The San Francisco call., 1909-06-27


offered to the city attorneys Office in
regard 10 the purchasing Of land by
the cify.-ADOLPHUS E. GRAUPNER,
assistant City Attorney.
Y a scathing arraignment Of certain
classes Of real estate agents in which
he fatty accused them of offering
tentative bribes. of forging the city
attorneys name and using his letter
heads, and Of the sharpest Of sharp
practices in their efforts TO bleed the
city in real estate deals. were con-
tained in startling speech made by
Assistant City Attorney Adolpus F.
Grsupner before the Commonwealth
club At its regular weekly luncheon
and meeting yesterday.
He declared he withheld the names
OF these men for lack Of sufficient legal
proof on which TO base a prosecution
and said that his only reason for max
ing public the matter was to show
the community the corrupt and vicious
sentiment surrounding the purchase Of
land by the city. He spoke of cliques
and real estate rings which, went so
far as TO intimidate and threaten other
property owners in complying with
their demands. he cited instances in
which frantic agents who had not been
given slice Of the commissions re-
tahated by accusing the city attorneys
office with having received bribes.
NOT RESPONSIBLE FIRMS
These men," he said in comment
ing upon his talk before the club ARE
NOT members Of responsible and repu-
table real estate firms. In one or two
Instances have found that agents
guilty Of such practices have been en-
ployed by the large firms, but that
their employers had no knowledge of
what had taken place AS rule they
are small brokers and dealers who ap-
parently seem TO be without the slight
est sense Of business honor when IL
comes 10 a deal with the city
Il ought not 10 have spoken OF the
tentative bribes offered, as ] have no
legal proof to go into the cases in de-
tail. To illustrate my statement I will
speak OF an incident that took place in
my Office recently one Of these men
of whom ] have spoken came to me
regarding some pOrperty the city in
tended purchasing and remarked that
he would like 10 get in on it
II don't see how you can get in on
anything in this matter I replied.
y
me and ] viii make 1t all right for YOU
Il fatty told him did not understand
his attitude and he left Thus, you see
il was palpably evident that the man
was attempting TO bleed the city by
corrupting the city attorneys officials,
and yet such remarks would hardly be
enough on which to base charge and
prosecution"
CITY Is HANDICAPPED
claring that one of the greatest handi-
caps the city suffered in obtaining
property at just and reasonable prices
was the law which called for a ptbn-
cation Of the impending purchase.
NO sooner is the publication made"
be said, than there swarms down a
horde OF real estate agents. each en-
deavoring TO get the property owners
10 sign contracts with them to sell
their property, and, Of course, UP go
the prices and every effort is made to
'gOuEe' the city as much as possible.
We discovered several syndicates en-
gagged in this business.
''One Of these syndicates, unable to
secure contracts with some of the prop
erty owners tried intimidation by de-
claring that on account Of the pull
st had with the administration il would
see that when the city came to pur-
chase their land, the smallest possible
price would be offered. This is not all.
In another instance two property own
ers informed me that a certain agent
had visited them for the purpose of
securing contract and that he
claimed to be representing the city
Y attorney showing as proof a letter
Ap-ritten on the Office paper and bearing
the city attorneys signature TO that
effect / questioned the agent and he
denied il. And so the whole matter
14fc = pnf ho
Of the two property owners.
You may be surprised when / say
it, but within the last six weeks no less
than four tentative bribes have been
offered 70 the city attorneys Office. All
this goes to show the taint of corrup-
ton the INSCRIPTIONS sentiment with
which some citizens approach a bust
ness proposition with the city. Yet,
IN spite OF all these handicaps. I am
pleased to say that our purchases have
not been. on the whole, above one per
cent more than the just market price