Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-27
SCHNITz AYERS INNOCENCE
Mayer Of San Francisco Says BE is Victim
Of Political Prosecutors.
DECLARES INDICTMENT AL POLITICS
Going Hack with Ills wife 90 race
the Charges of the Grand Jury
Preferred During His
Absence.

Cartooncd before the world as the mean
est man In it, on the basis of the tndict-
ment of the SAN Francisco grand jury
which pronounces him and his political
coadjutor. Abraham Ruef, guilty OF steal
Ing thousands of dollars sent TO the earth
quake and fire sufferers and perpCtratng
system of graft on the dive keepers Of
tho stricken city, Eugene f. Schmitz,
mayor of san Francisco, towering In his
six feet two, at Union, station Monday
morning proclaimed his innocence and de-
clared that he was the victim of political
prosecutors.
IT'S all politics, politics" exclaimed the
man who was sent from the leadership OF
a theater orchestra into the mayors chair
Of the metropolis of the Pacific coast. II
am only surprised in one detail and that
is they have started in rather early this
time. They usually wait until nearer cleo
ton time"
Mayor schmitz, accompanied by his wife,
arrived in Omaha Monday morning over
the Milwaukee, and left shortly afterward
on the Union Pacific for san Francisco.
He was advertised to leave Chicago on
the Northwestern and a large corps of
camera men and reporters were on hand
to get his picture and to interview him,
but he gave them the slip by coming over
the Milwaukee He had a state room re-
served on the Northwestern and that was
where all got the wrong tip. He occupied
a state room on the Milwaukee and when
seen by a reporter for The Bee said he
I had nothing to say, but after few Ques-
1 tons had been put TO him he changed his
mind and gave out quite an interview.
No Terror 20 the Innocent.
u, y ga nHf Ia Ia
! innocent he is not afraid to face his ac-
cusers." said Mayor schmits This is
not a new thing for me- for three times
/ | have had to face the same thing at cleo
/ tions, and each time have been acquitted
| by the verdict of the people. 1t is simply
an election scheme. only they arc starting
| il year ahead for the election is not
until next November.
Nothing was heard of these charges
| until October 8, the day after my boat
had sailed from New York and was OH
the water and then they started their ne
I farious work by means OF packed grand
juries and such things as is their custom
They hoped to get an indictment and by
that means ill columns and pages Of tho
press all over the country, knowing thai
when l was cleared the best I could gel
would be a short notice that had beer
cleared.
"As soon as reached the other side anC
heard OF their charges Immediately turned
around and FASTENED for home that I Nigh
face my accusers. People who have op
posed me before now wire me that / hav,
their support.
81 don't care so much for myself. but
don't like the black eve they will give SAL
Francisco by this unjust kind of advertis
ing. There can be no truth in their charge
orI would know about It.
Warm Place for Omaha.
! II am talking more than l intended to
: but | have a warm place in my heart ~
= Omaha, for the generous outpourlng .
gifts from. this city, and for the carly "
spouse this city made 10 our plea for nee
in our hour of trouble. You can just sa
! for me that there is no truth in thes
! charges and will have no trouble clearn
my name when / reach home,
Il had prepared some figures on sa
, F'runcisco's growth before / left The
showed that we had erected a building 60
every forty-fve minutes since the fire {
that time"
= Mayor SchmitZ has been condemned o
account OF his association with Abraham
, Reuf who is accused OF holding up IN
!, restaurants, but Mayor Schmitz says h
y will not turn against Reuf until It is show
4, he is guilty. He says Reuf is his frien
q and he will not throw him down just b,
a cause some one says he IS dishonest.
81 have to know he is dishonest mysc
. before ! will turn against a friend sal
4 the mayor. HE has helped me to I
@ elected three times and 1 will stand b
p him"
10 The mayor said he had nothing to do wit
n the handling Of the relief funds. He la
s appointed a committee of fifty prominer
citizens with James d. Phclan, formC
= mayor as chairman, and they had handle
e the generous amounts " hich a sympathet
% nation had sent to the relief Of San FraT
# cisco.
It The police at New York saw to it ths
V the mayor was not moeSted when
= landed at IOboken, and from all appea
II ance no one was shadowng him as 1
y passed through Omaha. A large humble
g of Callfornians arrived on the Northwes
e ern ahead of Mr.. schmitz and these can
s. over and shook his hand, saying they VOL
n to continue on west on the same train.
u
% A GOOD OFFER.
10 Buy your liquors of J. Klein and get
q fOrty-two- piece dinner set free.
~ A \ Wng