th Ward of San Francisco.
Here he presided over the ballot box, and was generally believed to have
accomplished more ballot box staffing, ticket shifting and false
returns than any other individual in the City or State. He made, as was
generally believed, his office a means of livelihood, and held the City
and County offices in his hands to be disposed of in such manner as
might best promote his interest or fill his pockets. Year after year by
this means he was accumulating money, until he was reputed to have made
a fortune, although never known by the people to have been engaged in
any honest industrial occupation in California. For the purpose perhaps
of adding the levy of blackmail to his other modes of accumulation, he
established a newspaper, called the Sunday Times, and without principle,
character or education, assumed to be the enlightener of public opinion
and the conservator of public morals. During the few months of its
existence, the paper was conducted without ability; advocated no good
cause; favored no measures for promoting the public interest or welfare;
attained no measure of popularity; and its discontinuance inspired no
regret, but was felt rather to be a relief.

The thought seems now to have suggested itself that having been so long
the distributor of offices to others he might well assume it himself;
and thus while obtaining position in society, enlarge his sphere of
operations in plundering the public. Accordingly a ballot box at the
Presidio Precinct in the suburbs of the City was so arranged or presided
over by friends or pliant tools, that four or five days alter the
election, the law being conveniently silent as to the time which might
be consumed in counting votes and making the return, it was made to turn
out James P. Casey a member of the Board of Supervisors of the County,
although not known to have been a candidate for the office at the Polls
on the day of election. In this responsible position, he could find his
way on important Committees, be able to squander the resources of
the County, and by his vote and influence assist in passing the most
exorbitant claims, of which, it is to be presumed, he received a
satisfactory percentage.

So high-handed an offender against the law and the rights of the people
could not escape the notice or the withering rebuke of Mr. King. He
fearlessly proclaimed him a convicted felon, and dealt with him as one
of the principal of those offenders against a