“Acts of violence must cease. No self-respecting community will permit a reign of crime day after day, the throwing of bricks and other missiles, the use of vile and abusive language, and the beating of men walking along the streets peaceably. Then, too, we have our wives and daughters to think of. Conditions are certainly deplorable when they cannot go upon the streets of a great city like San Francisco without being compelled to hear obscene language and witness acts of violence such as have been committed within the last three weeks.
“There are strong men here, and if they set about the matter in the right way there will be no occasion for the entrance of the State troops into the city.”
See footnote [229], [page 206].
Of the eighteen Supervisors, two, O’Neil and Tveitmoe, had been appointed by Mayor Schmitz to fill vacancies after the bribery transactions. They were in no way involved in the briberies. They were, therefore, independent of the District Attorney. O’Neil put Tveitmoe in nomination against Gallagher. “What is the difference,” demanded O’Neil, “between Eugene E. Schmitz and James L. Gallagher?” Gallagher’s face went red with rage, but there was no way of silencing the critic.
This tardiness of appointment was not due to any lack of candidates. Practically every faction in San Francisco had its choice for Schmitz’s successor.
The election of Boxton to be Mayor may be called the refinement of cruelty. His elevation to high executive office but emphasized the shame of his position. From taking his oath of office he was rushed to the witness stand to testify against Louis Glass on trial for participation in bribing him to oppose the granting of the Home Telephone Company franchise. D. M. Delmas was conducting the case for the defense. Delmas suavely turned Boxton’s elevation to account. He scrupulously addressed Boxton as the “Mayor.” And, in comparison, he wrung from the new Mayor’s lips: “I took bribes and was a spy for Halsey.”