Samuel Blake

"It's a sad day for our city when our citizens cannot walk the streets in broad daylight without fear from a-- from a foreign criminal element. What's worse, our own courts cannot uphold the very protections put in place to keep us safe. And so, I say here today, in front of all of you, this will not stand! You have my word that I will devote every resource necessary to ensure the safety and sanctity of every man, woman, and child of our great city. God bless you all, God bless San Francisco, and God bless the United States of America."

—Mayor Blake^[src]

Samuel Blake was the Mayor of San Francisco tip-toeing the line between supporting Chinese labor and denouncing the Chinese community. Despite supporting anti-Chinese views to gain support for his campaign, Samuel often frequented Chinese brothels in secret, where he would be serviced by both male and female prostitutes.

Mayor Blake also had a strained relationship with his wife, Penelope, who essentially only married him to save her father's business.^[1] Unfortunately, her views often clashed with his own, especially in regard to the Chinese community. After learning of her deal to supply steel to Merriweather, he confronted Penny in a blind, drunken rage and nearly choked the life from her. However, Samuel was bashed in the back of his head with a poker by Jacob and killed.^[2]

Biography[]

Early life[]

Samuel was raised in San Francisco and comes from a wealthy family. He pursed Penelope, who only agreed to marry him in order to save her family's business.^[1]

Dealing with the death of two coolies[]

SE1-E01-The-Itchy-Onion-07-Walter-Penelope-Samuel — The mayor learns of two dead coolies

Mayor Blake and his wife Penny are joined by Buckley, who reveals that two chinamen were killed last night; they were working on the Merriweather building, and a couple of labor thugs smashed their heads in with hammers. Mayor Blake wants to keep this as quiet as possible, meaning having to speak with Merriweather himself. Penny is disgusted by her husband's attempt to sweep such heinous crimes under the rug, but Mayor Blake isn't interested in her opinions. Furthermore, Mayor Blake wants the two labor thugs arraigned as fast as possible, though he worries about Merriweather's response, as they promised him that his laborers would be protected. Merriweather advises Mayor Blake to find a way to better police Chinatown for both of their sake.

That night, Mayor Blake watches from the bedroom as Penny gets undressed. She takes off her robe, but instead of joining him in bed, she simply slams the door shut. So, the following evening, Blake arrives out back of Ah Toy's brothel, and she sneaks him inside with a mask, where a young man and woman await to pleasure him.^[3]

Samuel learns that Penny was attacked in the pond, but he isn't interested in hearing what she has to say, informing Penny that her rescuer is a member of the Hop Wei and was carrying weapons when he was arrested. Furthermore, Mayor Blake is more upset with Penny for walking Jacob past the sandlot, accusing her of all but provoking her attackers. Additionally, the two men arrested for killing Merriweather's coolies were hacked to pieces outside a pub last night. And Blake hardly doubts it's a coincidence that the very next day, Ah Sahm is arrested with a hatchet.

Blake meets with Penny's father, Byron Mercer, to discuss the exclusive contract to lay cable-car tracks across the city. However, there's been a delay, which is costing Byron more money by the day. Byron suspects that they intend to pull the rug from under him, but Mayor Blake insists that isn't true and that it's just taking them a bit longer than expected to get the funding approved.^[4]

Ah Sahm's dismissed trial[]

Mayor Blake attempts to calm the outraged crowd with what they perceive to be a grave injustice after Ah Sahm's case is ruled a mistrial. Mayor Blake exclaims that it's a sad day in the city when their citizens cannot walk the street without fear from a foreign criminal element, and their own court can not uphold the very protections put in place to keep them safe. That said, Blake gives his word to devote every resource necessary to ensure the safety of every man, woman, and child. Overall, Mayor Blake is rather impressed with himself following his speech, but Buckley notes that he made no notion against the Chinese, nor did he mention jobs. Blake fears that condemning the Chinese, their greatest and cheapest resource, in public speech, would anger Merriweather, who would pull his support. Buckley tells Mayor Blake that he can only play the middle for so long, and eventually he'll have to pick a side.^[5]

Following a police raid at Ah Toy's brothel, where Blake was nearly spotted engaging in unbecoming activities, he and Buckley follow the officers back to the police station after the raid, where they reveal to the press that this raid will be one of many as part of the Chinatown initiative. The mayor and Buckley then get a photo for the newspaper with the Chinatown Squad and Chief Flannagan.^[1]

The Chinatown bombing[]

Mayor Blake and Deputy Mayor Buckley meet with Senator Crestwood after the bombing in Chinatown that left several dead. With the recent events, not to mention the prostitution and gang wars, the senator is worried about the citizens of San Francisco. He wants to pass the Exclusion Act, but there is some strong opposition from President Hayes, which is why Crestwood intends to run for President, but it won't look good for him if citizens are being slaughtered in his own state. Mayor Blake gives his full support and plans to double their efforts in Chinatown.^[6]

For the first time since their marriage, Penny comes home, slips into bed, and reluctantly has sex with Blake.^[7]

Approving the cable car contract[]

Mayor Blake and Buckley get word of the war in Chinatown between the rivaling tongs. It would take a small army to establish true law and order, which they don't have. Buckley argues that the Exclusion Act is the only other solution, with Crestwood being the right man to deliver it. However, Blake isn't sure that he wants to back Senator Crestwood's play against the Chinese. Buckley advises Blake to take a stand and pick a side.

Mayor Blake informs Byron that his bid for the cable car track has been approved and that there will be no more delays moving forward. Blake has vouched for Byron, and if he comes through, there will be plenty of work to come. Once those tracks are laid, they will be on the forefront of modernity. Blake then invites Byron to a dinner he's hosting tomorrow evening for Senator Crestwood.^[8]

Mayor Blake confronts Buckley after hearing from Byron Mercer about a lower bid, but Buckley informs the mayor that such a bid doesn't exist. He simply imputed the savings of using Chinese labor and created a new bid. He did this because along with cleaning up the mayor's messes, he also keeps track of Blake's administrative budget, which is in arrears. His political capital is on the decline, and if this project comes in one dime over budget, the appropriations committee will be calling for his head. While Blake appreciates his zeal, in the future, he demands that Buckley tell him in advance.^[9]

A household divided[]

SE2-E01-Learn-to-Endure-or-Hire-a-Bodyguard-01-Samuel-Walter — Blake and Buckley discuss their next move

The mayor's wife having 100 coolies working for her isn't a good like for Blake, but Penny doesn't seem too concerned. He reminds Penny that Merriweather has made a generous offer to buy her out, but Mercer Steele is her father's legacy, and Penny refuses to give it over. And so, that forces Blake and Buckley to take a harder stance against Chinese labor, as people are already beginning to turn on Blake and call him a hypocrite and view him as a man who can't control his wife.^[10]

Blake calls an emergency meeting for all business owners after the recent bombing, which Penny makes sure to attend. Chief Flannagan is already on the case, but Penny points out that they already know that Leary's workingmen are responsible. Merriweather agrees, noting that they'd be better served with those same officers guarding their work sites. Penny questions if they intend to do anything to protect their sites from Leary and his thugs.

SE2-E02-The-Chinese-Connection-09-Robert-Samuel — Blake and Senator Crestwood

Mayor Blake is irate at Senator Crestwood for encouraging the hate on Chinese and also pointing some of the blame on him. Buckley suggests that maybe the Senator was trying to motivate him to pick a side and get his household under control, considering that his own wife is in support of Chinese labor and hiring coolies.^[11]

Threatening Penny[]

Mayor Blake and Buckley arrive at Mercer Steel to discover that Penny has employed the Hop Wei to protect her business. They confront her with this discovery, for which she replies she had no other choice, given how other businesses were being firebombed. If the Hop Wei aren't gone by tomorrow, Blake will have no choice but to pull the city contract. Despite his threats, they later attend dinner as husband and wife at Nellie Davenport's house.^[12]

A hard stance against Chinese labor[]

SE2-E04-If-You-Dont-See-Blood-You-Didnt-Come-to-Play-06-Penelope-Samuel — Penny and Blake at odds

After learning that Sergeant O'Hara's home was invaded by the Fung Hai, Blake takes an official stance against the Chinese. While he has championed the economic advances of immigration, the citizens of San Francisco must come first. Which is why he's reviewing San Francisco's labor laws to insists of proper and comprehensive enforcement to ensure they put good American men back to work. This only further divides him and Penny, and when he reveals that he's pulling the cable car contract, Penny informs him that he can't do that. Any cancellation of signed purchase orders will not only leave Blake responsible for payment in full, it will incur penalties as well. It would cost him more to pull the contract than see it through. She sought counsel and suggests that Blake do the same to protect his interests, as there's no telling what might come to light in a public lawsuit.^[13]

Mayor Blake arrives to find Mercer Steel in shambles after it was firebombed. He insists that the rift between them brings him no joy and genuinely asks how long it will take to rebuild, which is anywhere from 4–6 weeks, which worries Blake. However, he reminds Penny of their contract and how it's only legally binding as long as all parties adhere to the terms. Penny assures Blake that she'll deliver on time, but they both know she can't, and she pleads with him for assistance, but Blake refuses.^[14]

Mayor Blake's death[]

SE2-E07-If-You-Wait-by-the-River-Long-Enough-04-Bill-Samuel — Blake thanks the Chinatown Squad

After extending his gratitude to Bill and the Chinatown Squad for bringing the swordsman to justice and an exchange with Merriweather, who made a deal with Penny to forge steel for his buildings, using Chinese labor, Blake returns home to confront his wife, who only cares about a company that should've died with her father, a drunk Blake remarks. Crestwood offers a direct line to the presidency and can send Blake to governorship, but he can't do that so long as Penny continues to employ Chinese labor. He demands that she call off her deal with Merriweather and sell her company, but Penny pushes him to divorce her in order to solve both their problems instead. He tries to comfort her, as he doesn't wish to have a divorce, but she pushes his hand away, and he strikes her in retaliation. A fight ensues, which consists of Blake punching Penny in the gut, pulling her by her hair and pinning her to a wall. Sophie comes to her defense and jumps on Blake's back, but he knocks her into a wall and turns his attention back to Penny. He gets on top of her and nearly strangled the life from Penny until Jacob intervenes and bashes him over the back of the head with an iron poker, killing Blake almost instantly.^[2]