The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-03-29
RUFF PROMISES
BIG SENSATIONS
SAYS HIS STORY WILL CONTAIN
MANY STARTLING DiSCLO-
SURES.
SECRET INDICTMENTS FOUND
PROBING OF SAN FRANCISCO Mu.
NiciPAL AFFAIRS INVOLVES
MANY.

San Francisco, March 22.-The long
~looked-for indictments in the munich
pal graft cases were returned last
night. Seventy. five indictments charg-
ing bribery were brought in. These
were found on evidence presented to
the grand jury after six months prob
ing into the municipal affairs OF this
city by Assistant District Attorney
Heney and Secret Service Agent
Burns. =
Sixty-five Against Reuf.
OF the indictments, sixty-five are
against Abraham Ruef, charging him
with bribing the board of supervisors
to grant franchises to the United Rail
roads, the Home Telephone company.
the San Francisco Gas and Electric
company and the so-called prize fight
trust Ten are against T. V. Halsey,
former general agent of the Pacific
States Telephone and Telegraph com
pany, who is charged with having
bribed the supervisors not to grant a
franchise to a rival company.
Ruef the Distributor.
The money in all these cases is al
legged to have been handled by Ruef,
Judge Coffey fixed the bail at So
900 for each Indictment. or a total OF
s640 900 for Ruef and 800, 900 for Hal
sey.
In the overhead trolley deal, Ruef.
according to Burns. "a given S4S5,Ooo
by the United Railroads. of which the
political boss is alleged to have divid
ed $91 900.
In the restriction OF boxing permit.
to the Big Four the indictments
charge that $500 was given to each OF
eighteen supervisors, although a fund
of 500. 900 was said to have been col
lected for Ruef.
Handed to City Fathers.
In the alleged deal by which the gas
company was given an S5-cent rate,
$12, 900, it is charged, was divided
among sixteen supervisors. Besides
the $25, 900 bid for the franchise, Ru #
Is charged with having divided among
thirteen of the city fathers $G2, 900 re-
ceived from the Home Telephone com
pany for the granting Of the franchise
to it. In this connection it is note
worthy that fourteen of the supervi-
sors are alleged to have also taken
$50. 900 each from Halsey to prevent
the granting of the franchise to the
Home company.
Merely the Beginning.
Heney stated yesterdays indiCt-
ments are the beginning of the end of
Ruef," but merely the beginning OF the
work of exposing the municipal cor
ruption in San Francisco and the pros
ecution of those high up" who are re-
sponsible for such conditions in this
city.
Bio Sensations Promised.
San Francisco. March 24.-Abraham
Ruef said yesterday that he is consid-
ering the proposition to issue a state
ment to the public and he declared
that when he tells his story 1t will
contain sensations equal to the disclo-
sures made by the alleged confessions
Of the supervisors. He expressed the
opinion that tho Investigation now 60
Ing on was in furtherance Of an organ
lied attempt to seize the municipal
government, and asserted that it was
government by Indictment" instead OF
government by Injunction"
The sixty-fve charges Of bribery
against Ruef YER yesterday assigned
BY Presiding Judge Coffey to Judge
DUNES department Of the superior
court. They will be placed on the cal
endar to-day and arraignment set for
some day early next week.
Many Secret indictments.
1t was stated yesterday at the pros
ecuting attorneys Office that Patrick
Calhoun, president OF the United Rail
ways company, would upon his arrival
here from New York be given an op-
portunty to appear before the grand
fury in connection with that bodys
investigation of the alleged bribery Of
the board of supervisors in the matter
Of an overhead trolley franchise grant
ed the United Railways company last
May.
From the same Ource it was also
learned that a number of secret in
dictments which have not even been
trusted to the secret 1le for fear that
their contents might leak out, are not
all against one person, but are said 20
contain the names Of several.