Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-09
TWO MORE KINDS OF CRAFT
Frisco Grand jury Locking Iuto Alleged
Protection" Of Slot Machines
WHISKY MONOPOLY IN TENDERLolN
Friend of Mayor schmitE said TO
Have Paid Abe Ruef g1O,OOO
for This COnces-
sion.
WHISKY MONOPOLY IN TENDERLoIN

SAN FRANCISCO, April s-Slot ma
chimes and police corruption, alleged to
have resulted from their use, occupied the
attention fthe grand jury at it's session
today. The Telephone Investigation was
temporarily sidetracked and no further in
dictments weer returned.
The trial Of Abraham Ruef for extortion
was resumed before Judge Dunno and
progressed for half an hour, when adjourn
msnt was taken until tomorrow afternoon
on account Of indisposition of Attorney
Ach for the defense.
Ach filed an ahldavit in support Of an
application for an order requiring the pro-
prietor and the editor Of the San Francisco
Chronicle to show cause why they should
not be punished for contempt in having
published an editorial denouncing the con-
duct OF Ruef's counsel Judge Dunno re-
! fused to consider the matter at this time,
saying It would tend to sidetrack the
main issue, the determination of the guilt
or innocence Of Ruef While making a
motion for the drawing Of 100 mere names
/ from the regular jury list Ach announced
/ that the defense will exercise all Of its
ten peremptory challenges.
| Protection for slot Machines.
| The witnesses examined before the grand
! jury today we're DR.. Joseph F. Pohoim,
| formerly a police commissioner; Matthew
Larken, local agent for eastern manufac-
turers Of slot machines; Fred Hilbert OF
| the defunct wholesale liquor firm Of Hill
bert Bros, who accompanied Mayor
| Schmitz upon his recent tour. Of Europe,
and @. Schultz, a pool room man.
BY questioning these witnesses Assistant
District Attorney Heney sought to
strengthen the charge Of the prosecution
that in January OF last year, for twenty
days succeeding the repeal by the police
! commission Of the ordinance prohibiting
the operation of mony- paying slot machines,
/ large sums Of money were paid Ruef,
Schmitz and police officials for continued
police protection" until District Attorney
Langdon cleaned out the machines under
the state anti-gambling law
According to an of1cial statement given
| as an Illustration, the large profits made
by Schultz, who was then an extensive
owner or lessee OF slot machines, were
cut in two, half being retained by himself
and the other half being by him turned
over to Hilbert for distribution among
those higher up"
ConcessIon for Mayors Friend.
Hilbert is the man whom the prosecu-
ton charges with having paid Ruef $4,000
.
tenderloin resort swith whisk on the un-
derstanding that any such place which re-
fused TO patronlze Hilbert would lose its
license at the hands of the police commits
sion. Hilbert was very close TO the mayor
Among the witnesses present today but
not called was NJ. A. King OF Los Angeles
who negotiated the franchise for the Home
Telephone company OF that city. He ex-
poets to testify on telephone affairs to-
morrow. He said that he tried from De.
cember OF 1901 to September of 1906 to in.
duce the San Francisco authorities to ad.
vertse a telephone franchise competitive
to that held by the Pacific States company
and to award it to the highest bidder, but
without success
The grand jury will resume it's investlga
tion tomorrow.
Supreme Court to Henr Ruef.
The supreme court today granted Abra
ham Ruef an alternative writ Of habeas
corpus In response to the petition filed
several days ago by his attorneys in which
the indicted political boss attacks the le
gslity OF the appointment of Elisor Biggy
and the constltutionality of keeping him ir
a private prison.
The writ is returnahe tomorrow mornlnt
and will be argued before the supreme cour
sitting en- banc.