The San Francisco call., 1906-11-14
GRAND JURY WILL
BEGIN ITS BIC
WORK TO-DAY
French Restaurant Case, In
volving Schmitz and Ruef.
Will Be the First Heard
DIR. PERCY DOLMAN
SERVES SUBPENAS

Every Effort Being Made
by Heney and Burns to
Proceed With Secrecy
History will begin anew
today for the corrupt munic-
ipal administration of San
Francisco. At 10 o'clock the
Grand Jury will assemble to
enter upon its great work of
cleansing the city of grafters
and boodlers. The first case
to be taken up is the no
torious French restaurant
deal, which involves Mayor
Schmitz and Abraham Ruef.
Special Prosecutor Fran
els J. Heney and Secret Ser
vice Agent William ]. Burns
announced last night that
they were prepared to go
ahead with the presentation
of the evidence they have
been months in collecting,
and the promised upheaval
in the civic life of the city is
at hand. The harvest OF
corruption is at end. and
those who have fattened
will now cover in fear of the
relentless men who are pur-
suing them.
For two DAYS the Grand Jury has
remained inactive. Heney has let the
public understand that he was in no
way responsible for the delay. Both
he and Foreman oliver have given it
out that inability to find quarters for
the inquisitorial body was the cause.
However that may be. Oliver an
nounced yesterday that he had secured
rooms in the relief commission build
ing at Geary and Cough streets and
that he had called a meeting for this
morning. Immediately there was
feverish activity at the Offices of Heney
on Franklin street, and after nightfafi
all was ready for service of the sub
penas in the first case that is to be
considered.
No policeman or deputy sheriff was
intrusted with the important work.
DR.. Percy Dolman, a young friend Of
District Attorney Langdon. was en-
gagged for the service. Every precau-
tion Of concealment was exercised. It
was known that detectives in the en-
ploy Of Ruef were in the street watch
ing for developments and ready to
shadow Dolman in order 10 learn what
witnesses had been summoned before
tho inquisitorial body.
But Secret Service Agent Burns was
prepared TO outwit the shadows. Dol
man left the ofices by a rear way and
beyond the rays of the gas lamp at the
street corner. An automobile was in
waiting and the subpoena server was
sped away without a glimmer of a
chance for anybody to follow him
SUBPENAs ARE SERVED.
The subpenas served last night were
for witnesses who are expected to tell
OF the so-called French restaurant
case. The jurors will today hear un-
der oath the statements Of the pro-
prietors Of the restaurants regarding
the charges that Abe Ruef held them
up for $4,000 through the threatening
attitude OF the Police Commission to
close up their places. Whether or not
Heney is taking this case up as a
bind is not known. for plans to
confuse the men he is after are to be
looked for.
The accusation against Ruef in the
restaurant case would be extortion.
He has freely admitted his part in
saving the proprietors from loss of
their business. but maintains that he
served in the capacity Of attorney He
do@ not deny that he was paid for his
services and declares that under no
circumstances can any criminal phase
be put on the transaction.
The witnesses who had been served
with the subpenas were in high state
Of excitement last night The most
K them are in business again, and
they fear the Grand Jury on the one
side and the administrations control
Of their licenses on the other. None
Of those who could be found were
willing to talk further than to admit
that they had been subpenaed to ap-
r,eo- before the it,rv AT 10 o'cloclx this