The San Francisco call., 1906-11-12
To Have No Part
in Drawing
Jurors.

Harry J.. MuicrevE, County Clerk, is
also 10 Join tic ranks of the city
officials who viii be disqualified from
performing any duty of their stations
In connection with the prosecution of
Abe Ruef and the other municipal
Erafters. When the cases reach the
srfaI courts he is 70 have no part in
che drawing of jurors or In the issu-
ancc of Subpenas- Special Assistant
Disfrfcf Attorney Heney has seen to IL
10 have evidence 10 show that HuIcrevy
Is warm friend of Ruef and Mayor
SchmitE and tIsaI the interests of Jus
tice would not be best EubServed by en-
trusting such important functions in
his hands.
II was told in The Call yesterday
how the District Attorneys Office has
gathered facts that viii unquestion-
ably disqualify Sheriff Thomas F. O'NeiI
from any service in the cases. and Cor
oner E. l. Walsh, who would serve in
his place, has likewise been found TO
have eXerted himself too faithfully in
defense Of the boss against whom the
machinery OF the law is now moving so
surely.
INDEBTED TO RUFF.
Mulcrevy. O'Neil and Walsh all owe
their lucrative political success 10 Ruef.
1t was he who placed them on the
Onion Labor ticket that was swept
into Office by virtue OF the voting ma
chine. In his hour of need the boss
has not hesitated TO call on them to
come to his aid. and this they have
done with Unseeming alacrity. It was
In making this demand that Ruef
Numbered. for by his demands on these
men was created the evidence on which
they viii be disqualified and not per-
- ,TT raF 70 Is xx-rr
fare Of trick and artifice.
The result appears TO be that Heney
viii eliminate IN large measure all the
Ruef influences from the functions Of
the court The Judge viii be called
on TO appoint an eiisor for the sum
moning of the 5ury. Some person
whom the District Attorney designates
viii be clothed with authority to serve
the subpenas. When the jury is placed
in the care Of the Sheriff il will not be
an administration deputy who viii per-
form the duty, and no Ruef scout viii
he allowed near the keyhole. The ad-
T1fnfstratfOn OF the law, Il seems, viii
be largely in the hands Of the Judge
and the District Attorney, and the fears
expressed that Ruef had many an OBJ
stacle to offer and scheme for defeat
in view because Of his grip on the
various departs Of the citys govern
ment are unfounded-
EsPOUsEs CAUSE OF BOSS.
Nulcrevy has openly espeused Ruef's
cause and that Of Mayor Schmltz in the
present situation When making his
address in court in reply to allegations
Of peculiarity in the drawing Of the
Grand Jury he announced himself the
friend Of Eugene +. Schmitz- He went
out Of his way TO affront the prose
cutors. He has not failed to help along
the attempted public demonstrations in
behalf Of Ruef He was one OF the Of
fceholding army that shouted its sup
port Of the boss who gave them their /
Jobs.
No charge is imputed that Mulcrevy 1
would stuff a jury-boX or would do any +
criminal act He and Heney have been 1
friends for many years But in his re- /
lations with Ruef and the administra-
ton the County Clerk would not be in a
position 10 cope with the conscienceless /
agents that the boss has at work. It I
would be beyond human power for
Mulcrevy TO guard against betrayal by
some Of his many deputies. The mo- /
ment q subpoena was issued the fact /
would be communicated in some man |
ner to Martin Kelly. and Ruefs chief /
of-stan would be in a position TO seek
out the witness before the process /
server could reach him.
sAFEGUARDED FROM ABUSE.
Likewise. in the summoning of jurors |
the methods of jury fxers could be the
more easily invoked were a friend Of
the administration in control of the
dra wings and issuance Of summons in 4
the County Clerks Office Ruefs men /
would have things their own way in /
large measure. Muicrevy could not be I
otherwise than friendly 10 Ruef, and it |
is therefore important that functions
Of his Office as regards the prosecution /
OF the grafters and boodlers must be /
taken out of his hands and placed un-
der the direction Of the court
Desperate efforts on the part of Ruef /
20 tamper with witnesses and TO spirit /
them away are looked for. He has re-
lied on the fact that his friends We're 1
in charge Of the ministerial Offices and /
that his plans would thus be facili- /
tated. But il looks IL he is again TO 1
meet defeat and that Notwithstanding /
his power over the municipal govern /
lnent he cannot have his way. Rather, 1
the machinery VIII be given over to the +
prosecution, safeguarded from abuse by /
the Judge on the bench.