Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-16
MAYOR SCHMITz is INDICTED
Grand Jury ChnrRes Head of sau
FranciscO Goverument with
Extortion.


SAN FRANCISCO. Nov. l5.-rhe grand
jury brought fivo indictments against Eu-
gene schniitz and Abraham Ruet. on the
charee Of eNtortion. on each charge the
hail was fixed a. SlQCo0 and bond ut $500.
The first alleged crime was IN connection
with the Poodle Dog restaurant, and the
indictment recitos that Ruef and schmitz
demanded money from the proprietor, Tony
Banco. As this demand was made. &. is
said. on two occasions. two Indictments
were returned EUtortion believed 20 have
been practced upon Ed Marchand, pro-
prietor Of Msrchand's restaurant is tho
basis of two more indictments. \ demand
made upon Joe Malfsnti, another restaurant
man. is the alleged offensc ON which the
fifth and last indictment was found.
The indictments were returned for the
grand jury by Foreman 3. T. Oliver, who
presented the documents to Judge Muras-
key. who read them and placed them on
file. He then proceeded 10 ix the bail for
each charge.
In the presentation Of the indictments
against Mayor Schmitz and Alderman Ruef,
Assistant District Attorney Heney has full
hlled the promise t1at the first action
taken by the grand jury would he 10 accuse
Abraham Rucf OF felony. This prophecy
was made In open court two weeks ago,
but nothing was then said that Mayor
Schu1itz would be drawn into the scandal.
The indictment OF Ruef was expected by
the public. but they WIRE not prepared for
immediate direct action against the oity's
chief magistrate. who. g. now on tho Allan
tic, returning from visit to Europe. For
nearly two years the alleged objectionable
relations between the French restaurants
subject of severe criticism and public de-
nunciation.
These restaurants, which were all de-
| stroyed by the April conaagraton. were
frequently the cause Of bitter assaults from
the pulpit and press. the accusations being
made that they were immoral and a menace
TO the welfare Of the community. The So
called restaurants were a combination OF
eating and lodging house and liquor resort
The agitation for their suppression two
years ago apparently reached the city on
cials, and orders were issued that they be
deprived of licenses which would close
them The doors remained locked for a
short time and then the restaurants were
4 permitted to reopen with some restric-
1 tions Soon the houses were aEain in full
sway along the old lines some of the local
newspapers at that time made charges that
a fund had been collected. amounting ia
thousands OF dollars. and that the money
/ had been paid to officials to lift the EN-.
barge. The accusations further alleged
that monthly tax of about $500 was paid
by the restaurants for protection. The re-
quests for liquor licenses were granted by
the police commission majority of which
was in accord with the administration. al
Mayor Schmitz
: neHet. diraoffx- l,a.r, .,t,. y,,..,l
Mayor schmitz wss concerned with the so
called corruption fund. but no hesitauc,
was used in connecting Ruef,s name Will
the alleged illegal use Of money. Ruef
indeed, admitted that he had received fee,
from the proprietors OF the restaurants bu
declared that he acted merely as an attor
,ney IN promoting the iittiests Of his clients
whose property rights had been trespasseC
upon.
/ According to the indictments Ruef an,
Schmitz. on January Is. 1904. extorted 81 IL
from Tony Blanco of the Poodle Dog. an,
on February Of the same year the,
forced him to give up S1.0O0 more. Thl
third indictment is based on the eXtortioi
of H.175 from the proprietors Of the Mer
chants restaurant. They are charged Will
demanding and receiving on the same da,
Sl,175 from the proprietors of Delmonico'
restaurant II is charged that on Feb
ruary they forced these men 10 yiol,
S1,OOO by threatening to take away thei
liquor licenses.
Sheriff O'Neil declares that he win no
serve the five warrants on Ruef tonight
as the clerical work is so great that h
cannot get them out in time. He says tina
he is still undecided whether he will ar
rest Schmitz when he lands in New Yorl
or wait until he comes 20 California