davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29
THE ABDICATION

The day after Schmitz took office
things happened. He issued an open
letter to the public, declaring that he
was indebted to Abe Ruef for his cleo
ton, that Ruef was his friend, had
been his personal attorney for years
and would now be his close advisor,
his imam behind the throne He eX-
pected to refer to Ruef all administra-
tion matters. and to all intents and
purposes Ruef would be the real mayor,
while Schmitz would hold the honors.
This was rather startling to San
Francisco. 1t didn't know much about
Ruef and it wanted to know less. 1T
had elected Schmitz as mayor and it
expected Schmitz to do his duty, not
toss it over to someone else. Who was
Ruef, anyhow?
San Francisco soon learned. Abe
Ruef Showed the big town, and he
has been showing it ever since. AS z
king in the past in his own native land
had said: "I am the state" so now
Ruef not only said: "I am the mayor"
but he brazenly became 1.-The whole
works. He dictated appointments; he
selected officers, he ordered politics.
Its Peculiar Charter
The government of San Francisco is
DeculldI. lHeIe is llO tlty Npuiltlls llic
city and the county are merged, and the
supervisors are the legislative body.
The board has also supreme control of
the finances. The mayor is executive
of the city and is almost czar; he
names the police. fire. health and vari-
Gus other boards, wholly without con-
firmation, He can remove their mem
bers for cause" without accounting to
anyone. He is an autocrat. 1t is the
extreme of one-man responsibility in
government, and under Phelan Ii
worked perfectly.
But under Schmtz it was curse un-
precedented Board members are named
for terms of years, one going out each
year, so as to perpetuate the organiza-
ton. Instead of waiting for terms to
expire. Schmitz-and always, where
Schmitz is named. remember that
Ruef is neant-"flred" everyone and Or
ganized wholly new boards.
These boards are required to be non
partisan by the charter, Schmitz being
a laborite, named only laborites to them
but farcically he picked Democratic and
Republican unlonists. at will. He as
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29

mixed up in politics in peanut" way,
and had something of power.
Also in the Republican party was
Eugene f. Schmitz, leader of the
orchestra at San Francisco theater--
a huge, powerful looking man of
hair in a mop on his poll, and curly
beard-more Italian in cast of features
than German. He was a good fiddler
and he made a good orchestra leader;
also he ranked we'll as director of the
band in Golden Gate park.
These positions made him somewhat
known to the public. and he had his
personal following in this way. He
was not known as a man of any great
moral strength-his full. sensuous lips
and shifting eyes betoken lack of
stamina. But Schmitz was a command
ing figure in a throng, and he attracted
attention by bis fine physique and his
ability as a player. and to a lesser eX-
tent his skill as a speaker.
Ruef, by the way, is a ferret-like
fellow, small-anything but a typical
leader of men.
Ruef, the Disturber
Ruef, with Schmitz and few others,
had been somewhat of a disturbing
element in the Republican party
wanters of things they couldn't get and
KlCRerS Wnen tney Ialled. Iney nad
little organization of their own as a
side issue and this gave them stand
ing that otherwise would not have
been theirs. And they realized their
power.
When the Republicans had their con-
vention there was a row and a split.
Ruef and Schmitz-not Schmitz more
than his followers. except for the re-
sults-and the rest, pulled out, and
took their end of the party over to the
camp of the Union Labor party.
This party had already had a conven-
ton, and Ruef had been smart enough
to secure its nomination of his friend
Schmitz as it's candidate for mayor.
Schmitz was putty to Ruef; he was
a Republican and a laborite in good
standing in the musicians union.
Ruef's cunning put it all over the
dubs who had the new party" in
charge, and Schmitz won, hands down.
Then Ruef did a still smarter thing
he "hornswaggled' the Republican or
ganization, or what was left of it, into
indorsing Schmitz and making him its
candidate! Thus Schmitz was on one
Republican ticket and on the labor
ticket as well. That he was elected
every one knows.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29

sumed power over the police and the
firemen. and they became his personal
servants, detailed to do his will.
The city stared in amaze. who is
this fiddler that he is grown so great?'
and especially who is this Ruef to
whom all things are referred?" it de-
manded. it had elected no Ruef; he did
not figure on any ticket; he was not
counted in the scheme of things at all.
Where did he come in, any how?
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29
Eugene E. Schmitz

They did. 1t cost them. some say
$50. 900, some 5000 900. No matter, 1t was
worth all it cost.
The French restaurants now run as OF
yore 1t was decided that they would
thenCeforth be considered "hotels' and
each one installed register for all VINO
seek quarters above the first floor.
The Chinatown gamblers were closed
I'D. 1t was shocking that Chinatown
should furnish such sights for visitors
The fantan players were wild. The
whisper went to them: See Abe Ruef.
They did.
Now you can find fantan anytime,
anywhere in Chinatown.
How much did it cost? The heathen
Chinee is "childlike and bland" and he
mo talkee Inglis' when he doesn't
want to.
Women of the Street, Too
The poor depraved wretches who
wander the streets at night and seek
to pander to the men who made them
so-yes they see" Abe Ruef. There
are regular times and fees for this sort
of people; each knows just when to go,
and how much to carry.
And this is the price of freedom--un-
less something special. like an election,
ensues. Then special calls go forth.
They tell me the Schmitz- -Ruef crowd
has 81, 100000 in its campaign fund this
year-all secured from graft and this
special sort of hod-up.
And there are other fees" too. A
man wanted to put up a theater. He
went to see the mayor about it--poor
fool! The mayor told him it was ala
right and to go ahead.
He did: secured his lease. had his
plans drawn, and went for his building
permit.
Here came a hitch. His plans were
not approved. He waited and changed
and argued and pleaded. And stih
nothing doing" He went back to the
mayor.
"Ah, yes" said his honor" "Ah. yes.
Suppose you go and see Abe Ruef about
this; he is pretty good on untangling
such affairs"
Ruef's Orders
The man did Ruef accepted his fee
and declared himself.
"Take the plans to so-and-so," he
said; "let them figure on the work; they
are used to working under city laws
and can tell you what's wrong"
Unto Ruefs contractors he went.
They looked at the plans.
"Oh, yes; We'll attend to it; won't be
any trouble at ALL
The man wanted bids.
"Oh, we don't do business with bids;
it isn't necessary for us to bid. Well
put up your theater and render our
bills; We'll treat you right"
1t has cost that man $4,000 more
already than his architect figured that
it would, and he isn't in his theater yet!
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29
THE BEGINNINGS

Let us go back to the beginnings
and see how this thing started. 1t
isn't long story 1t doesn't run back
to the vigilantes days, though there
be talk of vigilantes i'm the big town
right now. 1t doesn't even lap back to
the Kearny sand-lot times. though the
spirit of Kearny seems afleld at pres
ent. 1t runs only about four years
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29
THELAsoR PARTY

In the Republican party at this time
was a French-Jew lawyer named
Abraham Ruef. He had something of
"a following among his own people and
was known to be keen, shrewd, sharp
and none too scrupulous. He had been
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29
BY Private Wire

"There is a private phone line--not
the central but private line
running from Schmitz's desk in the
city hall to Ruef,s desk in Ruef's inner
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29
THE ENTREE OF RUFF

The city soon found out where Ruef
came in. Everywhere! Not thing was
done that Ruef didn't have his hand
on it or, more often, in it, He was the
dictator; Schmit2 was his puppet.
Did man want favor from the
administration See Ruef. Did a
builder require an ordinary permit? See
Ruef. Was a street to be improved, a
pavement to be repaired. a sidewalk to
be laid? See Ruef Was a policeman
wanted See Ruef. Was a job sought
See Ruef Till Abe Ruef became the
most sought man in San Francisco. And
men who a month before did not know
that he breathed the breath of life
now had to truckle at his feet and beg
for glimpse of his presence.
Ruef's time became valuable-eXceed-
ingly so. The buster he became. the
more 1t was worth. He was a lawyer,
and lawyers obtain fees for consulta-
tions as they do for cases. Ruef asked
fees to be seen. Aye, he did-such fees!
Usually $500
It cost a man $500 usually to see"
Abe Ruef. That sum became the min
imum fee. For this, Ruef promised to
see his friend, the mayor, and to try
his persuasive powers on him. Or,
perhaps, he had to see the mayors
police board-named by Ruef-or the
mayors building commissioners -
named by Ruef-or the mayors this,
that or the other-all named by Ruef
oh. yes, little diplomacy ought to
work things through. Fee? OF course
being a lawyer, that was businesslike
and proper-eminently legal and right.
Thanks; call around tomorrow, and I'll
let you know what can be done. No,
no receipts given
Ruef's office expanded. From a little
back room in the foreign quarter, he
branched out. He secured a force Of
clerks; often, one "saw" Ruef's clerks
it was all the same; their argumenta-
tive powers with the mayor We're just
as good as Abe's We're, if the fee was
forthcoming. 1t all went"
And the size of the Ruef offices in
creased, but not so fast as did the
Ruef power-nor the Ruef holdings of
real estate in the best parts of town,
or the Ruef bank account.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29

carpenter that ever was?"
Because. he put A Ruef Ga roof over
San Francisco"
Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-29
"THE LEGALIzATIoN OF GRAFT

I was talking to one of the shrewdest
lawyers and politicians in San Fran
cisco about Ruef's copper-riveted cinch.
why wasn't he caught?" | asked.
HE did nothing to be caught for,
was the reply. God knows, l wanted
to catch him, badly enough"-he has
been fighting him for years-"but he
never did anything Illegal A lawyer
has a perfect right to accept a fee for
services rendered That's all he did.
He promised to use his influence, and
he did. What could we do about
that?"
Then he had a cinch?" ! asked.
A Perfect Graft
THE most perfect, copper-bound and
invunerable cinch that ever existed"
was the spirited reply. ABE Ruef has
done what no other man on earth has
accomplshed-he has succeeded IN
making graft perfectly and absolutely
legal"
But where does Schmitz come in?
Can't he be reached?"
No: he can't. He never has been
known to be around when any of the
deals were made: he has been smart
enough to keep out of all such entangle-
ments. There is nothing in the world
except results to show that Ruef has
more influence with him than has any
one else. Schmitz, so far as that Is con-
cerncd. can present a perfectly clean
bill of health"
But how. then, do Ruef and Schmitz
get together"
BY Private Wire
"There is a private phone line--not
through the central, but private line
running from Schmitz's desk in the
city hall to Ruef,s desk in Ruef's inner
La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15
Aau-c,Osessts 0ossssss.

Capt. J. B. Lister. Of Pueblo, state
organizer Of the Colorado Anti Gig
arette League. and Rev. J. w. King.
OF Greeley. secretary and treasurer,
were La Junta visitors this week fos
the purpose Of organizing . local
committee to take charge Of IN anti-
cigarette campaign in this vicinity.
They met with . great deal Of en-
couragement from business men,
and will more fully explain the meth
cd Of their proposed work 1t . meet.
ing to be held 1t the Methodist
church tonight.
La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15
so0G 0oaG LOCAL VG0S
Trade with II. G.. Todd.

Trade with II. G. Todd.
Trade With the La Junta Drug
Company.
For RENr-Five room brick house.
Inquire Of v. Albera.
Four-room new house: $l05O buys
il: rented now at SIS per month.
B. Cook.
II you have any furniture you do
not want. trade it to the Furniture
Exchange Company for new furni-
ture.
Miss Alice Kendall. who has been
in California for several months for
the benefit Of her health. returned
home last Tuesday night and is much
improved.
X. A. Steen has been enjoying an
outing in the mountains near Gran
ite this week. close to the site Of the
Otero canal reservoir. where work is
now in progress on the dam.
FoR SALE-One team of black
driving mares: well matched: also
one small driving mare. with light
spring wagon and top. Address
Walter Henson. care of W. H. Bar.
telson.
L. E. Cartwright. in charge Of the
Santa Fe secret service department
in this city. hos been promoted tn
the position formerly held BY Tim
O'Leary. resigned. and will have
charge On DE south end. A. A.
Frost has been appointed to tie pos.
ition vacaeed b. Mr.. Curtwright,
La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15
ssssss ssseh es~esay ss.s vesa

The Keller Stock Company will
open at the La Junta Theater next
Monday evening for . weeks en-
sagement- Popular prices will pre-
vail. Is. 3 and IS cents. and seats
are nov On sale at the store of The
Ia Junta Drug Company. The
Trinidad Chrunie3e-News Of recent
dafe. IN . criticism Of the company
oV: There . no question but that
he best stock company ever in
Trinidad |. nsw holding forth 1t the
spen house, md what is better
neh Nv paay . better than tie
~. while the a.diences are eno.
senntiy meTeasing. Last evenin~
DeSd Harum" wa rendered for
tAe frst time IN Triniaad snd m.nv
. tine have rssideaes psid q doIar
at home and ahroad fer not ne,r,v
= gopd m embarrassment - -
La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15

placed before the public. The role
Of David Harum was in the hands Of
Mr.. A. A. Keller. and to say that he
was At his best would be only half
expressing the opinion Of the audi
ence. The play WAS good-the COM
peny good. and the effects most ex-
celIent-espeeially the rain scene.
which Of itself called for four cur
tains. and David's manner Of trad
ing horses kept al in eonvulsions Of
laughter"
La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15
,cter Of the Church" All are wei

acter Of the Church" All are well
come.
Two room house, three lots. $3.50:
about $50 down. balance inside Of
six months. B. Cook.
W. A. Mattox. of Rocky Ford. who
is supplying all Of the farmers
roundabout with Oids' engines. was
. county seat visitor Wednesday.
The joises for the ground floor Of
the Draper-MilIer-Hale block were
placsd in position this week. and in
. very few days the brick walls will
be aseending upwards.
Mis Lucy A. Devine. who he's
bssn attending school 1t 81. Vincent
Home in Denver. where she has
he's lived most Of the time since the
dsath Of her mother. returned home
. fsw days ego and will spend her
sn0mef vacation with her father,
n. J. Devine. Mis Lucy won .
psise Of 8 in gold for good BE-
hnviur.
Tharsday afternoon the Jolly"
vAisf club. which meets whenever
H. spirit moves then, Ioeded them
selves into tAe tally-ho. drove 10
Hieks1a's F1neA. nsaf Movable. ~
. sienie sapper - eavsresd arUuad
Ovsf she hwa fer several hours.
nhe party coslisosd Z he following
entjemea - eAeif vivus: Cnmp
Jamesua. J. A. DsrwsA. ]. O. Wosd,
W1l1 Andrews. Mrs. Light. Paul
nenkel. DON nosae1 md Gfsne
naF6gur. hey returned WHEN they
est heck-
La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15
uAs Aaosss' Vsssa,.

A bunch Of young ladies' from Chi
cago called at the once Of the great
family Journal On last wednesday
morning. between trims, end took
possession for the speee a thirty
minutes. The mas ply u - mech
feminine lovelineo all in . bunch
caused coasteFnation IN DE slIice
and came vefy near resulting in
walkout Of the force. ne young
hdses anaounesd tAae they repre-
ssatsd twenty-five asQhus Il the
Dat Know Hardy Nstaia' Club"
who were a tAsir wv = tAe Port
land Expaitioa. ehaessuasd BY
Pfof. Cole. nhey eallsi b ~ their
r~ects. md expesDsd tAe hspe
thaf their nam4 vsuld appssr in
tie paper. being. Ike nsst noetals
here below. E1kAer fooA Il sssing
der nam0 n prist Thy ssgis-
TIRED - falIovur l1ino 1oaage
nedgen. Alice nsasy. 1oaAsl KieA.
AafHoret Sanders, KasasFise -
mood.
La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15

and George Hangover takes Mr..
Frost's place.
For SALE-A four hole gasoline
stove with oven. nearly new. In
quire of c. r. Kendall.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Cook leave to-
morrow morning for Los Angeles.
San Francisco and Portland. Ore.
for . months visit.
Read the new advertisement Of
John Howe 4 Son. grocers. on the
fourth page Of this issue. They
have some payday bargains that
may interest you.
Rev. W. r. Ashby. who has been
in Denver for two weeks past At
tending the international convention
Of the Epworth League. returned
home Thursday evening.
Mr.. and Mrs. T. E. Orr. Of Buff
falo. ILL.,. have been the guests Of
Mrs.. Louia McDaniels tor several
days this week. They have been at.
tending the Epworth League con
vention and are now On their way tu
Portland. Ore. to visit DE exposi.
ton.
Mrs. Myrtle Raymond. daughter
Of Mrs l. c. Moore. died 1t tn
home Of her parents last Tuesday
morning Of quick consumption. aged
. years. 8 moatts and Il days. The
funeral took paoce Thursday after.
noon from the Baptist church. ser.
vices being conducted by Rev. J. r
S<ivers. and the mterment occurring
! It Riverview cemetery.
La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15

For that dress suit see Bowen.
Thompson will show you bargains
in carpets and portieres.
II you have m old chair you do
not want. send il to the Furniture
Exchange Company.
FoR RENr-Two furnished rooms
for light housekeeping; two blocks
from court house. Inquire at this
Once.
ERht-room modern house; finest
of localities; steam heat. baths. etc.
A snap and on easy terms; see me- :
r. B. Cook
Twelve new machinists and eight
boilermakers arrived from the eat
this week to 60 to work in the local
Santa Fe shops
E. E. Hively. who has been visit
ing relatives and friends in Okla
homa for several weeks. returned
home thursday morning.
Five acre tract: shout 100 a0orted
fruit trees: small house; 500 down.
$50 On eagy payments; twelve min
utes walk from pusto(iice: will taks
- there in two minutes with my
auto.-R. B. Cook. :
Services 1t St. Andrews church
to-mofrUw - usual. Conducted b
Rev. Richard WhiteAouse. rector.
Holy ossnmunisn. To .. m; Sunday
School. 10 o. m Morning prayer
md sermon. IL O'Clock: subject,
Sins WaGes and Gods Gift =
Evening pe1yer and sermon It q
O'Clock: subject. The Mixed Char-
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-06-01
One Way to Catch Frogs.

III looking over a book of travels IN
France, written more than 100 years
ago, | came across an interesting bit
about the way of catching frogs for
market. The author mentions the
ract that frogs were sold by the hun
dred in the markets., hat they were
classed as fish and that only the hind
quarters were eaten. But to come 70
the main point he says: "To catch the
frogs the fisherman puts one of them
IN Il glass vessel, which he dips into a
brook. on which the creature, finding It.
self IN so strange a situation confined
IN the midst OF water in Il transparent
machine, or, | may say, invisible pris-
Oh, begins to croak most melodiously.
and by his croaking makes multitudes
OF other frogs come to him on every
SIDE, as II tc rescue their companion.
when the frog fisher valiantly seizes
MS prey."-London Chronicle.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-06-01
French

There is one thing that French moth
ers do not do enough. That Is to sep
arate from their growing boys, to send
them to the school of life outside the
home and into situations where they
must look after themselves. The moth
er's happiness IS complete only with
her children around her. Let life not
keep them too much apart. From this
arise too fearsomc ideas of distance
and u too timid attachment to the natal
soil or the maternal city.
The difficulty is that 1t is very re-
luctantly admitted among the French
that the time must come for the
Nesting to use its own wings. l have
seen most excellent parents worry
themselves nearly to death because n
daughter will not acQuiesce in their
IDEAS or wish to accept the husband
of their choice. To a son or 4 daughter
very devoted but independent it is Of
ten said, You love me no longer"
But if we have touched here upon Il
somewhat delicate point the good will
and love of the French mothers are
above all praise, even II sometimes
farsightedncss and breadth Of mind be
somewhat lacking.-Charles Wagner in
Cosmopolitan,
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-06-01
Queer Matching Processes.

The Chilean frog. known also as Oar
Win frog. is unique IN its method Of
Matching eggs. The female Is not alb
normal, but the male has Il large pouch
which underlieS Its whole body and is
connected With its mouth by two open
ings, II on either side of its tongue.
When his mate has laid her eggs this
devoted parent takes them into his fore
paws and places them inside his mouth,
whence they presently pass by the two
passages into the eNpectant pouch.
Here they remain in warm and safe Sc
clusion until they are Matched and
emerge as newborn tadpoles to the
light. The breeding habits OF the mid
wife frog are not less singular. He
winds the strings OF new laid eggs
round his hind legs and vanishes into
a convenient hole till they are Matched.
The Surinam toad places eggs II by
one in hexagonal cells formed In the
back of the mother toad, whence in due
time they hop out, not tadpoles, but
perfect toa&s.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-06-01
Walters and Tins.

a competent waiter is not a fool by n
long shot. and nc MAJ is so liberal at
any other moment of his life as when
ne is feeding we'll. A first class serving
man ut table can wheedle a quarter or
haif dollar out of even a stingy blather-
skite by soEe delicate attention, by
showing just the least bit of interest in
his especial welfare. a German lie,l-
tenant i'll hard lines is waiting in n
swell hotel l!ere. His tips amount TO
si1a day. He is incognito for the pres
mt University graduates could do
quite as we'll. The principal trouble is
thai waiting is regarded as too servile.
100 mental. stnaclling too much of slay-
cry. But good walters make valuable
friends and earn several times as much
money as bank clerks and shop sales
men. And the calling might be digni-
ded.-New York Press.
The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-06-01
The Ease of Normal Death.

According to a scientist, the immedi-
ate cause of death in all but very ex-
ceptional cases, such as accident, is the
poisoning of the nervous centers by
carbonic acid, which accumulates In the
blood owing to the failure Of the ar
rangement for its removal. "This gas
Is an anaesthetic," he explains, land
has, indeed, been employed as such,
both locally and otherwise. This prop
erty of carbonic acid may be termed a
merciful provision of nature. Normal
death is a painless occurrence, usually
preceded by gradual loss of conscious
ness entailing no more suffering than
going to sleep. The accumulation Of
this merciful gas often induces muscu-
lar contraction or spasms, which are
preceded by loss of consciousness, but
which may have suggested to uncritical
observers that. their moribund subject
was in agony.