The San Francisco call., 1907-03-19
Boodlers Will All Be Swept Out of Office
Supervisors Caught Taking Bribes
coNr1Nunp FRoM rAe 5, ooLuMNs AND

who had prostitued their public position the end OF
personal gain.
Not satisfied with this single discriminating incident
however Burns awaited the opportunity for further mp
eating whom he had caught red-handed and
week ago last Thursday the chance Again the
passage of ordinance at stake again Lonergan
agreed sell his VOTE and again Burns and his witnesses
secreted the where the deal brought to
climax This time he stepped into the presence of the
whom he had trapped and held his hand for the
gold the greed for which had plunged this victim to the
depths Pale of face trembling with fear eyes glazed with
sudden realization of all that the meant hands
palsied the touch of tainted gold that they held
Supervisor Lonergan fell beneath the blow.
Take it! Take itp he gasped shudderng as the
specter of guilt looked him in the eyes My God wish
were dead I'm the dead man God, how
wish were out of it al!
T1l take it," responded Burns, "and I'll take you,
too"
The shock of it over Lonergan talked and he put
words what had before been but suspicious partial
convictions the mind of the appointed to bring him
and his kind justice He told of his past; of the
sway which Rue held him, body and soul; of time
after time when he had received money for similar services
of like deals which had never been known and through it
all he implicated member after member of the Board OF
Supervisors He admitted the former disgrace in connec
ton with the skating rink bribery and from this went
admission of other brbes
Then Boxton was called to account by Burns He was
told of the evidence against him. and learned for the first
time that Maestrett and Roy had thrown their lot the
side of decency and played false with him at that meeting
when the skating rink ordinance had met its doom Wolf
shy he explained he denied he sidesepped he attempted
shunt the blame but perslstenty Burns forced him
after corner from to another and finally
with every exhausted he broke down under the
remorseless pressure and in sudden burst of frenzy
poured tale complete that already told by Lon
ergan.
Like Longan Boxton drew others of his associates into the
adding the weight of what Lonergan had already
told particulars of instances of corruption which Lonegan
omitted His testimony strengthened the wedge which
Burns had gained and him the opening which break
the silence Of the other members of the guilty board
During all this time the Supervisors secretly fighting the
inevitable praying and hoping against hope that the end they
Whenever the chance presented
ways warding blow they knew
that the weak spot in his organization had been found last and
that the dreaded leak had occurred.
Until he himself taken into custody and placed In conne
beyond all possibility of communication with his tools he
together his every effort bostering up
that beginning manifest themselves among
less stanch of his hirelings
"You must stand together now Rues constant warning
They reach for all the money have taken has
private you public excuse
You have bbes They convict and send
the pentenay is not me you must protect but
selves"
Others of the guilty assembage urged the necessity of buyng
past deep their souls and demanded and
which, if broken should call judgment
down the head of the tratoand for time the thieves
blinded forced arguments believed themselves safe
Friday night there long called by Supervisor
Gallagher leader because he had recently the per-
soled the Mayor
the futile Mayor Schmz present
this body of which he nomnaly the weak
counted by these who knew him BEST and he
relegated from their counsels.
called 10 o'clock and continued behind closed and locked
present when meeting called and others joined the
after had opened Ruef knew of it. but Ref could
Measure was discussed but no oopole
freedom from exposure could the last meeting
of the Board of Supervisors which has dgced San Francisco
dragged civic pride in the mire of corruption
meet the swan