Francis Joseph Gethro (April 20, 1872 – August 9, 1919) was an American businessman and politician who represented Boston's Ward 9 in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Frank J. Gethro | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 9th Suffolk district | |
| In office 1906–1906 | |
| Member of the Boston Common Council | |
| In office 1903–1905 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 20, 1872 Dedham, Massachusetts |
| Died | August 9, 1919 (aged 47) Providence, Rhode Island |
| Resting place | Brookdale Cemetery Dedham, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Occupation | Tobacconist Insurance agent Hairdresser State representative Steamship captain |
Early life
editGethro was born on April 20, 1872, in Dedham, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Boston Common Council from 1903 to 1905 and was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1905. Outside of politics, Gethro worked in the tobacco and insurance businesses and was a hairdresser.[1]
Bribery investigation and expulsion
editIn the May 1906, a Suffolk County grand jury investigated members of the Massachusetts General Court, including Gethro, who were alleged to have accepted bribes to kill an anti-bucket shop bill. The investigation on May 12, 1906, ended without any indictments.[2] The House Committee on Rules took up its own investigation shortly thereafter.[3] On May 24, Representative Jacob H. Mock testified that he had been offered $50 by Gethro to vote against the anti-bucket shop bill. After finding out Mock had testified against him, Gethro confronted Mock in a State House corridor and punched him in the chest.[4][5] On June 15, the committee issued its report to the House. It found that Gethro had approached members of the house and attempted to influence their vote by suggesting a monetary reward in exchange for voting against the anti-bucketing bill and recommended his expulsion. The committee found no evidence that any member accepted a bribe from Gethro, but did recommend the censure of one member, Simon Swig, for making conflicting statements before the committee.[6] On June 21, the House voted 142 to 54 to expel Gethro.[7][8]
Following his expulsion, Gethro alleged that the buying and selling of votes was common practice in the Massachusetts General Court and that House leadership had promised him protection from prosecution. He also stated that his fight with Mock was a prearranged "grandstand play".[9] On June 22, 1906, Gethro and his legal counsel Daniel H. Coakley met with Suffolk County District Attorney John B. Moran to implicate other representatives in the bribery scandal.[10] Gethro testified before a grand jury on December 18, 1906, however his testimony did not result in any indictments.[11]
Steamship industry
editAfter leaving politics, Gethro became involved in the steamship industry in Boston. In 1911 he commissioned the Madeleine from the Irving Reed Shipyard. He used the Madeleine to ferry day laborers and haul supplies and equipment to Castle Island and other points throughout Boston Harbor.[12] He also captained the Juliette, operated by the town of New Shoreham, Rhode Island, under lease to Gethro. In July 1919 he organized the Block Island, Newport and Providence Transportation Company. He leased, repaired, and refitted the steamship New Shoreham at great expense and planned to run a service from Block Island to Providence, Rhode Island. The company acquired dock space at the Old and New Harbors on Block Island, Transit Street in Providence, and the City Wharf in Newport, Rhode Island.[13] He commissioned two new ships, the Frances and Loretta, from the Irving Reed Shipyard. On August 9, 1919, Gethro died suddenly while observing a fire drill aboard the New Shoreham.[14] The company was taken over by Gethro's heirs, but the death of his brother Vincent the following year led to its demise.[15]
References
edit- ^ A Souvenir of Massachusetts legislators 1906. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "Indictments Fail In Boston Bribery". The New York Times. May 13, 1906.
- ^ "One-Half Are Heard: Bribery Query Goes On". The Boston Daily Globe. May 22, 1906.
- ^ "Lawmakers in Fist Fight". The New York Times. May 25, 1906.
- ^ "Blow In Breast Given to Mock by Gethro". The Boston Daily Globe. May 25, 1906.
- ^ "Gethro's Expulsion From House Asked". The Boston Daily Globe. June 16, 1906.
- ^ "Gethro Is Expelled". The Boston Daily Globe. June 22, 1906.
- ^ "Massachusetts House Expels Frank J. Gethro". The New York Times. June 22, 1906.
- ^ "Confession by Gethro". The Boston Daily Globe. June 24, 1906.
- ^ "Gethro Gives Moran Names". The Boston Daily Globe. June 23, 1906.
- ^ "Gethro Gives His Evidence". The Boston Daily Globe. December 19, 1906.
- ^ Maguire, John (September 7, 2012). "'Coastal steamer' still chugging after 101 years". Wiscasset Newspaper. Maine-OK Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "The Block Island Boats". Providence Magazine. June 1919. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "Frank J. Gethro Dies Suddenly In Providence". The Boston Daily Globe. August 10, 1919.
- ^ "Steamer Line Quits". International Marine Engineering. April 1920. Retrieved 28 February 2021.