The Magnificent Rogues of San Francisco: A Gallery of Fakers and Frauds, Rascals and Robber Barons, Scoundrels and Scalawags

by Charles F. Adams

Get ready to meet twenty of the most interesting, bizarre, colorful, and unforgettable characters to be found in the annals of the most interesting, bizarre, colorful, and unforgettable city in the world. Historian Charles F. Adams brings each personality to vivid life, describing in fascinating detail their strange contributions to the first century of San Francisco’s history. These men and women either lived lives of profound rascality or, in notable lapses from propriety, committed reprehensible acts inconsistent with their more sedate reputations. They • Talbot Green, the man who gave a street the wrong name.• Shanghai Kelly, who supplied many a ship with a crew.• Joshua Norton, the madman who became emperor.• Harry Meiggs, the speculator who invented North Beach.• The “notorious” Isaiah C. Woods.• The reclusive philanthropist James Lick. • William C. Ralston, the banker who went for a swim. • Charles Crocker, who tried to fence out his neighbor. • David Terry, the judge who shot a senator. • Charles de Young, the publisher who shot a preacher. • Charles E. Boles, the gentleman who became Black Bart. • Little Pete, the evil king of Chinatown. • The conniving Mammy Pleasant and her “house of mystery.” • Ambrose Bierce, the writer everyone loved to hate. • “Firebelle” Lillie Coit. • Boss Abe Ruef.• Albert Abrams, “the father of electronic medicine.” • The beautiful, but scandalous Amy Crocker. • James Flood and his secret. • Sally Stanford, the famous madam who later became a mayor. Each, in his or her way, added to the patina of notoriety enjoyed worldwide by the City by the Bay.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Charles F. Adams is a resident of San Francisco, is a chairman of the Wajim Corporation and president of Adams Enterprises. He formerly was president and chief operating officer of D'Arcy, MacManus & Masius, Inc., a worldwide advertising agency. He also is a former owner and general partner of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins. His books include Common Sense in Advertising, Heroes of the Golden Gate, and California in the Year 2000.

Reviews

[Sabrina Flynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is a really entertaining and fascinating look at notable people in San Francisco's history, I am not altogether sure I can trust it's historical accuracy. While I don't doubt that the information can be found in newspapers archives, many of the newspapers of the time contain wild rumor and speculation. For example: in Magnificent Rogues, it was said that 'Over the decades, so the story was told, the tongs had burrowed down beneath the city like animals fleeing the light, carving out a warren of rooms and labyrinths that extended as deep as five stories beneath street level'. Another historical source that I was reading mentioned the same thing, however, it went onto say that after the 1906 earthquake, when much of Chinatown had been destroyed, that officials mapped the ruins and found that this was not true. This book did not correct the rumor.

I found the same issues with 'Mammy Pleasant's' story. Other sources state that many of the more wild stories about her are just that, stories. That due to her race and gender, all manner of rumors were started about her to try and discredit her name. The newspapers of the times had no problem sensationalizing and propagating their own own prejudices and agendas. Which is sort of what I feel like this book was doing. Regardless, it's highly entertaining, I just wish I could trust it more as a historical source that paints a complete picture.

[Jonathan Fesmire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently, I published my latest novel, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western. It that takes place in 1876, in an alternate Santa Cruz, California. Most of the sequel is going to take place in San Francisco.

I want to capture the spirit of The City—as people were calling San Francisco back then, and as many still do—and I found The Magnificent Rogues of San Francisco by Charles Adams. This seemed the perfect place to start, a book that could give a history of the city and some of its most infamous citizens. This book did not disappoint, and now I can use some of the most notorious rogues of San Francisco as characters in my next book.

The Magnificent Rogues of San Francisco contains four parts: PART I Early Rogues, covering about 1850 to 1875, PART II Later Rogues, covering about 1875 to 1900, and PART III Twentieth-Century Rogues, covering from 1900 to about 1925, and PART IV Probably Not the Last Rogues, covering 1925 through about the 1950s, though the final historical personage, Sally Stanford, lived until 1982.

What makes a rogue? A good portion of the people examined in this book were outright sociopathic criminals. Shanghai Kelly kidnapped men who came to his saloon and sold them to ship captains as sailors. Little Pete ran the Chinatown mob. Mammy Pleasant manipulated and murdered people to get what she wanted. Abe Ruef made it rich by putting his cronies into high political positions and charging big businesses for favorable votes.

Others were extreme nonconformists. James Lick was an eccentric who had a glorious hotel built. It crumbled in the 1906 earthquake. He also founded Lick Observatory and made sure that it had the best astronomical telescope in the world. Ambrose Bierce, a brilliant and handsome newspaper columnist, upset many popular city figures with his sarcastic reviews of their behavior, and eventually went to Mexico and was never heard from again. You may know him as the author of The Devil’s Dictionary.

In addition to covering the adventures and foibles of these noteworthy men and women, Charles Adams gives a good overview of San Francisco history and how dangerous life could be there in the city’s early years. I look forward to weaving in some of the offbeat people I learned about here into my next novel.

[Frederick Gault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting topic but lots of typos.

[John Kermen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read, especially for people who live in Northern California. Amusing at times, this book is a quick read. The names and locations are familiar. Enjoyed the book very much

[Paul Quick · Rating 4 out of 5]

especially enjoyed story of david terry Ms. Coit.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a certain fondness for this book for a number of reasons. Of course, the title alone is worth anyone’s while in cracking the covers and was in fact what initially drew me to it as well. One of the other reasons is the inclusion of the writer Ambrose Bierce amongst the gallery of personalities here. Bierce is an acquired taste and is a bit rough around the edges to read but still, despite his many faults, I have a soft spot for his brand of misanthropic worldview and dark humor. I’d like to think that those unfamiliar with him might be drawn to him after reading the section devoted to him here.

If not, there are still a great number of other notable colorful characters within its pages to entertain the gentle reader of history. None of these are overly long nor are they very taxing to read. In truth, these are really nothing more than sketches of the facts rather than anything in depth or very revealing. However, these little biographies do overturn a few rocks to uncover some lesser-known individuals that go unnoticed elsewhere and is well worth the read because of it. It will undoubtedly thoroughly entertain most readers as well as potentially lead others to a greater interest in pursuing more comprehensive studies of some of these people.

Collectively, these tiny little pieces of history cast a certain light into the more shady side of the history of San Francisco. Although the narrative is skewed towards the more unsavory aspect of the people living here in the early days of the city’s founding, this just might explain in part why it still holds the fascination of people to this very day and with good reason. For, there is in all likelihood just as many characters of this particular stripe, if not more, still living here now just waiting for their stories to be told…long after they’ve passed on of course.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, albeit, brief look at some of the more interesting people who helped define San Francisco. Tales of a madam turned mayor, and a madman turned emperor, as well as probably one of the greatest temper tantrums ever thrown by a multi-millionaire. Highly recommended for anyone who has ever lived in, visited, thought about visiting "The City" or anyone who enjoys reading about the brazen audacity of others.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating look at some of the characters that shaped early San Francisco. I enjoyed it primarily because I live near San Francisco and know the names of some of these characters. Some stories are better than others. It also gives you a good look at life in San Francisco from 1850-1920.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up hearing the names of these rogues of San Francisco. It was interesting to read the back story.