The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-16
PAID FOR PROTECTION.
French Restaurants Said to Have
Contributed $1,000 Monthly.

san Francisco Nov. 15.-In the pres
entation of the indictments against
Mayor Schmitz and political leader
Ruef Assistant District Attorney
Heney has fulfilled the promise that the
first action taken by the grand Jury
would be to accuse Abraham Ruef with
felony. This prophecy was made in
open court two weeks ago. but nothing
was then said that Mayor Schnlitz
would be drawn into the scandal The
Indictment of Ruef was expected by
the public. but the people were not pre-
pared for immediate direct action
against the city's chief magistrate, who
is now % the Atlantic returning from
4 visit to Europe. For nearly two
Years the alleged objectionable rela-
tons between the French restaurants
and the municipal administration have
been subject of severe criticism and
public denunciation
Were Tough Resorts.
These restaurants, which were all de-
stroyed by the April confiagration, were
frequently the cause of bitter assaults
from the pulpit and press, the accusa-
tions being made that they were i'm
moral and a menace to the welfare of
the community The so-calIed res
taurants We're a combination of ca ting
house, lodging house and liquor resort
The agitation for their suppression
began years ago. and about two years
ago apparently reached the city officials
and orders were issued that they be
deprived of licenses which would close
them The doors remained locked for a
short time and then the restaurants
were permitted to reopen with some
restrictions" Soon the houses were
again in fun swing along the old lines.
About $1,000 Per Month.
Some of the local newspapers at the
time made charges that fund had
been collected amounting to thousands
of dollars. and that the money had been
paid into official hands to lift the en-
barge The accusations further al
legged that a monthly tax of about s., 600
was paid by the restaurants for pro
lection" The renewals of liquor licenses
vas granted by the police commission,
& majority of which was in accord with
the administration of Mayor Schmitz.
1t has never directly been charged
Ihat Mayor Schmitz was concerned with
fhe payment of the so-called corrup-
ton fund, but no hesitancy was used
in connecting Ruef's name with the al
legged illegal use of money. Ruef. in
deed. admitted that he had received
fees from the proprietors of the res
taurants. but declared that he acted
merely as an attorney in promoting the
rights had been trespassed upon.
Specific Charges.
According to the indictments. Ruef
and Schmitz. on the 18th of January,
1904 extorted S1.175 from Tony Blanco
Of the Poodle Dog" and on Feb. 6 of
the same year they forced him to give
,,n Il coo more. The third indictment
is based on the extortion of $1.175 from
the nroprietOrs of Marchand's restau-
rant. They are charged with demand
ING and receiving on the same day
81 175 from the prOpTietcrs of belmont
co's restaurant. 1t is charged on the
stb of the following February they
Torced these same men to yield 81 600
bv threatening 10 take away their
Iiauor licenses.
Ruef Gives Bail.
Az o'clock tonight Abra nam Ruef pro
-,,3sd in an automobile to the home of
e,ne-ior Judge Frank J. Murasky, where
5e surrendered himself to Sheriff Thorn
as O'Neil who met Ruef there by APP
,.oint1penf The representative of sur
XIV company accompanied Ruef to Judge
Sf,ra slsv's home and there qualified for
ISuef,s bonds. which amount on the five
..,nnts is $50 900. An order of release from
custody was then made by the judge.
When asked for a statement Ruef SAID;
..Iohn D. Rockefeller was indicted yes
terdav and | am indicted today The
matter is too absurd to be worth state
n1ent from me Ali / ask IS an lmmedi-
h. IN u