The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-11-20
STATE IS RID Of
MOST DESP|CAb[E
CROOK IN WILSON
Legislature Loses Chance
to Kick Out Railroad
Commissioner
NO FRIEND TO AID
Lawyers Who Would Defend
Murderers Frown On
Arch Boodler
RESIGNS UNDER FIRE
Crowds in Gallery Cheer
Governors Message on
Grafter's Going
SPECIAL DIsPAroH TO THE CALL.

SACKAM L y | " NOV. ~
Andrew NJ. Wilson, known as
Ruefs champion boodler. has
deprived the legislature of the
pleasure OF kicking him out of
the state railroad commission by
rendering his resignation. This
morning Wilson sent his resig-
nation to Governor Gillett, who
promptly accepted it, thus rid
ding the state of the most con-
temptible crook that ever held a
place on an official payroll. Gov
ernor Gillett lost no time in in
forming the legislature, and sent
4 special message conveying the
news. Wilson's departure from
public life was greeted with
cheers from the members of
the legislature and the visitors in the
gallery. The governors message on
the subject follows;
Il have Just received tbs. following.
November Is, 1907 To the Hon. James
\. Gillett governor Of eaIifornia- sir:
hereby tender my resignation az rail
road commissioner for the second dis
trict Yours respectfully, Andrew NJ.
Wilson
II Immediately accepted the resigna-.
tion and have so advised Mr.. Wilson,
In my judgment further proceedings
looking TO the removal of Mr.. WFifson..
from once are unnecessary.
y. N. GILLETT. Governor"
Assemblyman Grove L. Johnson had
been intrusted with the preparation of
the necessary resolutions to oust the
unspeakable Wilson. but as soon as the
governors message was received the
matter was dropped. Satisfaction is
general at the result and the opinion
prevails that tke special session has
already made g5od inasmuch is it has
had the effect -of forcing Wilson to
resign.
There was no one here to say. word
or lift finger for Andrew Wilson
There have beer. boodlers and criminals
before in the service of the state, but
no matter how degraded they had their
friends. With Wilson it was different.
His acts have been SO despicable, his
corruption so coldly calculated, so
brazenly Haunted that all his friends
had deserted. To have stood for Wilson
would have been humiliation no law
yer in the state was willing to undergo.
Murderers and footpads can always get
some one to defend them, but the law
fraternity shrank from the contamina-
ton that association with wilson in
volved.
Wilson has provided a chapter in the
history OF the city OF San Francisco
and the state of California unparalleled
in its depravity. His name viii be a
synonym for civic rottenness as Bene-
dict Arnold's has become a synonym
Of treason Wilson nlundered stole
and STEPPED himself in corruption for
the filthy money that it brought him.
He did not need the coin. He was
man OF large business interests, a mem
Der OF the Merchants association, with
a comfortable home. horses and car
riages and a large income. With all
this be deliberately dug his eager fists
into the public treasury and filled his
pockets
Not only into the public treasury did
he thrust his clutching fingers. but into
the pocket of every public service cor
poration that he could reach. He
boodled with the Pacific States tele-
phone compan3 and then double crossed
the man who had bribed him, accent
ing counter bribe, from the Home
company. Wilson did not even come IN
to Jay Gould's definition Of an honest.
man. He wouldn't stay bought. wiz
son belonged always to the last man
who bought him until another bribe>
was in sight
Wilson was as expert in the art Of
double crossing as in the art OF bribe
taking, When cornered by the graft
prosecution, he confessed. When called
to the witness stand IN the TREY Ford
case he double crossed" the prosecu-
ton. denying all knowledge of the az
fair, although be had formerly testi-
fed under oath that he was a party
TO the transaction. After this Wilson
Continued ON PaEe 5, Column