The San Francisco call., 1910-12-23
WISEACRES SAY
TREY |. FORD
WILLLOSE Head
Johnson to Be Called Upon to
Remove Prison Director,
Assert GOSsips
Fear of Parole of Abe Ruef Acc
tuates Forces Demanding
Officials Scalp

according TO 4 rumor that has beer
current for weeks the scalp of Prison
Director Tirey /. Ford is to be one
Of the first trophies of the hunt to be
demanded of Governor Hiram W. John.
son.
Immediately after the election it was
given out by representatives of some
Of the forces that supported Johnson
that a demand for the removal of Ford
from the board of prison directors
would be put up TO Johnson shortly
after his Inauguration, if not before
he took Office Subsequently the politi-
cal gossips were informed that Ford
would get his" in the early days OF
the new administration. This informa-
tion was qualified in every instance
with the assurance that the informant
did not pretend TO speak for Johnson
or by his authority.
RUMOR Is REVIVED
The announcement that Johnson had
left New York for California gave a
new impetus TO the Ford removal ru-
NOR. but none was able to explain in
what manner the deca pitation of the
prison director was TO be accomplished.
Legislation was suggested, but that
explanation ran the eXplainers up
gainst the fact that the board of
prison directors was a constitutional
body to be renlodeled only by constitu-
tional amendment.
Until Johnson gives some sign to the
contrary il must be assumed in all fair
ness that he is not a party to the de-
lnand that it is alleged is to be put up
10 him. If Johnson has given any
assurances of his intention TO attack
Ford. it has been a departure from
his well settled policy as that policy
is understood by the men closely asso-
ciated with him.
Ford is president of the board of
prison directors. He has four years of
a 10 years term remaining. His term
viii expire January u, 1914. The con-
stitution provides for the appointment
by the governor of prison directors for
terms Of 10 years. The executive ap-
pOintments must be confirmed by the
senate.
some of the political authorities who
have been upset by the Ford removal
are firmly of the opinion that the re-
moval OF a member OF the prison board
can be secured only through impeach-
ment proceedings That opinion is
probably based on a misunderstanding
of the provisions Of the constitution,
protecting prison directors from re-
moval except for cause.
WRITTEN CHARGES NECESSARY
The constitution provides that "the
governor shall have the power TO re-
move either of the directors for mis-
conduct incompetency or neglect of
duty, after an opportunity to be heard
upon written charges.
Apparently those provisions narrow
the grounds for removal down to the
three running directly to official duties
of the director. The difficulty Of the
situation which. il is said. is to be
passed Up TO Johnson, is made appa-
rent by the fact that there is no con-
tention that Ford has been in any way
remiss i'm the discharge of his official
duties. The sole ground given out by
the proponents of FOrd's removal is
that ii he remained upon the board of
prison directors he might be called
Upon to pass on an application for
parole for Abe Ruef. in the event that
Ruef should enter upon the service of
his sentence 10 IA years Imprisonment