Eugene “Handsome Gene” Schmitz served as the 26th mayor of San Francisco from January 8, 1902 – July 8, 1907. It was the first political position he ever held.

Gene was born in San Francisco to a German father and an Irish mother. His passion was the violin. He conducted the orchestra at the Columbia Theatre on Powell Street, and served as the president of the Musicians’ Union. This position turned out to be his unlikely entrée into politics. It threw him into San Francisco’s high society where he met City Boss Abe Ruef, a powerful figure in San Francisco machine politics.

 

Ruef sized up Gene up quickly. He was good looking, charming, and totally uninterested in enforcing vice laws. He was perfect.

Ruef ran Schmitz for mayor on the brand-new Union Labor Party ticket, and he won the 1901 election. Once in office, Gene flourished. He gave protection to criminals and houses of prostitution in exchange for cash, and was easily reelected in 1903 and 1905.

1906 was an important year in the life of Handsome Gene. San Francisco was devastated by the earthquake on April 18 of that year. In its wake, Schmitz adopted a stringent approach to maintain public order, directing police to shoot to kill looters.

The mayor and his wife left in September or October for an extended European vacation. They sailed home on the Patricia, a luxury steamship that was not equipped with a wireless telegraph. He was completely disconnected from the world for days and days while he was at sea and had no way of knowing he’d been indicted. Can you imagine? No doubt the mayor had at least an inkling that he may be in some legal trouble.  Stories of his corruption were being published internationally while he was away, like this article from a Canadian newspaper:

 

The Oakland Examiner did some research on the plush digs the mayor enjoyed on the Patricia and published a disapproving article that included these pictures:

 

When he arrived in New York, the El Paso Times described the mayor as “greatly surprised” that he had been indicted.

“There is not a scintilla of truth in the charges. It is an attack made against me by political enemies because I made a strong fight against District Attorney Langdon, who was defeated for governor. His friends are now taking their revenge. It is an odd statement for a big man to make, but it is a fact that my nerves were so affected after the long and trying time we had been through that I made this trip abroad,” Gene told reporters.  “I had intended to sail for home December 16, expecting to arrive in San Francisco about New Year’s day. My friends were to give me a big reception, and I suppose these people put this up to prevent it. Hearing that they were attacking me, I returned six weeks sooner than I expected.”

The Oakland Tribune reported that “out of consideration for Mrs. Schmitz, who is traveling with her husband, District Attorney Langdon of San Francisco will spare the mayor the humiliation of arrest on his arrival.” Instead of a trip in police custody, the mayor was whisked off to the luxurious Waldorf Astoria in a private car.

I wonder how the mayor’s statement went down with readers back home. I imagine Gene wasn’t the only resident of San Francisco whose nerves were frayed by the earthquake and its aftermath, though he may have been the only one who could afford a few months in Europe to recuperate. Gene’s explanation that the bribery and extortion indictments against him were a creative way his haters had devised to cheat him out of a welcome home party was amusing though!

Back in San Francisco, the mayor’s old friend, Abe Ruef, was in trouble.  Ruef’s crimes were voluminous: he violently opposed any enforcement of anti-vice laws, and in his efforts to ensure the underworld operations were undisturbed, Ruef had District Attorney William Langdon suspended, and appointed himself to serve in the deposed DA’s place.  Unfortunately for him, all of the city supervisors  agreed to testify against the boss. In exchange for complete immunity and a guarantee they could retain their powerful and lucrative positions, the supervisors revealed Ruef bribed them “in connection with the Home Telephone, overhead trolley, prize fight monopoly, and gas rates deals.” The grand jury returned 65 indictments against Abe Ruef.

Ruef and Schmitz were arraigned together on December 6, 1906. Ruef decided to make a statement on that occasion by standing with his back to the judge.

On June 13, 1907, Schmitz was found guilty of extortion and bribery, and sentenced to five years in San Quentin. For the next seven months, as his appeal went forward, Schmitz was an inmate in the County Jail.

In January 1908, the Court of Appeals nullified Schmitz’ conviction. The ruling that was later upheld by the California Supreme Court.

Gene Schmitz was released on bail, while more charges were pending. He was tried again in 1912 for bribery. The state’s two key witnesses were Abe Ruef and Chief Supervisor Gallagher. Ruef was enjoying a stay in San Quentin and was brought to the city to testify against Gene, but he refused to speak. Gallagher fled to Canada. Schmitz was acquitted.

Most people would be satisfied with dodging punishment for years of corruption. But Schmitz was not most people. He ran for mayor twice more in 1915 and 1919, but lost in a landslide.  Like many a politician before and since, Handsome Gene managed to shrug off his disastrous record and criminal charges and make a comeback. The city allowed Schmitz to serve on the Board of Supervisors from 1917 – 1926, where we can be sure the former mayor behaved with the utmost integrity!