Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-21
RUEFCHARCED WITH BRIBERY
Grand Jury ACCUSES Boss Of Selling Gas,
Telephone and Trolley Franchises.
sNN-FNE INDICTMENTS RETURNED
Men High In Business Affairs who
Furnished Money 60 he Prose-
cuted-JhdEe Fixes Bail
at s65O,OOO.


graft cases were returned tonight. Shortly
after 6 O'Clock the grand jury filed with
Presiding Judge Coffey Of the superior
court seventy-fve indictments charging
bribery, which were found on evidence |
presented to the grand jury after six
months probing into the municipal AFFAIRS
of this city by Assistant District Attorney
Francis ]. Heney and Secret Service Agent |
William ]. Burns, and which reveal an
amazing story Of alleged graft and corrup-
ton that surpasses the Doodle cases Of st. !
Louis. ranks with the Minneapolis expose
and is only eclipsed in the amount Of
money passed, but not in its ramiications
and organization, by the famous Tweed
ring of New York
OF the indictments returned, sixtyfve
are against Abraham Ruef for years the
political boss Of San Francisco, charging
him with bribing the board OF supervisors
to grant franchises to the United railroads,
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 Tele-
graph company, who is charged with hav-
ing bribed the supervisors not to grant a
franchise to a rival company. One indict-
ment against Ruef and four more against
Halsey which It is understood were also
returned today, were not filed in open
court Several more indictments the ex-
act number and against what person Heney
and Burns refuse to divulge until the ac-
cused persons have been arrested, were
returned by the grand jury but not filed.
Heney and Burns not even trusting the
secret file.
Trolley, Gas and Telephone.
OF the slxty-fve counts of bribery
against Ruef, fourteen are in connection
with the granting Of the overhead trolley
franchise to the United Railway company
Immediately after the disaster OF last
April Seventeen are based on the money
alleged to have been spent by the gas
company to secure an Scent gas rate
as against a 75-cent rate. Thirteen refer
to the passing of money by the Home Tele-
phone company to obtain a franchise for
| a bid Of $4,000, and which it has been de-
clared was worth at least 81, 100000, and
eighteen indictments are based upon the
| alleged bribing Of the supervisors by Ruef
to grant fight permits only to the so-called
Fight trust of this city, which is COM
posed Of Eddie Graney, Morris Levy,
James Coffroth and Willis Britt.
The money in all these cases is alleged
to have been handled by Ruef, who. ac-
cording to Heney and Burns. was the
agent and broker between the public ser
| vice corporations and the board OF su-
/ pervisors and a sort of general distributing
| agent for all who desired privileges from
the supervisors.
| The indictments against Halsey charge
the agent OF the Pacific State Telephone
and Telegraph company with having bribed
| fourteen members of the board of super
visors to refuse the rival company a fran
chise.
Heavy Bail Required.
Judge CofTey fixed the bail at $4,000 on
each indictment, or a total Of s65OOOO for
Ruef and 100000 for Halsey. The latter
is a brother-in-law of the late John I.
Sabin, formerly president Of the Pacific
States Telephone and Telegraph company,
later at the head of the telephone system
in Chicago and a brother-in-law of Louis
Glass, president Of the Philippine Telephone
company. Halsey has been in Manila in
stalling a telephone system. He has been
| under surveillance for several days and
papers for extradltion are being taken out
and orders for his arrest have been cabled.
! In the overhead trolley deal Ruef, accord
ing TO Burns, was given $4S5,OO0 by the
United railroads, OF which the political boss
is alleged to have divided $91,O 900. OF this
amount $4,000 is said to have been given to
each of fourteen supervisors, two received
900 each and one $1,000.
! In the restricting OF boxing permits 10 the
big four OF the fight trust the indictment
charges that $500 was given to each OF eight
cen supervisors, or a total of 5000, al
though fund of 10000 was said to have
been collected for Ruef In the alleged
deal by which the gas company was given
. .
divided among sixteen OF the supervisors
in sums of $50 each. but the amount sup
posed to have been received by Gallagher
Is not known. Besides the $25OO0 bid for
its franchise, Ruef is charged with having
divided among thirteen Of the city fathers
the sum Of $62 1000 received from the Home
Telephone company for the granting OF a
franchise TO install its system in the city.
In this connection II is noteworthy that
fourteen of the supervisors are alleged to
have also taken 5000 each from Halsey to
prevent the granting OF the franchise 10
the Home company and It is understood
that fourteen indictments were returned
against Halsey, only ten Of which were filed
today.
Prominent Men implicated.
Assistant Attorney Heney stated that to-
, days indictments was the beginning of
! the enu or hueIs DuI merely the btslAlllils =
of the work of exposing the municipal cor
ruption in San Francisco, and the prosecu-
tion of those high up, who are responsible
for such conditions in this city"
District Attorney Langdon said immedi-
ately after the indictments had been filed:
"The remarkable organization OF this
grating and corruption In the municipal af-
fairs in San Francisco, its amazing rami-
fcations, involving millionaires and the bet
, ter class of citizens, will appal not only
the city. but the entire country when it Is
fully laid bare"
This is only the beginning" declared
Secret Serevice Agent Burns. The evi-
dence in the indictments filed today and
others that have been returned, but fol-
p the present will remain secret, is abso
/ lutely conclusive and as perfect as the evil
! dence In any with the investigation
, OF which / have been connected.
'Ruef acted as broker and agent" h'
y continued, between the corporations and
the board of supervisors in all matteri
, pertaining 10 the obtaining OF privilege.
from the city fathers"
Burns denied that he had been orderet
back TO Washington, as reported, and de
,Ioroa that rnfghf take entIra yaal