The San Francisco call., 1907-03-19

The session of the Grand Jury be-
gan at IL o'clock yesterday morning
and continued almost without inter-
ruption for twelve hours. 1t was past
midnight when the nineteen MEM
bers of the Grand Jury filed from their
quarters at Native Sons Hall. Geary
and Cough streets, fatigued and worn.
They were thoroughly tired and at
once repaired to their homes. 1t was
jury has held.
1t began with a sensation when Su
pervisor James l. Gallagher took the
witness chair, and sensations fol-
lowed fast, one upon the other, until
the last members of the board had
mounted the witness stand and poured
forth their tale of human degradation.
AS confession followed confession
and the startling details were laid bare
the members of the Grand Jury gasped
in surprise. They had, of course, had
intimations that startling develop
ments were at hand, but they were
not prepared for the sensational reve-
lations which were crowded upon them.
The whole coup had been quietly pre-
pared by Special Agent William J..
Burns and assistant District Attorney
Francis j. Heney and they had been
chary of their condolences.
The trial of Ruef had been set for
10 o'clock in Judge Dunne's court, but
upon motion of Heney it was put over
one week. Unless something unfore-
seen intervenes it will be resumed
week from today. 1T was given out
that the postponement was due to a
desire to await the decision of the
United States Supreme Court on the
appeal of Ruef. but in reality Heney
and Burns regarded the moment as
propitious for their coup.
1t had been held in allegiance for the
proper time and in the opinion of those
who gathered the evidence the time
had come The members of the Grand
Jury were summoned and the Super
visors given notice to appear.
ACH TUMBLEs
When Heney asked for continuance
of the case against Abe Ruef on a
charge of extortion. Henry Ach. chief
counsel for Ruef, and arch-interrup-
ZIONIST of the defense, agreed to the
delay Ach had trained himself to
assimilate all delays that were pos
sible.
At 10:30 the court proceedings were
over and Special Agent Burns passed
Lil6 WOTQ dDlOlS lic new WSpdpeT men
that the Grand Jury would meet di-
rectly. Then the first steps were taken
toward gathering the members of the
! jury and summoning the Supervisors,
who waited ready to tell their stories
of faithless. corrupt service to the city.
The jury assembled quickly.
GALLAGHER FIRST CALLED
Supervisor Gallagher. Railroad Com
missioner Wilson, formerly member
of the Board eff Supervisors, and At
torney II. M. Owens were the first wit
nesses Owens is one of the lawyers
who extolled the virtues of Judge Heb
the remarkable writ of error to Ruef.
Owens has been q friend OF the admin
istration and was counted upon for
valuable testimony.
The story had been told to Burns and
Heney and they knew what to expect.
Gallagher was the first called. The
! long period of Doodle and graft had
worn upon Gala CHER and there was an
expression of relief upon his counte-
nance as he entered the jury-room to
divuIge the details of the administra-
| tion conspirators Gallagher had been
the disbursing agent the personal graft
agent of Ruef He was the interme-
diary between Ruef and the other mem
bers of the board.
This was part OF the system, for Ruef
and the administration officials were no
ordinary grafters: they had reduced the
art of Doodle to a system.
FULL CONFESSION
When Gallagher took the witness
chair he was confronted with an affi-
davit which all but one of the men,
bers of the original board had signed.
IL set forth the details of all the
boodling operations of the city officials.
The affidavit was read to Gallagher
and he under oath. swore to its truth.
\ The affidavit told how the trolley
Doodle had been paid to him, how. of
the sum Of s450,000 which the United