San Diego History

A Few Colorful Mayors of Our Past

Dick Murphy's 2005 Resignation Fits Right In
By Mary Friedman
Posted on Mar 09 2006
Last updated Mar 09 2006

Recent political events suggest a look back at the interesting past of mayors of San Diego. You think political maneuvering, back-stabbing, scandal, financial woe, and resignation are new? Think again.

The history of the office of mayor of San Diego dates back to 1850.

The last alcalde, or mayor of the Spanish pueblo of San Diego, was Joshua Bean, elder brother of the infamous Judge Roy Bean. When San Diego was incorporated in 1850, Joshua Bean moved right on in as first mayor of San Diego. In his brief tenure he defrauded the city out of the city hall building itself by "selling" it to himself and drinking buddy Cave Couts (the city later recovered it); he stopped attending city council meetings over a pay dispute; and he presided over the public execution of a popular Indian leader.

Before the end of Bean's first and only term, he managed to dole out land grants to cronies, including himself and Cave Couts. Baby brother Roy joined Joshua in San Diego where he took advantage of big brother's status to engage in gambling, cock-fighting, horse racing, and fandangos. Joshua needed to move on, so he went to San Gabriel where he opened a saloon. He was ambushed and killed on his way home from work in November 1852, an incident which was never solved. Roy Bean, of course, moved on to make his name in Texas.

William H. "Billy" Carlson was a colorful, fast-talking Swede who served our city in the late nineteenth century. The founder of Ocean Beach, a lawyer and assemblyman, at the age of twenty-eight he was the youngest mayor ever elected in San Diego.

In March of 1893, Billy was a last minute entry in the race for mayor (...Councilwoman Donna Frye's latest write-in candidacy serves as an echo). He talked to every voter he could and made many big promises. He beat out his nearest opponent by a margin of two to one. Even though the depression of 1893 made it impossible to make good on his many promises, he was reelected by a large majority in 1895. Tired of a contentious relationship with the city council, Billy then decided to run for Congress against a formidable opponent, W.W. Bowers. He was so confident that he would win that he induced his old friend and partner David C. Reed to run for mayor in his place.

When Billy lost his bid for Congress, he kept his name on the ballot for mayor while still proclaiming his support for Reed. Here's where the back room politics come in. There was antagonism between Carlson and local businessman Elisha Babcock. They owned competing seaside resorts, although Babcock's Del Coronado was much grander. Babcock sold the Del and his water company to John D. Spreckels, but stayed on as manager of several local properties including the San Diego Union. Babcock was determined to win the water contract for the Spreckels company, and this became a key campaign issue. Babcock tried to ensure that Spreckels' candidate would win, so he met privately with Carlson to get him to withdraw from the race. Carlson seemed to go along with the plan, but then did not withdraw, prompting Babcock to publish a scathing condemnation of Carlson in the Union, calling him a "liar, fraud, bamboozler, and fool."

Carlson lost the race; D.C. Reed won handily. In his flamboyant style, Carlson staged his own mock political funeral, delivering his own eulogy before an open grave on Horton Plaza. Billy Carlson was quite a liar, always denying his immigrant background. He eluded an embezzlement charge in 1908, but was convicted of mail fraud in 1917 for which he served four years. He died in 1937, working on yet another real estate scam, and is buried in an unmarked grave. His successor D.C. Reed, by the way, continued the shady dealings and backroom politics with water rights.

Another interesting character was John L. Sehon who served from 1905 to 1907. Although he was elected to the office by a majority, his opponents protested his right to hold office because, as a pensioned officer already on the government payroll, he was not eliglible for paid political office. They filed suit against him, but every time anyone with papers tried to approach him, Sehon disappeared. This went on until a week before the inauguration, so his opponents decided to ambush him on inauguration day as he walked from his car to the steps of City Hall for his swearing in.

Before dawn on inauguration day, papers in hand, they waited on the steps of the mayor's office and gazed down the street looking for Sehon. At noon, Sehon came out of the mayor's office behind the crowd that had gathered. They tried to serve him, but it was too late. The previous night, just after midnight, Sehon and a city official had climbed a ladder to the mayor's second story office and smashed a window to gain access. The city official swore Sehon into office just after midnight. Needless to say, this was challenged in court, and several months later Sehon was declared mayor by a judge who reasoned that "possession is nine-tenths of the law."

Louis B. Wilde almost survived a political scandal in 1920. He was involved in fund-raising activities with a nebulous firm known as the Community Oil Well Company and was therefore under heavy press and legal scrutiny. The young Prince of Wales, meanwhile, was visiting America and planned a short stopover in San Diego. The prince's party insisted that the stay would be brief and unofficial, and therefore wanted no festivities or ceremony. Wilde, however, saw this as a perfect opportunity to deflect attention from his activities. So he planned a huge reception, even promising that the prince would address the people. At first the Prince of Wales refused, then relented and compromised with a three-minute speech. The event was successful and did deflect attention off Wilde--for a while anyway. In the end it did nothing to save his career, and he was driven from office in 1921 under a cloud of scandal.

Rutherford B. Irones was appointed mayor in 1934 when Mayor John Forward, Jr. stepped down. He was in jail within four months. It seems he was driving the city limo under the influence one evening when he struck a car carrying a sailor and his wife, who was seriously injured. Irones did not even stop. Since Irones had brought his good friend George Sears in as police chief, the police did nothing. However, a newspaper investigation and a civil suit filed by the injured woman forced their hand, and Irones was arrested for hit and run. He was convicted and sentenced to six months (!) in jail. Needless to say, he resigned.

What an interesting and colorful history San Diego enjoys! From Joshua Bean in 1850 to the likes of Pete Wilson who went on to become Governor of California and the most recent resignation of Dick Murphy, tt appears that colorful mayors are all part of the San Diego experience.

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Comments

Posted by Carl Soderholm	May 3, 2005
What a fascinating story! I have to wonder how the current mess will stack up against some of the colorful Mayors of the past? Do other cities have similar problems, or is do we somehow have a knack for electing scoundrels?

Posted by SHAWN	March 30, 2006
ITS NICE

Posted by Dennis Hays	June 21, 2006
WE have a group holding a meeting in San diego in January. Would you be able to make a presentation on the history of San Diego to this group of about 50 people? Thanks.

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