The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-17

Schmitz and every one Of the eighteen
Supervisors and Ruef into the bargain.
He has kept his promise as far as Ruef and
Schmitz are concerned. Observers, how
ever, doubted IL Ruef would ever be indicted.
His system seemed iawless. Il is illustra-
ted by this typical case:
A contractor who wished 90 put up a
building in violation Of the building law
was advised to see Ruef."
II have nothing TO do with it" said Ruet.
See the Board of Works.
Nothing doing; it's against the law
said the Board of Works. Didn't your
lawyer tell you soa'
Haven't any lawyer said the con-
tractor. ....h. ..
well. better get one,' said the board.
Then you won't make such mistakes
The contractor knsw San Francisco and
he went back TO Ruef.
Il wish 10 engage you as my. counsel
said he. Here's $3.50 as a retaining fee
AN right, said Ruef, what's the caseP"
Il wish TO get a permit for putting up a
building and I wish you to advise me-
Very well" said Ruef. 1T all lies with
the Board of Works, but I will advise you
The permit was granted shortly after
ward and the building went up in direct
violation OF law but at a considerable profit
TO the contractor.
In this case, as in all others, Ruef was
careful to give a receipt for the money,
taking care to state that IL was paid for
legal advice" It il hard osee how Grand
Jury could be led to regard this as an in
dictable offence. But Ruef's fees have
reached a huge total.
In almost every department Of the city
the motto Make EN- give up" has been
adopted. Il ia notorious that almost all
saloon keepers understand that it is well
for them to buy their liquors of certain firms.
Rebellion means the loss of the license on
some technical charge. Tobacco and cigars
also furnish a rakeof. All the gamblers
contribute. and in the days before the fire
Chinese gambling was one of the most
prolific of the money yielding offences.
The Cinnamon gave up readily, thinking
Il merely a Government tax, and no white
man cared If a Chinamsn was robbed. IL
was, in fact, generally regarded as a holy
work.
In the course of time the police depart
ment became a collecting agency. But the
men soon began grating on their own sc-
count. This annoyed the divekeepers and
the gamblers, who complained that If they
paid the police individually from the top OF
the force 10 the bottom they couldn't pay
anybody higherup Consequently n spasm
of virtue swept over the administration and
Ruef and Schmitz really put a stop to most
OF the individual grating among the police.
breaking some, s~uspending some and filming
some. The lswbreakers still do business
~. ,.,tra 6..N Nka 1voft IA central
lied.
Abe Rnef. the undisputed master Of this
complicated and lucrative municipal ma
chine, is a man OF parts. He is a jew. a
graduate of the University Of California
aud q keen and resourceful lawyer OF no
little learning. OF his private life there
Is little to be said but good. He is not a
rounder, he lives az home with his invalid
mother and his personal life is Glenn and
bevond reproach. He has never held public
orfse and. has never been a candidate for
chf e. He has no responsibility 10 the
people who have been robbed by the
machine which he dominates.
When District Attorney Langdon, turned
down by the union labor crowd, appointed
Heney as his deputy to start a graft hunt.
Ruef electrified the city one morning by
QtVUlUR hCtibk Nrayot o"ho W
Iangdon on charges OF neglect Of duty.
Ruef then declared his own removal Of
Heney and announced that he was ready
to take upon himself the prosecution of the
g~rafters.
This delicious ~efrontery hit San Fran
cisco on the funny bone. But when the
city stopped laughing it gotansry. Luckily
for the cause of order Judge Seawell
granted an injunction against the removal
OF Laugdon or there might have been a
new vigilance COMMITTEES.
But Ruef was not daunted. Though he
held no Official position whatever he had
the nerve to appear personally in court,
fanked by counsel and bodyguard. when
the Grand jury that has how heard evidence
against him and indicted him was being
selected. Not only did he appear but his
counsel was actually allowed to question
the prospective grand jurors. San Fran
cisco does not expect to see the boss inside
San Quentin's walls, whatever may happen