The Washington herald., 1906-11-19
ALL HELD UP BY RUEF
Rake-OffS Paid by Fight Pro
mOterS and Saloon Men.
JURY HAS MASS OF EVIDENCE
Eddie Graney and CoRroth Sum
moned to Tell Of san Francisco
BOss's Obtaining Interest in No.
toriOus Resort as Price of Protec-
tiOn-DictatOr Demanded Money.

san Francisco, Nov. U-The grand jury
viii resume the work Of probing graft on
next Tuesday, taking up first the Bel
videre scandal, and after that the per
mits given to various members of the
pTize-ring trust to pull off fights.
Although professional boxing goes were
prohibited, they were carried on by the
connivance Of Boss Ruef and the accom-
modating police. Coffroth and Eddie
Graney, both pugilistic promoters, were
two Of the partners in the Belvidere,
while the other was Capt. Wilson, of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company
When the place was started Ruef saw
the possibilities OF profit in it, so before
the license was granted he calmly de-
manded one-quarter of the interest. This
was granted him without his investing
one cent Ruef drew thousands of dollars
OF profits as his share OF the dividends
He reciprocated for this by having the
police shut up neighboring places Of sim
liar character. thus throwing all the busi-
ness TO the Belvidere. These facts have
been related by MYRTLE Cert, Ruefs con-
fdential agent. and they viii be corrobo-
rated by COfIroth and Graney, for on
their cath neither can deny Rucfs inter
est in the place.
All shared IA Permit Graft.
After this will come tie exposure Of the
heavy graft which attended the granting
of the prize-fghJ permits. As each of
the fights was worth from 5000 to $4,000
TO the promoter. Ruef. with his super
visors. as well as the mayor. had to have
their share
Michael Debris, one of the proprietors
OF Merchants restaurant before the fire.
has decided to tell what he knows Of the
holding I'D Of the French restaurant. in
which, it is charged, Boss Ruef engaged
Debris disposes Of the pretense that the
payment of the money was for legal serv-
ice. Il was for the protection Of the res
taurant's license for a period Of two
years that the proprietors gave up the
sum of $2.175.
one Of the conditions of the payment Of
the money was that grecnbacks alone
should be used. No checks were taken
and no receipt given. Zach contributor
was obliged TO make his contribution 10
the corruption fund in a small roll that
could easily be passed from land 20 hand
unseen.
Handed Rolls Over TO Rucf.
Pierre Priet was the representative who
visited Ruef on the occasion Of the first
payment Of 5000 and a man named Nal
fante, IL is alleged. gave the boss 5000
collected from Delmonico's, the Poodle
Dog and Marchand's restaurants this |
year
The boss had a distinct understanding /
that the transaction should be kept secret
There were no records 10 be kept The |
restaurant men were to mako no entry
Of the money paid On their books and
they were 20 receive no receipt or any
whatever.
The statement that the money was free
~ and voluntarily paid is disputed by /
Debris. II was eEaCted under pressure
and only for the purpose Of insuring for 4
the places their licenses. The other legal /
business spoken Of by RUef amounted To |
nothing. Debris SAYS RUef never trans /
acted any other business for Marchand's
and so far as he knows for any other /
restaurant. Debris is at present at May
wood He was reluctant about testifying /
before the grand jury and dOged the serv-
ice Of the subpoena.
sIany Big Men in Net.
The grand jury viii appear before the
presiding judge Of the Superior Court and
win perfect an Indictment against Super
visor Fred 2. Nicholas, charging him
with bribery. The charge against Super
visor Nicholas viii be that he, as chair
man Of the building committee, forced
Holmes Brothers, a furniture firm. to
give. him rake off, Of 10 per cent
upon a bin of $3.50 for desks supplied the
government.
While the size Of the furniture graft"
brought TO the attention OF the grand
jury yesterday involved a total amount |
Of $1,000, il is understood that subsequent
revelations viii show that this graft was
Of vast proportions and that it involved
men high up in the school department
and other boards Of city government /
Holmes Brothers have made known every
instance in which a city official profited
or sought TO profit through the purchase
Of furniture for the city. The extent to
which this graft could be carried may
be appreciated when il is known that al
most every office in the city government
lost its furnishings in the fire. The
amount involved in the rehabilitation of
the furnishings of the department il is
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