The San Francisco call., 1905-08-06
RUFF REV|[ES
HIS OPPONENTS
Addresses Meeting at Alham-
bra and Invective Over
comes Campaign Argument
FOLLOWERS TURN OUT
Faces Constantly Seen at the
City Hall and the Police
Courts Much in Evidence
FOLLOWERS TURN OUT

Several hundred men whose faces are
we'll known in shady district politics as
| jobholders or hangers on al the City Hall,
or go-betweens of city officials and the
criminal element lurking about the Hall
| of Justice, sat for three hours last night
at the Alhambra Theater listening to
Abraham Ruef's abuse of almost every
thing in San Francisco saving Mayor
Schmitz, himself and his trusty fol-
lowers.
Interspersed through the audience were
many policemen in plain clothes, and
nearly every Commissioner aligned with
the Ruef movement. The great minority
of the audience comprised the respectable
people who came out of curiosity or to
listen to arguments.
In the audience was sprinkling of
women whose ears were assailed with
uttera noes and expressions that brought
a blush TO the faces of many hardened
listeners. On one occasion the remarks
were so vile that Ruef himself was COM
PEELED to apologize to the women present.
In anticipating this article, Ruef said
that the morning papers would say that
"a dsgruntled and disappointed audience
filed from the hall, or left as fearing to
hear the foul expressions that were fall
ing from his lips
FEW INTERRUPTIONS.
There were few Interruptions of the
speaker, as any tendency in that direc-
ton was quickly suppressed by police
men who stood at the heads of the aisles
and lined the gallery. The only inter-
ruptions were in the form Of suggestions
| that started the speaker on new tack
Ruef began his talk with a vicious at
tack on r. A. Crothers and Fremont
Older, proprietors of an afternoon paper
About one-fourth of the evening was de-
voted to them, much to the disgust OF
the few that came to listen to campaign
argument. In addition, he attacked the
editor Of morning paper and included
The Call by innuendo.
general denial of many charges
brought against him was entered by the
speaker. He denied that he was a graft
er in any sense, and gave as his descrip-
tion of a CRATER "a man who refuses to
be blackmailed." He then told of his own
history in San Francisco and cast slurs
on the regulations of the fathers of his
opponents, at the same time speaking of
his own good, honest bringing up.
Switching from his attack on the after
noon paper, he spoke somewhat irrele-
vanity of subsidized press that en-
ployed reporters with eyes at keyholeS,
and of the Grand Jury's private sneak
thieves and reporters. 81 will not con-
tinued the speaker, refer personally to
the reporters present; but those who
should be the guides and mentors of the
people are its virulent pestilence." At
this iuncture he was interrupted by cries
of Throw 'em outi' .catcalls, boots and
Kisses.
ATTACKS GRAND JURY.
Regarding the Grand Jury, Ruef had
some caustic remarks to make. Headed
as it is" he exclaimed, by a political
foreman, and composed of so-called po-
litical reformers, it is used as a weapon
over the heads of honest men. why, on
election day there will be twelve grand
jurymen each wearing a badge, and un-
der them ten men to watch the voters.
Bv virtue of their office they will be al
lowed in the polling places, and under
this Arrangement can intimidate or inf1u-
ence uncertain voters
The speaker denied any connection with
the disgraced attorney, Jack Chretien,
and a great portion of his time was taken
UP in explaining away the many mistakes
of the present administration or in ridi-
culing many of the charges now pending
He. declared that the reason for his not
repIying to newspaper attacks was owing
to the fact that no paper would print his
reply.
This brought him to the subject or May
or Schmitz and the henchmen IN the nan
duly burst forth into cheers. lie spoke
eloouentlv of the Mayors private life,
which has never been questioned. He
then accused the Republican League of
beinp the hacker and arch conspirator In
advancing the Citizens Alliance, and said
that If the movement was successtul the
streets of San Francisco would flow with
rivers of blood. This pleased the audi
ence nightly
RAILS AT OPPONENTS.
Then began Ruefs attack on the leaders
of the Republican party. Loveland
Symmes. Wheelan, the ind1vldual mem
hers of the Grand Jury, in fact all who
have been striving for a clean city were
In tl,rn pulled to shreds by invective that
ran1acad argument District leaders
AGAINST whom there has never been the
breath Of suspicion were illuminated
The sneaker, however, admitted that
there were a few honest men on the
League tickets, but that majority OF
the nominees were saloonmen and dive
keepers or worse, or had peen convicted
Ct malfeasance In offlce.
The three-hour TRADE was drawing near
an end but the audience called for more,
and n was given them. Names were
h,r1ad Of the speaker by the audience and
of each Ruef had some sighting remark
m make AS bitingly sarcastic close to
his speech he said that he and his Mayor
stood for '.equal rights for all and special
privileges to none
Among those presentwere: Police Com
nissioners Poheim and O'Grady, Secre-
tarv Royne, his campaign lieutenants;
School director Altman, ex-Congress-
man Iivernash. Public Works Comnis-
sioner Egan, Registrar Adams, and host
OF lesser employees whose faces are famil-
lar at the City Hall ana HAL or Justice.
pref was the only. speaker of the even
ing.
Doings of sneakthieyes.
Ennis Morrison, 1895 Market street
ranorted to the police y sterday that
cfinlrr,in- SIIrrOIIpda6 with