The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-02

tribute levied once every seven days
on the clubs of the infamous NUM-
cipal House" at $40 Jackson street
with Mayor Eugene Schmitz and that
there was more behind the sobr1quet or
this resort than gossip of the Barbary
Coast gave, will be facts that Special
Prosecutor Francis j. Heney Will at
tempt to establish before the Grand
Jury when it reconvenes on Tuesday.
Much surprise was occasioned yes
terday when Heney announced that
the indictment of Ruef and Chief of
Police Oman would not end the in
curry into this and similar resorts.
Coming with the announcement was
declaration from Special Agent
William Burns that the Barbaryf Coast
graft promises to develop into one OF
the most startling phases OF the IN
vestigation now on, and tnat eViuehce
in his possession makes the indictment
of others besides Ruef and Oman GER
tain.
Jerry Driscoll. cousin of Mrs. Schmitz,
whose name has been frequently men
toned in connection with the MUM
cipal House" will be a witness before
the Grand Jury in connection with it.
He will be called on Tuesday, together
with Dick Creighton and others, who
have been among the star witnesses
already examined
Ine Andrews jury III It's III
NAL report charged Mayor Schmitz
with having full cogniZance of the
Municipal House" and with counter
ancing and abetting its owners to
violate the law.
It did not charge him with sharing
in 1T profits, however, or OF being d.
rectly benefited through its agency.
Heney, knowing all these facts. pro-
poses to submit the Municipal House"
~ h11o ST graft tn
the most searching investigation that
has ever been devoted to this subject.
Not satisfied with the indictment OF
Ruef for having been a beneficiary in
the traffic and proving Oman to be
perjurer on the testimony OF priest
and one of his own police captains,
Heney intends to get at all the facts
of this debasing graft and expose every
official who has soiled his hands by
taking part in IT. Heney regards 1T as
one of the greatest shames of the city
that men holding office should consent
to allow the degradation of women to
add to their Illicit gains. He believes
that this is the most damning OF all
forms of graft that he has been prob
ing, and that in exposing it he will
be making the greatest step yet made
for civic cleanliness and municipal ref
ormation.
If facts amassed by Burns can be
relied upon, the viewpoint of Heney
is quite understandable. More than
one man holding office, according to
these facts, has been criminally in
volyed in this and other establish
mnts and has considered no profits to
be realized in the district too stained
to pouch.
Heney among other things believes
he can prove that the money paid
weekly to Ruef was shared equally by
the Mayor. He is positive that this
fact can be proved by the books OF the
establishment, which he will try to
have brought before the Grand Jury as
evidence.
Emilio Lastreto, the attorney who
acted as accountant" for the owners
of the resort, has refused to produce
these books, claiming that the records
kept in them should be held sacred as
privileged condolences" The matter
has been referred to Superior Court
Judge Frank Murasky, who will give
a ruling on 1T in day or two.
Among the other witnesses to be ex-
amined again in connection with the
resort are Building Inspector Fitzsim-
mons and Chief Building Inspector
Morgan. The part played by Horgan
in the report made to. the Board of
Public Works on $40 Jackson street
has been misunderstood. 1t was Fitz-
simmons who examined this building
after the plans were approved on June
20 last. The building was in violation
of the ordinance and Fftzsimmons re-
ported that changes would have to be
made in it. Morgan approved of the
report, which was sent later to the
Board of Public Works.
Work on the building was continued
later and was allowed to progress, not
withstanding that the place was con-
verted into a virtual firetrap. That
the Board of Public Works was cog
infant Of the transformation of the
building and made no effort to inter
fere with it Is fact that Heney will
have little difficulty in proving by the
testimony of men in office and by evil
dence furnished by official books and
records.
1--WE are after big and little grafters
in connection with this traffic" said
Burns last night, "and we think we
can scoop in all of them and hold them
up to the city in their true light. 1t
wouldn't do at this time to say whom
we hope to involve, but 1T can be said
that the revelations to be made before
the Grand Jury on which more fndict-
ments are expected will be among the
most sensational yet produced In this
inquiry To clean the matter up may
take several days Of the jury's work,