Extortion

An allegorical female figure labeled “San Francisco” is being tortured “on the rack” by a cast of medieval-looking executioners labeled “Cement Dealer, Lumber Dealer, Iron Workers’ Union, Steel Trust, Bricklayers Union, Building Materials, [and the central figure] Greed” in the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake and fire that destroyed much of San Francisco. Caption: “Generosity” is easy when you can get your money back with interest.

comments and context

Comments and Context

There are many possible subtexts to Carl Hassmann’s brutal and explicit allegory of systemic political corruption in San Francisco. Or it might a “simple” indictment of the current administration’s mismanagement there, spectacular as it was.

Typed transcript of an article from the Bismarck Tribune. The Marquis de Morès believes that his indictment for murder is a blackmailing scheme and he has no doubt that he will be acquitted.

Collection

Dickinson State University

Creation Date

1885-08-27

As the Senate committee was unable to see him, Theodore Roosevelt offers his testimony in writing. He denies knowledge of requests for campaign funds directed at the Standard Oil Company for his presidential campaign of 1904. These requests supposedly promised lenient treatment and favors in exchange for large contributions. Roosevelt offers documentary evidence that in 1904 he instructed any money received from Standard Oil to be returned. Furthermore, according to campaign records, no funds were ever received from Standard Oil.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-08-28

President Roosevelt forwards to Commissioner of Indian Affairs Leupp a letter that William H. Taft received from Egbert J. DeBell. DeBell seems to be trying to blackmail Taft, perhaps seeking to have his license as an Indian Trader reinstated. Roosevelt believes that what DeBell has claimed is a total fabrication, and that if he is found on any reservation, he should be forced out.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-13

President Roosevelt is grateful to Benjamin Ide Wheeler for the information he provided about Judge William C. Van Fleet.  He is sorry to hear of the political corruption in San Francsico and Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz’s involvement in it.  

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-06

President Roosevelt says that E. G. Lewis is attempting to threaten and blackmail himself and George B. Cortelyou by claiming he has information on Judge Goodwin. Roosevelt will be ordering an investigation into Judge Russell P. Goodwin, but will not reconsider the order that Lewis’s publications be revoked. He is indifferent to Lewis’s threat.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-03-15

President Roosevelt explains to Martin A. Knapp the employment of Francis S. Monnett “was in effect a deliberate submission to blackmail.” Monnett claimed that Roosevelt had directed the Interstate Commerce Commission to not conduct an oil investigation and threatened to share the news with hostile senators. Roosevelt directs Knapp to investigate this matter, as well as the conduct of Edward A. Moseley, who hired Monnett. He includes the text of letters he wrote to Knapp and Monnett concerning the oil investigation, showing that it was merely put on hold, not cancelled.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-05-19

President Roosevelt explains why he is not in favor of Ray Stannard Baker’s suggestion that the Interstate Commerce Commission should be given the power to condemn railroad shipping rates. Roosevelt believes his maximum rate plan is the best option.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-11-20

President Roosevelt will not reinstate Converse J. Smith to his position in the Department of the Treasury, especially now that Senator Proctor has threatened to publish a letter written by Secretary of the Treasury Leslie M. Shaw which casts Shaw in a negative light if Smith is not reinstated. Smith was thoroughly investigated and found to be “inefficient.” Shaw has no recollection of writing the letter Proctor threatens to publish, and Roosevelt requests that Proctor present the original letter and any other evidence against Shaw.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-26

Rose B. Jaffee received Frank Harper’s letter and realizes she is asking a lot. She discusses how her husband, Benjamin M. Jaffee, a Jewish lawyer, is being blackmailed with the intent to have him disbarred. His case has been tried several times and is up again. She asks Theodore Roosevelt to help prevent a terrible wrong.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-10-27

T. Augustine Dwyer presses Theodore Roosevelt to acknowledge his previous support of Dwyer in recognition for helping sway the Catholic contingency during the 1904 campaign. If not, Dwyer will publish their correspondence and no longer hold Roosevelt in esteem.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-04-07

Edwin V. Morgan writes to Secretary of State Root about an incident regarding payment to a Havana hotel keeper. He says that the innkeeper’s account has been settled in full and accuses the person of attempting to swindle him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-12

Secretary of War Taft writes to President Roosevelt concerning the recommendation by John Findley Wallace that John Lundie be appointed to the Consulting Board of Experts on the Isthmian Canal Commission. Taft believes that Lundie’s reputation alone does not justify this, and is suspicious of the lengths to which Wallace is going in order to get Lundie apointed, as Wallace has been contacting everyone connected with the commission. Taft surmises that there is some ulterior motive in getting Lundie appointed and cannot recommend him to the president.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-31

Chronology of the daily life of Theodore Roosevelt between January 1879 to December 1883. Notable events include Theodore Roosevelt’s engagement and marriage to Alice Hathaway Lee, his appointment to the New York State Legislature, and his first visit and buffalo hunt in North Dakota.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Creation Date

1985

Various forms of graft, fraud, and bribery were committed by San Francisco mayor Eugene Schmitz and members of the Board of Supervisors. Following trials of many offenders, a report is published on the causes of the corruption and recommendations made on how to prevent municipal corruption in the future.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1910-01-05

“Prosperity” and “progress” cannons are pointed at “Port Parker” where a Democratic donkey and Alton B. Parker stand. Their two cannons—”charges of blackmail” and “attacks on Roosevelt”—are damaged. President Roosevelt looks up at them.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-11-05

Some of Charles S. Mellen’s associates are concerned over reports that the Supreme Court’s decision in the Northern Securities case will be “very drastic.” A major concern is the potential for blackmail and Mellen hopes that the decision can be worded to exclude blackmailers.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-11

A large police officer turns the crank on a large press labeled “Blackmail,” squeezing money out of a variety of merchants labeled “Boot Black, Gin Mill Keeper, Dive Keeper, Merchant, Green Goods, Contractor, Gambler, [and] Pawnbroker.” Caption: “Let no guilty man (or woman) escape – widout dey put up de stuff!”

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1894-10-03

An ape-like figure wears a hat labeled “Militarism” and holds a stone labeled “Forgery.” He is wounded in the side with an arrow labeled “J’Accuse,” and he is holding a female figure labeled “French Republic.” The ape may represent Alfred Dreyfus or one of several French military officials involved in the Dreyfus affair.

Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1899-01-18

Theodore Roosevelt describes the Colombian president’s attempt to “blackmail” the United States in 1903 to secure a high price for the rights to build the Panama Canal. Roosevelt credits himself with refusing to pay the Colombian government and for paying the French Company for the land. President Wilson’s administration is now proposing to pay the Colombian government for its rights in Panama, to which Roosevelt is opposed.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1915-02