Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-26
Six Men Worth Many
Millions Are Now
in Net
g. Fl. Umbsen, J. E. Green
and w. J. Brobeck Face
Indictments
Others, Equally as Prominent, Are
Held to Answer on Charge
of Bribing Public
Officials
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 25.-Slx
more millionaires and multi-million-
aires. some Of them well known
throughout the country. fell under the
accusation of the Oliver grand jury
this evening when that body, just pc
fore an adjournment until June TO- re-
turned fourteen indictments jointly
against G. H. Umbsen, ]. e. Green ana
w. 1. Brobeck, charging them with at
tempted bribery of public officials, and
fourteen indictments jointly against
Frank G. Drum, Eugene de Saba and
John Martin, charging them with
bribery of public officials
With the former group Abraham
Ruef, the fallen political boss of San
Francisco, was jointly indicted; with
the latter group Ruef and Mayor
Eugene E. Schmitz.
In all twenty-eight indictments were
found today, containing 126 counts and
calling for bail bonds in the total sum
of s1,260,000.
JJrnbsen, Green, Brobeck and Ruef
are accused by the grand jury of OFFER
ing a bribe of $1,000 each to Supervls-
ors Boxton, Coffey, Coleman, DAVIS
Duffey, Furey, Gallagher Harrlgan'
Kelly, Lonergan, Mamlock. McGusnln'
Phillips and Walsh on November ~,
1906. to award to the Parkside Transit
company a street railway franchise.
This franchise was voted December 81,
1906: but the Spreckles- -Heney-B
bribery graft investigating getting un-
der way at about that time, the Park
side deal was abandoned and no money
was passed, say the prosecutors. 1t IS
alleged the evidence in the possession
of the grand jury is to the effect that
$4,000 was to be paid to the eignteen
Supervisors and that Ruef and Schmltz
were to have $4,000 each for seeing the
deal through, making an offered total
of $4,000.
Umbsen's Plan
George H. Umbsen is wealthy man,
head Of the Umbsen real estate COM
pany. He conceived the plan of Great
inc a new residence district by laying
ont the Parkside tract in the western
section of the city. The formation OF
the Parkside Transit company, TO oullo
and operate a railway to and througn
the tract. was coincidental. j. r..
Green is associated with Umbsen in the
realty business and promoted the Park
side plan. w. 1. Brobeck of Morrison,
Cone e. Brobeck, is attorney to the
Parkside concern.
Associated in the formation of that
corporation were some of the most
prominent business men and f1nanclers
of San Francisco, among them Wllllarn
H. Crocker, president of the Crocker
National bank.
The indictments against Drum, de
Saba. Martin, Ruef and Schmitz charge
them with giving a bribe of $3.50 each
to Supervisors BoXton, Coffey, Cole
man, Davis, Duffey, Furey, Gallagher
Harrigan, Kelly, Lonergan, Mamlock'
Phillips, Wilson and Rea in consldera-
ton of their votes, cast March IL. l9oo,
by which the legal gas rate for 19O6-19Oi
was fixed at So instead OF 70 cents. II
is also charged by the prosecution that
Ruef and Schmitz received large sums
in connection with this deal.
Both Worth Millions
Frank G. Drum is manager of the
Teyis estate, one of The largest prop
critics in the west. He is member OF
the executive committee, of the Doaro
of directors of the San Francisco Gas
and Electric company and of the Bay
Cities Water company, and occupied an
identical office in the Parkside Transit
company.
eugene de Saba is director in and
was formerly president of the Gas and
Electric company is one of the biggest
power plant owners and promoters IN
the United States and is heavily inter
ested in the Interurhan Electric system
now being built in northern and CEN
trail California.
Martin is closely associated with de
Saba in many of these interests. Each
is many times a millionaire.
The grand jury late in the afternoon
adjourned to Judge Coffey's depart
Inent of the superior court, where Fore
man Oliver filed the twenty-eight true
bills found. Judge Coffey issued a
bench warrant for each of the eight
indicted men, fixing the bail of each at
$4,000 on each of the 100 counts and
announced that no arrests will be made
until the accused have had opportunity
TO come into court at 10 o'clock Mon
day morning and give bonds.
The grand jury then took a recess
until June 10. Bail bonds in the total
amount of $750.00O were given in Judge
Coffeys court this forenoon by Presi-
dent Patrick Calhoun, Assistant Presi-
dent Thornwell Mullally and Attorneys
Tirey L. Ford and William NJ. Abbott
of the United Railroads; Vice Presi-
dent Louis Glass and Agent Theodore
". Halsey of the Pacific States Tele-
phone and Telegraph company and
Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz, all of whom,
with Abraham Ruef, were indicted by
the grand jury yesterday.
Ruef Not Worrying
Ruef made no effort to supply the
$4,000 bonds required of him, as he
prefers, since pleading guilty ten days
ago, to remain in the close custody OF
Elisor Biggy and his eight armed
guards. With the exception of Mayor
Schmitz each of the men indicted yes
terday gave surety company bonds.
The mayor brought as his sureties
President Tom Williams of the Cali
fornia Jockey club and former Park
Commissioner William J. Dingee, each
of whom qualified in the sum of S160,0OO
Each of the six corporation officials
indicted today will be ealle- on Monday