The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-10
SUPERVISORS FEAR
TREACHERY IN
THE BOARD

Barrett and Frank Drew for Schmitz.
Opposing them for the people viii be
Special Prosecutor Francis J. Heney,
District Attorney William j. Langdon
and Attorney Hiram Johnson.
Ach. who is the legal tactician for
the indicted pair. will adopt practically
the same plans that were employed in
the arraignment of Supervisor Nicholas
and City Hall Janitor Duffy last week.
Members of the Grand Jury will be
put on the stand and an effort will be
made to prove that they were actuated
by bias and prejudice in returning the
five indictments against Ruef and
Schmitz
Ach assured Judge Dunno at the pre-
liminary arraignment last week that
pleas would be entered, "or something
done"
EVASION TO BE THE PLAN
Before pleas are entered. however,
1t is expected that lot of legal SPAR
ring will be done between opposing
counsel and that Ach will not make an
swer to the indictments until he has
exhausted all the evasive resources for
which he is familiar in courts.
Notwithstanding the persistent re-
ports of the differences that have
arisen between. Ruef and Schmitz since
the indictments have been returned
against them by the Grand Jury, there
is no perceptible cleavage in the line
OF defense to be adopted by their coun-
sci. All four attorneys have been con-
tributing their skill and knowledge in
surrounding the pair with breastworks
of protection built up of legal techni-
calities, and to. break these down will
require all the acumen for which Heney
and his associate prosecutors are note
worthy.
Heney, a veteran of the campaign
waged against the Oregon land grab
bers, will contribute to the prosecution
the knowledge gained from that
pitched battle of legal strategists and
invest it with singular effectiveness.
The skirmishing that he has directed
SO far is said to have been made merely
by way of demonstration to confuse
opposing counsel and add to the COM
pleteness of their ultimate rout.
Whatever will be the outcome of the
proceedings begun today, however,
they are expected to be long and te-
dious The forces lighting under Ruef
and Schmitz will throw up every posi-
BILE obstruction in the wake of their
till the last possible moment.
Carrot McEnerney denied the report
last night that he was associated in
the defense of Schmitz. The report
emanated from persons close to the
Mayor. who intimated that McEnerney
would act directly in his defense If he
did not appear openly In court.
Il am not connected in any capacity
as counsel in this NATTER declared
McEnerney. ANY report to the con-
trary is not trustworthy
1t was reiterated yesterday that w
r. Herrin is lending Assistance to
Schmitz and would use all the influence
he commands to prevent the conviction
of the Mayor
CASE OF FIGHT TRUST
When the Grand Jury meets on Tues
day it will again take up the theater
graft Among those to be summoned
will be Ed Alderman. who is associated
with Marcus Blum. the Mayors messen-
ger, in the Empire Theater. 1t was In
correctly stated that Charles Acker-
man was to be summoned in this con-
nection.
One OF. the important matters which
will soon come to the attention of the
Grand Jury is the case of the fight
trust. 1t is claimed that Ruef bene-
flied to the extent of $4,000 through
the formation of the Associated Ath-
letic clubs. The alacrity with which
the permits for the twelve months of
the year were granted last January
by the Supervisors to the trust aroused
suspicion at the time. The full evil
dence in the case has been collected
and will soon be placed before the
Grand Jury.