The San Francisco call., 1906-11-14
Continued From Pnge i, Column

objection to the maintenance of the
sleeping apartments and were bent on
revoking the liquor licenses. which
would virtually ruin the business OF
the resorts. The other two members
OF the board were not in favor of such
drastic action against businesses that
had been established for many years
HUTTON AND REAGAN FIRM.
Hutton and Reagan were not 10 be
swerved from their attitudes despite
the. opportunities Of seven Mayor
Schmitz himself. Reagan has recently
told how the chief executive and Ruef
were closeted with him for hours IN
an attempt to induce him TO change
his mind. Then came the sensational
removal Of Commissioners Hutton from
Office by the Mayor and the appoint
ment of DR.. J. F. Poheim. The change
in the personnel Of the board made
Reagans lone vote ineffective
Ruef appeared before the Commis-
sioners to plead the cause of the
French restaurants. He argued that
In some instances the proprietors had
invested as much as S25O,0OO IN their
business. and that to ruin them by in
terdicting the resorts would be UNFAIR
after they had been licensed for many
years With Hutton eliminated it was,
Of course, an easy matter for Ruef TO
make good to his clients.
The story is that each Of the larger
restaurants contributed $500 apiece
and the smaller places $110O each to
the fund, which was turned over to
Ruef. The aggregate was $2s,ooo. The
payments were half cash and the bal
snce within a year.
THAT is the worst Heney has
against me, and that isn't so very bad
at that" chuckled Ruef last night
when told that the District Attorney
had issued subpenas for witnesses con-
nected with the French restaurant
cases.
MY appearance in behalf of the res
taurant proprietors has never been
matter Of concealment so far as l was
concerned. They came to me and asked
me 10 take their case, but at first 1
refused because of the criticism that
might result, my Affiliations with the
members of the Police Board being
well known. But a newspaper that
was inimical to me dared me TO go be-
fore the commission and urge the case
Of the restaurant men.
7 am always willing to take dare,
and I then sent word to the restaurant
men that I would act for them. 1 went
before the board and made my argu--
ment as an attorney. There was no
extortion about it, and this is but an
indication Of the 1iimsy foundation
Heney has for his accusations against
me-"
SAVED FROM DISASTER.
A few Of the restaurant men have
retired from business since the fire,
and from them Secret Service Agent
Burns has learned the facts of how
they managed to save themselves from
disaster by appeal TO Ruef and Mayor
Schmitz. The others who have refused
TO give any information Will be haled
before the Grand Jury today and placed
under oath to answer Heney's fire. Of
questions.
II has never been thought that Com
missioner Reagan deliberately started
his crusade under instructions of the
Mayor to pave the way for a holdup
But the reports have persisted that
Schmitz and Ruef jumped at the op-
pOrtunity, and that after the $2s. 600
deal had been arranged they were
willing TO resort to any tactics to
make good, even TO involving Commits
sioner Hutton in charges of misconduct
in his private life and using them as
pretext for summarily' dismissing
him.
The Andrews Grand Jury made an
investigation Of the matter, but
achieved no result It had no expert
evidence gatherers or prosecutor to
assist IL, as is the case Of the present
inquisitorial body. The whole story
viii be gone over today, and inasmuch
as the evidence has all been gathered
ii is expected that the jury will not
be long in arriving at its conclusion.
Foreman oliver said last evening
that the jury would proceed as rapidly
as possible with all the cases that
Heney has to submit. He explained
that the delay of two days had been
taken so that when the inquisitorial
body began its sittings 1t could go for
ward with as little interruption as
possible BE sure you are right and
then go ahead" is to be the motto of
himself and colleagues, he said, and
when once the proceedings are started
developments Will follow rapidly, II
any are to transpire. Unless the un-
foreseen intervenes, sessions will be
held every day.