The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1907-05-17
continued from page 1.
while buried beneath the sbattere,

~SASANSSA sASsAA F~0S -
while buried beneath the shattered
cars.
Toe greatest loss of life occurred
in the diner, which seems to have
been filled with passengers. Not
person In this car escaped death.
The DO ,med passengers were carri-
ed into close contact with the en-
CINE, buried under the cars thet
came behind, and for the most
part scalded to death.
The Buffalo Reading ard Cleve-
land Snriners with their wives and
children coupled the dining car
and two sleepers. L. was in these
three cars that havoc occurred. In
the baggage Car the baggageman
was iu' antly killed. In the diner
it is estimated that IA passengers,
three colored walters, the Pullman
conductor and a brakeman met
death, and thatsev raj victims were
passengers in the sleepers. Two
coaches did not leave the track. and
apparently none of their passengers
was injured.
There were 145 people on the
wrecked .rain. A report from San
Luis Obispo gives as the cause of
the wreck the fact that a railroad
crew was engaged In repairing the
track The wrecked sp-cis! sp-
preached without wa ming at very
high rate of speed ana the track
gave way.
TIE special train bsaring 81 dead
from the wreck arrived hers at l 80
this morning.
San Francisco, May 15.-When
Abraham Ruef pleaded guilty to
the charge of extoytion this after
noon be made the following state
ment:
with permission of the court I
desire to make the following state
ment against the protests of my at
torneys. To the public have feel
ings of the greatest kindllnese, and
here I wish to make formal state.
,nent declaring that thsy alwsya
fully believed me innoceot of all
the charges sgainst ma. My per.
sonal condition is such that I can
not stand the terrible straio of
another three or four months in
court.
Moreover the stain upon those
who are near and Gear to me is such
that th II he alth is also undermined
and they are in state of vital col
lapse. Their lives are in danger.
I have occupied prominent posi-.
eion in this city. I have long borne
an IGNORED and respected rame.
My private professional llfei is with.
out stain. I have beld up my head
among my fellow citizfna, and just.
~. Until the election of 1905 it was
no fiction of mine such that 1t might
bear out in auy way the charges
made against me in the newspapers;
until that elec ion my life was clean
aud true to the high ideals I had
always held.
but my desire to hold together
the vast political machine built up
at extreme cost and great persona
sacrifice caused me to lower those
high ideals which I had held up to
that time, 80 sacred. Now 1 have
but one course before me, TO offer
reparation is my only course. I am
now prepared 20 make the greatest
sact fee man can make to society.
I do this to made what wrong I have
done right. I am not guilty of the
crime charged in the indictment,
but 10 view of other charges against
me and for the reasons stated above
I desire to Rave the court allow ne
TO change my plea Of not guilty and
substitute that of guilty: also I
move that the court discharge the
jury. I throw myself upon the
mercy of the COURT
Heney Immediately consented
to the motion and the judge dis
charged the jury. Ruef shook
hauos with number of newspaper
me His eyes were full of tears
an his hand shook.