"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft Prosecution

"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft Prosecution by Franklin Hichborn is a deep look at the immense corruption that controlled San Francisco in the early 1900s. It tells the story of how the Union Labor Party, with leaders like Abe Ruef, took over the city and used their power for their own gain. The book shows how this "System" worked, the court fights that followed, and the brave people who tried to stop the corruption. It starts with the rise of the Union Labor Party during a time of big labor problems and focuses on Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz and Abraham Ruef, who manipulated the party to gain power and encourage corruption. As the corruption grew, so too did the public's anger and want for justice, leading to a big conflict between those who wanted to fix the city and the powerful, corrupt forces already in place.