Charles E. Downs

Charles Emerson Downs (February 11, 1898 – May 15, 1967) was the first Los Angeles City Council member representing the 10th District after a new city charter went into effect in 1925. He was removed from office after just three months, however, when he was convicted of receiving a bribe from a developer who planned to construct a moving sidewalk in the Second Street Tunnel.

Downs was born on February 11, 1898, in Los Angeles, and in 1907 he became a general contractor. His mother was Ada V. Downs, and his brothers were Charles E. Downs of Los Angeles, Milson William Downs and Arthur S. Downs of Santa Monica and John W. Downs. He was married to Ruth Downs, who sued him for divorce in April 1928 while he was in San Quentin penitentiary. His daughter was Mrs. Elaine Mitchell, and his wife at the time of death on May 15, 1967, was Jean E. Downs.

In June 1925, Downs was the successful candidate in the newly formed 10th District, which at that time was bounded by Pico, Jefferson, Vermont and Alameda Boulevards. In the general election, Downs was elected by a vote of 2,972 to 2,726 for Mark A. Pierce.

Meanwhile, the former City Council had awarded a franchise to the Tunnels Transportation Company to build a moving sidewalk under the Second Street Tunnel, with seats, "on each side of which would be a public sidewalk." Downs and Joseph F. Fitzpatrick, both new council members, said they were opposed to the project, but, according to William Hodges, vice-president of Tunnels Transportation, one of Downs's tenants — Jack Murphy, or J. Howard Murphy — told Hodges that the councilmen's votes could be obtained.

Hodges went to Downs's office and asked him what was expected, to which Downs is said to have replied: "It's long and flat and green," and he drew a rectangle on the back of an envelope. The same day, Hodges said, he notified Council President William Workman, and he then worked with District Attorney Asa Keyes and Chief Deputy D.A. Buron Fitts to lay a trap for Downs.

On August 18, 1925, the new council was set to adopt ordinances for the project, but Downs and Fitzpatrick objected to an immediate vote, stating they had an "important appointment" to keep. The appointment at Downs's City Hall office was with Hodges, who passed each of the councilmen $1,000 in marked bills, wrapped in torn magazine pages. As Hodges left the room, he raised his hat as a signal to police officers hiding in the hallway, and they placed both councilmen under arrest. Murphy was also arrested.

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