The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-24
NO CRATER, SAYS SCHMITZ.
RUFF ISN'T EITHER, AND I'll
STAND ny MN.

DufK, dnCllOItu HAu AIU Nv yNStN'
day morning Eugene L. Schmitz. Mayor OF
San Francisco, saw his likeness on the
front page OF n paper the Quarantine doctor
brought on board and learned for the first
time that he had been indicted by a Grand
Jury at home on charges OF extortion in
Office. The indictments had been filed the
day after the boat left the German port
and there was no wireless apparatus on
board. q
The reporters came out on a revenue
cutter an hour later. The Mayors eyes
we're trimming and the corners OF his
mouth was drawn. His wife tried to hide
her tears. .
Il didn't expect IT," said the Mayor. 1t
was n great shock to me to read that l was
accused of crime Just at the time of my
homecoming. I cannot get back to San
Francisco quick enough. l want to. clear
my name OF the stain that has been placed
Upon it,"
San Fran eisco's executive. who became
known as the strong man OF the city in
the dark days after the earthquake and
fire last April, is a fine figure OF a man.
He is broad Of shoulder and clear Of eye.
When he talks il is with a directness OF
speech and orcefulness OF emphasis that
seem to carry con eviction. Mayor Schmitz
did not appear to he the sort OF man Of
whom San Fran ciscans confidently predict
that within a year he will be wearing stripes.
Schmitz sailed from Hamburg in response
to the urgent appeal Of Ruef, the San Fran
cisco boss, with whom he had been indicted
ON five identical counts, which charged
the Mayor and the boss with e ~xtoTting large
sums from the proprietors Of three notori-
Gus French restaurants by threats OF the
revocation OF their liquor lioen
Between January IS, 1904, and February
@, 1905, the indictments charge, the pro-
prietors OF the Poodle Dog, Marchands
and Delmonico's paid into the hands OF
Schmitz and Ruef S5,525. These three
resorts. as all San Francisco knew, were
innocent faced restaurants on the ground
floor with several stories OF naughtiness
above. Twice the Police Commissioners
had thre atened to close them up and twice
Abraham Ruef had been engaged by the
~retaurant proprietors as their attorney"
to present the case before that body.
Il court the deepest inquiry into the con-
duct OF my Office" said the indicted Mayor
yesterday. IF there is any suspicion OF
graft attaching to me | want to have the
Grand Jury probe to the bottom, and | will
be eager to face my acousers at the bar.
POLITIC s, SAYS THE MAYOR,
The charges tina have been brought
against me are absolutely false and ground
less. I deny the truth OF each one OF them.
This action taken against me in my absence
is simply a political move, aimed by my
enemies in San Francisco against my good
name and whatever prestige I may have
gained in my three successive terms Of Office.
IN i - - e. Ia NLAg -
inspired this move. The present District
Attorney Of San Francisco. William II.
Langdon, was a candidate for Governor OF
the state on the Independence League
ticket He wus defeated. I nave been
mentioned as a strong possibility for the
Governorship at some future date. Lang
don and his supporters are afraid OF me.
They want me disoredited. There you
rave the inspiration Of this whole dirty
deal
The Mayor was reminded that the investi-
cation into his municipal machinery had
been secretly commenced last February,
before the political pot began to boil in
california.
That does not change the aspect OF the
case any," he replied. Il have been more
or less an independent in politics. | was
FIRST elected on the union labor ticket. My
success over the old line parties was oon-
Sidered a joke. Again ! ran ON the same
ticket and was elected, Still a third time
the nnion labor people put me up. and
won OUT with % 900 more votes than had
EVER been given to me before. This seems
20 have raised me TO the position Of a menace
in tl,e eyes Of the parties at home
Mayor Schmitz paused before speaking
on a more personal subject. When he
: Iegan 10 review his acrs in the days after
= the fire il was with q depreCatOry wave OF
the hand. '.-.
Even my enemies gave me credit for
doing my duty well during the fire and in
the hard times after. My enemies worked
with me for the good of the city and We
accomplished much without taking thought
II personal differences. II | may say il
without seeming ilttery TO myself, what /
did during the fire elevated me in the eyes
Of all the people of San Francisco. Speak
ing impersonally. | became the strongest
~uoliticaI figure on the horizon. l believe.
My enemies forgot that they had worked
with me in harmony and now they seek
n knife me through the court. II is jeal-
ousy, pure political Jealousy, and maybe
fear"
Mr.. Schmitz was asked il he had not cut
his trip shor because Of ~disquieting rumors
he had heard from San Francisco.
DIDN'T Ex PCT AN INDICTMENT
yes said he, Il Topped of five weeks
from my trip because I received word that
there was trouble at home. I have had
Investigations made into the departments
OF my government before and did not
especially fear the present one, But l did
not expect an indictment. The news OF
that this morning was the greatest shock l
nave ever experienced.
"A man not guilty has nothing to fear, '
he continued. They charge Ruef and my
self with having forced these restaurants
to pay us money TO hold their liqnor licenses.
That In one OF the old issues OF politics out
in my town. Whenever a man is to be
hammered in ONCE his enemies lay hands 10
the ready club offered by these restaurants
and crack him with il"
The Mayor explained that these restau-
rants OF such innocent demeanOr had so long
existed in the city that they had become a