For several weeks after the great fire of April 18-19-20, 1906, the banks were closed at San Francisco. Money could, however, during this period, be transferred to San Francisco, through the United States mint.
Gallagher had notified Ruef that he would not deal with Rea in the trolley transaction. Ruef, Gallagher alleged, had agreed to attend to Rea’s case himself. See [Chapter XIII].
Crocker testified before the Grand Jury, however, that he had known Ruef for many years. “He (Ruef) and my brother-in-law, Prince Poniatowski,” said Crocker, “both being French, and both being pretty clever men, struck up quite a friendship together and through that means I used to see more or less of Ruef and that was one of those peculiar friendships that spring up with people who are not identified and not connected in any way whatever in any business enterprise, sprang up between Ruef and myself, and when he told me that in my office it didn’t surprise me a bit.”
Crocker had testified that Ruef had promised to do all he could to get him his franchise, and wouldn’t want a dollar from Crocker, or from the institution with which Crocker was connected.
Of this manipulation of the books, President J. E. Green, of the Parkside Company, testified before the Grand Jury as follows:
“Q. How was the transaction to appear in the books? How was the property account to be charged with it? It would have to show some property. A. It was charged for a block that was purchased from Watson and Umbsen, a block of land.