The San Francisco call., 1908-03-28
ASKS CITY TO AID
GRAFT PROSECUTION
Supervisors Requested to Set
Aside $4,000 to Continue
Work Under Way
District Attorney Tells Why the
Fight Should Be Insured
by Public Support

In order that the future OF the graft
prosecution shall be insured through
the medium OF public financial support
instead Of by private subscription the
board Of supervisors has been asked
20 set aside a fund OF $4,000 for the
use Of the district attorney in con-
rinuing the work already under way,
District Attorney Langdon, with the
backing Of the Good Government
league. yesterday addressed a letter
10 the board OF supervisors asking that
this amount be apportioned in the
budget for the coming fiscal year for
the work OF his Office in connection
with the graft cases.
The idea OF having the graft prose-
cutfon accorded the financial support of
the public instead of having 1t carried
on by private means originated several
months ago with the Good Government
league, and a committee consisting OF
1sidor Jacobs General Samuel W. Bac-
kss and George Renner was appointed
70 confer with Lsngdon and others
connected with the prosecution. After
several conferences with Langdon and
Rudolph SpreckeIs. who has furnished
the funds for the prosecution up to the
present time, II was finally determined
TO urge the appropriation Of a special
public fund for the prosecutions, and
this decision was made public yester-
day.
PROSECUTION A PUBLIC DUTY
The Good Government league takes
the position that il is a public duty TO
support the prosecution OF the graft
cases. and that it Will be far more re-
sponsive to public sentiment to include
g special prosecution fund in the an
nual budget than 10 throw the fnan-
cial burden OF the work again on the
shoulders of one man As the present
board of supervisors was elected on g
ticket openly founded on the graft
prosecution platform. 1t is confidently
expected that the board will unani-
mously place itself on record In favor
Of the appropriation requested.
A formal petition to the board of
supervisors will be drawn up by the
executive committee of the league at
its meeting next Thursday afternoon,
asking that a sufficient fund be set
aside to permit the prosecution OF the
graft cases TO go ahead vigorously.
APPROPRIATION Is ASKED
The formal letter sent by the Good
Government league to District Attor-
ney Langdon reads:
Good Government League Of San
rancLsco.
san Francisco, March %. 1908.
William II. Langdon Esq, District At
torney, San Francisco. Cal:
Dear Mr.. Langdon-The writer, to-
gether with General s W. Backus and
George Renner. has been appointed on
z special committee to take up with
you the matter OF appropriations TO
continue the work OF your office for the
ems suing year
our committee is Of the opinion that
the prosecution of people under indict-
ment would be far more effective If the
funds at your disposal were publicly
appropriated. instead Of being fur
nished by individual contribution. The
work being for the benefit OF San Fran
cisco. It is proper that the city should
pay for the same.
Please give this matter your consid-
'efation, and If it meets with your ap-
proval, our committee will take pleas
IRE IN earnestly advocating the neces-
ssry appropriation accordingly. Yours
very truly. ISIDOR JACOBS"
APPROVED BY LAyGDON
IN response to this communication
and after considering the question
carefully, Langdon yesterday sent the
following communication to the board
OF supervisors:
san Francisco. Mar z7, 1908
TO the Honorable. the Board of Su-
pervisors. San Francisco.
year last past the so-calIed graft
prosecutions have been sustsiue &c
and carried on by private funds
This was necessary because of the
refusal OF the board of super.
Nisors 10 appropriate money fol-
this purpose. The district attorney be.
1ieves that public funds should b.
zsed for the Investigation and punish
ment Of crimes and offenses against the
public law.
He. therefore, respectfully request,
your honorable board to set aside tn,
sum of s120.0o0 10 he drawn upor
by the district attorney in accordanc,
with subdivision OF section 1907 o,
the political code Of the State of Cal
ifornia. Yours truly.
Wv. II. LANGDON,
District attorney Of the city ant
county of San Francisco"
DOODLE BOARD REFUSED
In discussing the request for a spe
cial appropriation yesterday afternoon
District Attorney Langdon said:
Before the disaster OF two year,
ago. and shortly after / became dis
trict attorney. I was offered a sum O.
$4,000 raised by private subscriptior
TO be used for a general cleanup OF tn.
city. This sum was offered to me b,
Archbishop Montgomery and was to b.
uSeo IN Ahe SuppIeSSiOn OF gambling
and similar offenses and in the prose
cution of municipal grafters. I re
quested some time to consider the offe
and later informed Archbishop Mont
Eomery that i did not see my wa
clear to apply private funds to sucl
purpose without first requesting al
appropriation from the public authori
ties. The grand jury at that tim
recommended such an appropriation
but the boodlc board of supervisors
which was then in power. refused I,
consider the request So matter
stood at the time of the earthquake.
MN NOT Ask FOR RELIEF
After the earthquake Rudolph
Spreckels volunteered to furnish tn