Rutherford B. Irones

Rutherford B. Irones (March 4, 1877 – February 13, 1948) was a physician and an American Republican politician from California.

Early life: military and medical service

Irones was born 1877 in Oakland, California to John H. Irones, who came to California in 1847.Rutherford Irones graduated from the University of California Medical School and trained as a physician at Vanderbilt Clinics at Roosevelt Hospital in New York. He joined the Marine Hospital Service in 1900 in San Francisco and became a respected physician. He helped out with the bubonic plague in that city. Later he went to La Boca, South America studying yellow fever, and visited several hospitals in Asia.

Irones married Georgie E. Dow January, 1906.

In 1907 Irones opened an office in San Diego where he practiced medicine.

During World War I, Irones served again as Captain in the medical corps, serving in France.At the war's end he remained and was food director for the American Relief Administration in Central Europe and Balkan States.He became friends with Alexander I, the crown prince of Yugoslavia.On January 17, 1920 Irones married the Countess von Reig and Sitzgross, later known as Mary, at Vienna, Austria.Irones returned to San Diego in 1920, where he was a member of the American Medical Association and local medical societies, and the Roman Catholic Church.

Political life

Irones was a strongly anti-prohibitionist and headed the Crusaders' anti-prohibition organization, which fought the 18th Amendment in San Diego and Imperial counties. He campaigned in 1934 for Republican Tallant Tubbs against Democrat William Gibbs McAdoo for Senator. McAdoo, who was "Dry", won.

Irones was appointed mayor of San Diego on August 2, 1934 to finish out the term of John Forward who resigned.The council wanted to appoint Vice Mayor Al Bennett, but he said "I'm thoroughly disgusted with city politics. I don't want the mayor's appointment."Councilman Anderson commented "I was in hope some outstanding citizen . . . could be persuated to accept the office, but I guess that is impossible."He said the council settled on Irones as a "harmony" move. ["Council Appoints Dr. R. B. Irones Mayor After Bennett, 'Disgusted,' Refuses Post", San Diego "Union" August 3, 1934, p. A-1. Article includes portrait]

Shortly after his appointment, Irones had his pay as mayor attached to pay a bad debt of $648 plus interest. [San Diego "Union", August 14, 1934]

A month after taking office, he demanded and got a new Lincoln automobile from the city, which was derisively referred to by the press as the "royal coach". While driving drunk one evening, crashed his new car, seriously injuring the passenger in the other car, then he ran into a phone pole trying to escape. Police Chief George M. Sears, appointed by Irones, did nothing.

Several months later, after a newspaper investigation and civil suit by the victim publicized the crime, Irones was arrested, convicted of hit-and-run driving, and forced to resign in 1935. Irones was sentenced to jail for six months and one year probation. He was jailed in a cell with 17 others, but released 30 days early for good behavior. After a separate board hearing, Irones kept his medical license. [San Diego "Union", February 10, 1935 (sentence), February 16, 1935 (jailed), June 16, 1935 (released), July 11, 1935 (medical license)]

Epilogue

In 1937 his wife Mary, the former Countess, deserted him and he sued for divorce in 1939.

Irones died 1948 in at the United States Veterans Home at Sawtelle, Los Angeles, where he was lived for the year prior to his death, and is buried in Los Angeles National Cemetery.

References

ee also

*, v. 2, pp. 263-264: "Rutherford B. Irones, M.D."
* Obituary, San Diego "Union", February 17, 1948, p. A-3. Includes portrait