Coronado Eagle and Journal, Volume 3, Number 14, 22 August 1914 — RALPH L. CONKLIN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

RALPH L. CONKLIN

The many friends of Ralph L. Conklin, who is a candidate for nomination fof the office of sheriff of San Diego county, and who are backing his cause with enthusiasm, clairri for him exceptional qualifications for this, the first office of the county. San Diego county, by reason of its geographical position, bordering upon the nation’s southernmost boundary, with its rough, mountainous topography along this line, has afforded in the past, and will probably continue in the future, an attractive harborage for the fugitives of both nations, and the sheriff of San Diego county is in consequence of this condition called upon most frequently to “take to the road,” so to speak, in the pursuit and apprehension of offenders who have escaped from the northern counties, and who either seek to cross fhe line into Mexico, or to remain in close proximity thereto, in the hope of crossing quickly in cage of necessity. The friends of Ralph Conklin present hirn to the citizens of San as possessing all of the qualifications necessary to fill all the requirements of the sheriff’s office in a marked degree. He has been in San • Diego county since 1874, and is a son of Judge N. H. Conklin, who for so many years honored the superior court bench of this county. For the past twenty years Ralph Conklin has. been employed in the United States Customs and Immigration service, stationed at various points along the frontier in Sari Diefcp county; he is as famHiar with every trail and cross road of this county as he is with “San Diego’s business streets. During the time he has been in the service of the government he has figured in almost everv episode that had to do with tfee capture, of smugglers and law breakers along the line. As far back as November, 1895, while riding, the line for the Customs service, Conklin* then but twenty-five years of age, unaided, broke up a notorious band of cattle and horse thieves who had long operated along the line, and sin-gle-handed arrested the ringleaders, who were known on both sides of the line as desperate characters. Later on, while acting as immigration inspector, Conklin was mainly instrumental in completely disorganizing and driving out of business the famous “underground railway,” a powerful organization of rich ' Chinese and white and Mexican outlaws, who had in their years of smuggling activities amassed large fortunes in bringing into the United States many hundreds of contraband Chinese. The friends of Ralph Conklin present him to the voters of San Diego county as a man seasoned by his experience in the field —as one who has been tried in many departments of the gov-

ernment and always found true; as an educated, capable and straightforward man who, if elected, will give to the sheriff’s office an efficient and honorable administration of its affairs.