The San Francisco call., 1908-11-20
FORTUNE OF MAYOR
TOM JOHNSON GONE
Cleveland's Noted Executive Will
Give Up Beautiful Home
and Automobile
Optimistic Despite Troubles and
Is Proud to Have Lost
Money in Office

CLEVELAND, O., Nov. 1s.-Mayor
Tom L. Johnson, who for years has
been credited with possessing a very
large fortune. today announced that
he had lost everything and would be
compelled to give up his beautiful
nome on Euclid avenue and move into
smaller and less expensive quarters.
The mayor also stated that he would
give up his automobile and other lux
urles because he could no longer afford
to keep them. His fortune was wrecked,
the mayor declared, by his devotion to
the affairs of the estate of his dead
brother, Albert, who was heavily in
terested in traction properties in the
east.
After Albert's death a question was
put up to him whether he would re-
sign his Office as mayor and take up
the management of Albert's estate.
decided that / would not. l had
entered the fight in this city with GER
tam Ideals before me. | wanted to
fight privilege and special interests and
! had already decided to give up work
ing Tor dollars. So l concluded to stay
flgnt mere and do what | could to help
my orother's children at long distance.
l am going to be happy yet, too. We
may have to go back to a cottage, but
that S the way we started, and we can
look upon life just as joyfully there as
nue..
They tell me my enemies are planning
70 prlng financial trouble upon me: I've
peen expecting it. There's one mistake
l have not made-that of failing to
foresee the efforts of those who would
IKE to destroy me if opportunity pre-
Sented.
My enemies are capable of that. One
may expect nothing else from special
privileges. However, realize that any
other set of men in the same circum-
stances would act the same.
Let them do what they may. Let
them make any sort of attack upon me
that they choose. with whatever success
and they will find me with thousand
fights left in me.
I have never made a single penny out
or the street railway since l became
mayor. Nobody else has worked as
of pay from the Municipal traction com
pany, as treasurer. l don't purpose to
ask cent for my work in helping the
receivers.
I have never spent money in politics.
In no campaign have / ever paid more
than my asSessment-S600 on the $4,000
salary of mayor. Sometimes | have not
paid that much in cash, when the COM
mittee has allowed me a certain amount
for the use of my tents. We have never
been in debt at the end of campaign
but once
When / gave up active business affairs
did it because the requirements of my
work did not square with my principles
My only recreation has been automo-
billing. I'd like to keep one of my au-
tomobiles, but I am afraid I can't
The Municipal traction company. of
which Mayor Johnson was treasurer
passed into the hands of receivers in
the federal court several days ago
Following this came the transfer to
the local banks of the Depositors' saw
ings and trust company, of which the
mayor was president. 1t is said this
action was precipitated by the threats
of Johnson's individual creditors to
file suits to obtain payment on notes
indorsed by the mayor.
1t is said Johnson has recently lost
approximately 100000 in connection
with his interests at Lorraine, o.