WHEN LANGDON LEADER OF
THE
GRAFT
FIGHT
WAS A
COUNTRY
SCHOOL TEACHER
H. A. Crafts
•§ T is .a remerkable '/ Quartet tiat*
I «tands at the head and" front 'of .the
I graft prosecution* :in Saa j\ FTaC
f.' CISCO. \u25a0• \u25a0 i\u25a0\u25a0 \ • '. \u25a0 ,• •-:.- •": •-
r District ; Attorney. itrmUm f tt
Langdon, the' offlclalt bead /aa«'. cea*
taander In cKlef. .. . * ,- .v. \u25a0,•'/.' ?
i Francis; J. 'Hency, the-flghttag JJ«q^
• tenant, who is^always'dn /the firing'liqui
jand In almost^ dally co'nflicti wlthf th*
foe. r:, \ :. \u25a0 v ;\u25a0• \u25a0• ; \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0
; William _H. Burns.' .' tie 'j ";'*J»epU««
eleuth, ever upon the ecent, Inwhoae
Giutdies's^e* caught- the* malefactors,
Iwsth large andsraalL' •-•- . : , . .
t* Rudolph Sprcckcls;' * the moral an fi
fiaancial backer' of the", great 'reform
ctrapalgrn. , • \u25a0-. « . , . s - . ; .- . - -,»>
.t Standing Jn the flercje* Jlmt^lghtJ. of
publicity, these men" 'challenge theiat
lentlon of the, whole; civilized; world,
f Their letrong personalVtmits* interest
•very ., one, and we' , ; have' 'an; almost
quenchless curiosity l to' "know * more
aboot them, their -past, a» 'well* 'as
present-, history.; \u25a0:\u25a0-.,\u25a0• • V .\ ' .! \u25a0 ».;, •- \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0••.
t Being in the beautiful kittle . town
fcr San Leandro th« other;day^and'hav
ing heard that William 11. Langdon
Oh-hA spent a period of r. hiss earlier
f if • there, it occurred to jne to- make
? 9B «_ inquiries . among >>cople «as
their recollections ,of - that ! e entle- j
2im.n. \u0084. ,1 1 \u0084'.,.
i".2^ *»»w« c «Terybodj-;- living An V the
ration, of. San ; Francisco b»y knpws
.frhere. Ban Leandro is situated. But
I should prraume too nHach'li wHll"
jtato ..briefly that .-.that" tovi, lies « b«
?the east shore of tho bay, . Tibout five
9n«es south of Oakland. J)t has a
population of about 4,000, bis various
important manufacturing interests and
*• Bltuated In the center cf Vine- ofn the'
$2E- pr^ uotlT « reg?or.s of . t/he Golden
and among lit* leading products
It* fruit., and vegeiabl^,
ffeneral farm crops. \u2666" - T
|.On.one*.ltf. 1, t\ lft bay,. WnW cool
.Creeses , oontlc^fty temper the heat
«f : vsmmsr* making It *'. delightful
lence;1 ence; on the other Uhe
fcontra Oo.t«<; hills. Its ' streets 1 and
•.venues ' are .beautifully; shaded'- and • its 1
.residences en-ibowered ' in . trees \u25a0 and
•urroTinded by viawjis and "flowers : -
* Statistics «hp w that the : average San
X^eandro ? tmmlfyi. Is i more numerous ;"\u25a0; in
xnembersnjp "-' man? that of t- any • other
town »lnl the skate,'* and! the \u25a0 town would
therefore 1 deHfr c t ; the - heart of- Mr."
Roosevelt • hiax£eif.V 7 v \u25a0
•if It wt* near this town that Mr.' Lang-:
«on; passed a p» Ar t of his boyhood; 'later
:fce?ta«rht^ scbjool" lni San* Leandro , for
aort tlit.n I*,"' years,Va"nd'iit is"of "Mn
ZALng£cn as *• a/ country* school- teacher
tbat*the'pre%ent : article will; mainly l
t**t. , :/: ,;\u25a0 J;- :.-\u25a0 : \u25a0;\u25a0\u25a0,- . *..-;.y --...?
: 't.William H.|jsLAngflon.was } a. poor.boy.
His * father w . M t »i»maH> fanner. AThe"
latter. wasj-n- ,ti ; even fable^-to'^ownV-a'
fans; at leas? sa«h«wero the conditions
**ea/ the, La .gdaa? family slivad 'near
gut X-ean&ro.'. ... '. -. ;a '\u25a0 :^ r <\, [ ; . .
The San Francisco Call.
' ; ~- Up- In, th»i foothills y east of .town , the
, elder. Langrdon ran, one of- thosejside
n!ll' f amis ', so 'common" In - that . region?
He • fanned :, It^ on ..* and "... raised
barley/ ; and; barley,' haj": . for*. the ; San
Trancisco'market/- 1 ' / . ;'. ,".- '."..'.., ; . '.
"As a-Sturdy [Farmer Lad r \ \
1. The -family •resided; onj the \u25a0? farm; arid
young., William^ H.- 1 - attended vschopP* in
town. \u25a0/. During vacations : He i helped^ his
father : and • v.-aa "ar-goodT hand'; in -i. the
field becattsche was;big and strong' and
faithful. ; -..'; ;;,; f^- V>v".i." :",\u25a0' v' ,'^'
v .• It •.."was.iWilliam :ll.i Langdon'stearify
delightaito--make'one,ofia<crew,ito'';ran
theihay^baling-jnachine/ end he: always
kept his «aid up. :»'-• Ij **> ;• ; »
' Af ter.a timu' the. family i removed* to
I£ayward;' several imilesf farther* down
the ,bay - shore.'. -'There- they* continued
to work' thc'soll arid< William ; H."H6 < 'atf
tend fhe*Ha;-«ardeschbols.V: : • . •
f.-f,The ;ncxt{ moveVtho .Lansdonsi made
took thcriv over; the^hiUs*to .Uheifeast
.Hard to a .'little'; townj known \u25a0asfeDan
vliie, near San ;• Ramon; 1 in . Contra Costa
county^-; ; ;.'.» !-\u25a0.»'•'-;! -\u25a0.»'•'-; - } r ~;*'k- \i' \u25a0';'•\u25a0 '; i : ':'\u25a0:\u25a0
.Tlierev they went
*nd a the young'man/attendedithe:coun
try school; ' ', y.'.l '--'t. :V:<l \u25a0;-\u25a0•: i \u25a0"\u25a0 ''• '• 'ft
\u25a0 jXexf... we hear,': of rWllliam ;H. 1 Lang
don! taking *ai course i-at i the*; state
mal school at*;SanlJo"se.^lFroih*thatvln-"'
s tltutlon he "was j graduated 'with I ' honors
and j-was^ presid ent \ of li ls iclas3. r -; V - t: *. •
\u2666 San* Leandro v; apparently^ stilly l'had
strong*, 1 attractions>.forj?:him,*jfor> soon
after.his.graduaUon*he;received theiap:
pointment^ ; of ? '-vicef; president of- the
Union»«chbolMn;that:town. iC t ./ := * * v
~ He served for'ajwhilejin^hat capacity^
and, then 1 weiitUo.'Fresno.lwhe'rerher had ;
accepted; apposition las; teacher.".- ••/ .;'V
~He remained : Mn ;;; Fresno Tonlyj six *
months.) however.V-r A^vacancy occurring!
intheprinclpalshipjof the San ; Leandro ;
Unlon\S4ih*obl;he^waßfofCeredvthat;po3l-;
tlon, 'and,*freßiE&ing, his, place* in -Fr esnol'
he' returned^ '\u25a0£ to ' 4, San V7 Leandro^'and'
assumed \u25a0\u25a0.the'jdutlesJ'offfhis^newifofflceS
•..•Thatjwas"ln T ilß92,'!ahd(forilolconsecu-j;
tlve years helheld'thejposltloh, I'ohly,tre-;1 ' ohly,tre- ;
slgning.in:l9o2to'accept*the^pbsltion oti
euperlotendentrof -schools . ln^San^ Fran- :
Cisco"-; .'; ; -: -r; ?','•--,".\u25a0»'\u25a0 -.':\u25a0:,\u25a0 \u25a0\u25a0;" -_.;.^.
JiiTha^' 'tclis'>how»tweH*>WJUiamV l£;
lAasdAa , i Tr*« ,-; . tbAHOMt -jje* J : tak | : 'ti*m \
Leanaro^and^T^foTOdlthat' every one
had'a.'gobdlwordjforthim.T.t^'* '}?\u25a0'>,. i *\l
\Z first f I had .altalklwith! tayingiTelle*
H* l a A° ' *&*£ Bankjfrf \ BanJ Leandro. %Jf r %
Hale was a'persoaftl friend and quit* sjj
intimate? of tM^Langdon: ; . s\u25a0- ?.j^?.f : *-;.v
v ' He " likes ?, to id well * , upon f Mr. f lams-
flon's procllvltiestma'la*', hustler. > \u25a0 H»j ltdltf
me if that {besides ? having vUhe
supervision of a. nohool' containing from,
576. t6>4oo*puplls?and;iteaohlngiafolawi'
orj two 5 in \u25a0onejTof fth«jgrades|hetat itho|
same 1 1 ime . read } law > and \ taught f night <
«choQlHnlSan|Fraabl«batsy 4fx ::\u25a0'* !&^Si^
|l'tWh*bm|did|ih«fr«aaSlair|.wttor^x
ulud»Ur^Hal«r^li«Vii^r^(VnUM<
> Voh,i.hej read ijQßt.br himself,") r*pH«4
the; banker. v"Only. I'. was ! studying! law ,
myself 'i I n > those » days f and Iwe "* used -. to i
readitbg"ether.".;ji "ii-i': / 1 .^t .-1 -r.s ,- 1.,
>.ilt\was P 'duririgJhlalßtayjlri|Sanllj«aß^ s
arbUhat^Williami^H. rLangdon\waJi;ad
raittea^toith"e|bar.^After;!that(he^wbuM|
take ia^case.* now, /andSithenji anythlujf;
that^ho 1 ; could attend > to-on-JBa4tuU«aril^
jc^T^inkVpf|.th^rstfe^ii6uß^ilfe^Uiat\Mni'
'! Langdonl led ;"ftyen [iii^thbse ' days I * First
': i hel- had si,that | bigKsohobl Etb'f attend to*
2 with fits f ; pupils," nine 'grades,"- corps
\u25a0(of ;teachenCletc>":^;; jV'.'.'^V.S; }] '\u25a0,"::' -,- : - : \ ".'•
?&^;Then*at ; thejclose J^of } the j school ' day,
ih« would f retire^tbl hi s],rbom |aid *;take
- up! his ' law ,' books ; |th"en i h e would .take
-an^evenlnglraln for San" Francisco and
'\u25a0 teach - hi* 1 class f 1 h'< night Y school ; ' . then
«take]" aV late-night k train"! back ; to? San
\u25a0Leandrb: - \u25a0'\u25a0\u25a0^- i '-./• I i v ~ .'
r^fA^d^l^was ; told 'that Mr.^ Langdon was
; siabht •v'porsistent Aburner«x of jtheVmld
': nightVoil , , that ttiraes Jhe f became «| so
f drowsy ?love,r^hlsj^bboks|; that f> he ..was
4steajrdbwnstalrsriOUtyt,h'e ; .frjD'nt'dbpr"farid
\u25a0lw^k^a?b^i^sith^iWock|;in!:order.;vt6
|banl9h'tithejf sleepTigbd t a^lf arouse ; his
pflagglng^nirgies.^.^^4;^; : :j^ ; :«v^ i^ : .;»\;
;^ JThen sback ? again , to jthose : ; law : bboks
j f orl anotherj hour^rjtwo.w i;; . . t -, . .
.^^Mr.^l^angdon's^schpoliiyear.^ln,; San
J^an^rovwass^nojlbfliormonths.^andjhe 1
|re^e6lv,e^ra*;<»i^yj6fis_liMo^yearVjiV^i'
i cipal ; of I the I school lby< Harry ; jLi nscot v
I whojheld |the f t pbsltlon|uhtU? 190,6.^ Now.
I Hazen} Eastman \ is; principal.^ -Mr.* Kast
jriap is r new, in J tile institution:and'there
'* t brel is|nbtj :personalJiy i Xac<iualnted I with*
administration:? •-;'. 7 -
c'B«t'he.;iatrbduced : me-to:cD6 oX.tii*
\u25a0 teachers ;who ;was -.in school * as . an
i'dayVand 'served i.under^ him": all throush
his many .terms. "'\u25a0','. "./•"s' •'» ", \u25a0 "-. \u25a0'\u25a0-. •\u25a0\u25a0 \u25a0..-','.
"Say: all,: the'-ffood. things) and' all the
nob lo ; things s you • can about ? Mr. r Lang-
; don.^4 said \ th 1 s s lady to \u25ba me, »"ahd i then
you -^i\\ \ not ; hay ej said 'it • all.** * . .
I Then ? the) lady.* went fbh sand >.told i',ma
, many, reminiscences ' of 1 San' Francisco's
district -jj attorney,} ;and j :\u25a0; graf ttiflghter.'
iHeiTvas|a|thoroughiorganizerj*and'dis
clplinarlan.iyct ihe;,'madeafrierids twith
pupils. V- teachers \u25a0• and /parents •jalike.ii
* \ "lirerhember,"j'saidt,this; l lady,t '^when
Mr.-"Lahffdonflcam3> to i take of
the! school.-. » We tj teachers^ 'stood v in V a
, group >*» wai tins l- for i him yto -^appear In
'the^; school /He Iwas >' in \u25a0 com-;
panj'i ,*ahd£w.e\coulil jn'dt *make'> out 'just
whlchs;gentlernan : «wasi thb -.new * princl^
pal; itheffl^waaj a* greats, tall jfellowj In
the foreground, and ha looked ! so f fresh
andJsortJf of Jgawliyj[that'.we Jthought *he
oiust}be»a . jnewJpjipiltfroml,,Wayback.V
i : .J4*But ts somebody fc said^ that -iit _'ri was
really,,»Mr. > f:La"ngdbn;'i and ; thentwe ,r, r held
upjourjhands'in|wonderment—-he was so
\u25a0tall;^b|hdmely^ndV B( ii r^.. ( >f^hc : mespun.i
i "When -.we^came «toi-know*?him*'he
wasn!t|hbmely,")nbr4 gawky, tnor.3 awk- v
ward i any^ more;i we » called 1 him : beau ti ~
t iillgandt Qttsngi^e^hav.eT argufd \ with
people i.wbo^did'*not>. knowi. him i over i
his , personal « appearance. • I tell you
he Kwas; great;" . c '
• As .vice principal. Mr. Lansdon taught
classes, all /the - way., from • the .third tc
tbo'i ninth; grade;- as principal he taught
the , ninth -• grade in f algebra.': geometry,
history.* mathematics.* etc .
% But iaa cager \u25a0 as Mr." Langdon wai
to perfect,' himself 'in >\u25a0 the 4 , study of
law, the I was \ne ye r \u25a0-\u25a0 known \to bring*
law book . to. school. t •» s ooxtsolentioua
was he in ' the discharge of bis official
duties.**., rz'.'i \u25a0."• \u25a0-\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0
vj If \ Mr.' Lanßdon \u25a0 had = a < hobby, it was
upon V the " vs übject ""v of ,* patriotisja.'. and
upon this he 'seemed n mrtx "t< ,witi j
of . talking. *> v He f appeared Ito ooaaidar
it ; as one >of his duties as Va > teacher
of £..the jfyorihgJ ; to : inculcate *' tho ?prin
ciples of \u25a0 patriotism on every occasion.
and 'he was in the habit of address
ing the "classes \u25a0 frequently^ upon the
subject. >;2MBMnBMgf« : t-> <
'Arnbn^iithe boys of. the school h« was
extremely < popular, and ; . to/ this : day Mr.
Lahgdon?; -cannot* \u25a0 pass ' 'through > town
without \u25a0) the? lads rallying! to fgtv«> him
greeting,^ provided > they , : know of his
coming. >'•;\u25a0;! »•"*\u25a0 - -*•. i -.. : • .
fj'Another * evidence *of * Mr. iAßgtSoa's
popularity. In San v Leandro ' Is < th» < f ac t
that ; when -he \u25a0 ran' for; governor ,' of ' the
state ' a. -year ago be received 'a at<
JortttriTotaLlakthit 'toTrn.