 The train reached Marysville , California , on the morning of September 19 , and Nixon gave a speech from the rear platform . As the train pulled out , while he remained on the rear platform , someone in the crowd yelled , " What about the $ 16 @,@ 000 ? " ( the amount then thought to have been contributed to the Fund ) . The candidate had the train stopped , and responded that he had been told that if he continued on his political course , " crooks and communists " would smear him . He told the crowd that the Fund had saved the taxpayer money , since it paid for matters that could have been paid for through his Senate expense allowance . He promised to throw the " crooks and communists " out of Washington . 
