The San Francisco call., 1907-06-18
Committee of Ten Aids
Prosecutors
Harmony Is Restored
Through Bentley

An accord was reached yesterday,
through the efforts Of c. H. Bentley,
president of the chamber of commerce,
between the graft prosecution and the
committee of ten, composed of rep
resentatives of the five leading
commercial organizations. While they
will not join forces they will
work in harmony toward the same
end. The committee of the commercial
bodies has pledged its assistance in re-
storing honest government and as a
beginning has already undertaken to
arrange for indemnity bonds for pros
pective members of the board of works.
This will make men of ability willing
to accept positions on the board, where
they refused in the past, for the rea-
son that they were held personally
liable for damage suits against the
city.
Bentley called upon Francis j. Heney
and Rudolph Spreckels yesterday and
explained that the committee which he
represented had for some time been at
work on a plan to bring about
better government Bentley explained
that his committee had at first at
tempted to induce Mayor Schmitz to
make changes in the police depart
ment, but that Schmitz, although gem
erous in promises, was shy in fulfill
taken, Bentley explained, to persuade
Mayor Schmitz to resign for the good
of the city. The matter had been
taken up with the mayors attorneys,
but they were unwilling to listen to
any plan which called for tine retire
ment of their client. Rebuffed at
every point, the committee had made
preparations to bring impeachment
proceedings against President Duffey
IL -.
lice Dinan, when the conviction of
Schmitz cleared the situation.
Heney and Spreckels explained to
Bentley that It would be unnecessary
to bring impeachment proceedings
against the undesirable officials, assur-
ing him that the way would soon be
paved for their removal
The representatives of the prosecu-
tion then explained to Bentley that
they had determined to follow the plan
of procedure outlined in The Call, which
calls for the appointment of Supervisor
Gallagher as acting mayor, the subse-
quent elevation of a prominent citizen
to this position and then the dismissal
of the Objectionable officials, including
the Supervisors themselves. Bentley in
turn replied that as this was the very
condition which his committee desired
to bring about, he would be glad to CO.
operate in any way possible. A general
understanding was reached and the
commercial bodies will stand ready to
do whatever they can to expedite the
restoration OF honest government.
The next move of the committee OF ten
will be to take up the question of the
indemnity bonds for members of the
board of works. The committee will
put up these bonds for any person
placed on the board of works whom II
deems worthy of trust.
The committee OF ten will at once
submit a list OF names to the graft
prosecutors Of men it will recommend
has no assurance that it's recommends
tions viii be followed, it believes that
in submitting such a list it can ma
terially assist the prosecution in re-
constructing the city government.
1T was the plan of this committee to
effect changes in the police depart
ment and the board of works." said c.
H. Bentley last night. but the con-
yiction of Mayor Schmitz has of course
completely changed the situation
While we do not desire to break into
the game we are naturally gratified
that steps are to be taken to place the
city government on an honest basis.
The committee will assist the prose-
cution in whatever way II can We
will be able to help along such lines
as raising funds for improvements and
in fact have already taken up the ques-
tion of indemnity bonds for members of
the board of works"