. ] think the unions viii
stay out OF politics hereafter, II they
are fairly used by the administration
The real leaders want to get them out
Of politics"
Langdon laughed at the report that
he was 10 be married and declared
that there was no foundation what
ever for such a story.