Mr. Rudolph Spreckels, who became famous as the supporter of Francis J. Heney in the San Francisco graft prosecution, will deliver the fifth of the series of lectures on "The Social Problem and its Remedies" in Emerson D this afternoon at 4 o'clock instead of at 4.30, as was previously announced. He has chosen for his subject "The Business Man's Remedy." The lecture will be open to the public.
Mr. Spreckels is the son of Claus Spreckels, of San Francisco, and a millionaire in his own name. Shortly after coming of age, he became interested in the gas company of San Francisco. Upon looking into its affairs, he found it corrupt in its relations with the city council and its own shareholders. The latter in answer to an appeal from Mr. Spreckels, threw out the old board of directors and elected his reform ticket. As president of the First National Bank of San Francisco, he saw and studied finance and politics from the inside.
A few years ago he started the Spreckels investigation of San Francisco municipal affairs. Among his colleagues, were Freemont Older, editor of the San Francisco Bulletin, Francis J. Heney, who was chosen to conduct the prosecution because of his success in the Oregon land fraud case, and William J. Burns, the well-known detective. Evidence of fraud was traced even to the bankers of the public service corporations. Ruef, the boss, confessed, as did most of the supervisors. Many of the richest men in the state were indicted.
In the fight which followed, California was divided into two hostile parties, one with Spreckels, the other against him. Spreckels was beaten and Heney failed in election to the district attorneyship. Ruef was then granted another trial, in spite of his confession.
Since then Mr. Spreckels has devoted his energies to making business honest and politics clean.
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