The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-12
Abe Ruef's Answer to the First
Question Asked Him
Is Held Up by Counsel for
Eugene Schmitz.
MAYOR DENIES ALL.
He Proves to Be a Ready and
Willing Witness.
Swears That He Got No Portion
of ExtOrtiOn Swag.

San Francisco, June 12.-At the
closing of the Mayor Schmitz extortion
trial yesterday. Abe Ruef on the stand
in rebuttal had opened his lips to an
swer the question: did you pay half
of this extortion money TO Schmitz? 2"
when the defense launched an objec-
ton, determination of which was still
in doubt when adjournment was taken.
Judge Campbell called Mayor
Schmitz to testify in his own behalf MS
the second witness of the day. The
mayor occupied the witness stand for
more than an hour. during consider
able portion of which time opposing
counsel were wrangIing.
The mayor himself exhibited an
eagerness to waive technicanties OF
law and answer questions.
AT 4:3O O'Clock Assistant District
Attorney Heney said:
Call Abraham Ruef."
Ruef, pale and com imposed, entered at
the back of the altar and made his
way around the crowded counsel table
to the clerks desk where he took the
oath.
Don't answer any questions. please,
until the defense has had an oppor-
tunity to object" cautioned Mr.. Camp
bell
Ruef nodded acquiescence.
Mr. Ruef.' asked Assistant District
Attorney Heney, without hesitation.
'in July of 1905. in the house at 2S49
Fillmore street, the home at that time
of Mayor Schmitz, did you give Mayor
Schmitz $2.5O0?"
The prosecution alleges that Ruef
divided even with the mayor the
moneys paid him by the restaurant,
eurs and that the first installment PAID
by them was $4,000.
To this question Mr.. Campbell in
terposed an objection. argument on
which was still in progress when ad-
iC,1 IA
Business Agent Puts Up Job.
The attorneys for Mayor Schmitz
opened the defense by calling to the
stand NJ. P. Scott, business agent OF
the local cooks and walters union
at the time the French restaurants
were having their license troubles, who
testified that he and a man named
Reagan put up a job to have the u
cense of Tortonfs revoked because
that restaurant had refused to union
ize.
Under cross-examination by Assis-
tant District Attorney Heney Scott de-
MED that he had told Reagan as
Reagan himself testified, that the
French restaurant keepers had raised
"a sack" of s2S.0O0 to buy protection
of their licenses.
on cross-examination Scott said he
secured a job with the board OF pub
lie works last August through the in
fuence of the former president of that
body Frank Maestrettl.
During
Mayor Schmitz, Mr.. Campbell, senior
counsel for the mayor, and the mayor
himself were threatened with punish
ment for contempt of court This fol-
lowed repeated refusals on the part OF
the mayor to answer the questions bf
Assistant District Attorney Heney.
The mayor was unperturbed ana
said he was perfectly willing to an
swer but did not wish to disregard the
advice of his counsel. Campbell nm
ally withdrew his objections to the
mayors answering certain questions
Scott said that when he told Schmitz
about Tortoni's place and the plan to
get evidence by having two disguised
walters persuade the proprietor to
send out for immoral women the may
or told him to be very careful as to
what he did.
asCommissioner Reagan came to me
and said that Commissioner Hutton
was very much opposed to the French
restaurants and wanted him. Reagan.
to stand with him against them. told
Reagan that the French restaurants
had been allowed to run for years be-
fore my administration and saw
nothing wrong with them. told him.
about them before taking any action
in the police commission. I never told
him they were all bad places or that
wanted him to close them up.
HE made an investigation and re-
ported back to me. He said he inves-
tigated and found nothing wrong"
Schmitz willing to Answer.
did Ruef pay you any part of the
S5 600 fee he obtained from the French
restaurant men?" was Heney's opening
question.
Campbell objected but the obJectou
II am ready to answer that ques-
ticn," spoke up the mayor.
The mayor said:
"I do not know that Mr. Ruef got
any $4,000 fee from the French restau-
rant men or that he was to get any
Heney then asked: Didn't Ruef give
YOU one-half of $1,000 in currency at
your home in this city in January.
1902"
Judge Dunno overruled Mr.. Camp
BELLS objection. Campbell again told
the witness not to answer.
II will reframe the question:" said
Mr.. Heney. Did not Ruef, at your
currency and say This is one-half OF
the second payment 1 have received
from the French restaurant men?'
HE did not" replied Mayor SchTnitz
warmly.
the $500 received by him from the old
Poodle Dog Jacks and Franks at
your house in this city on January 3
1902" Haney asked.
II object to that question on the
grounds already stated and 1 advise
the witness not to answer It," said Mr..
ssMr. Campbell said the mayor. lean
ing forward in the witness chair. IT
am perfectly willing to answer these
questions, but I don't like to go against
Judge Dunno swung around in his
chair until ne faced the mayor. AN
swer the question" he ordered sharp
- 80 ., -.-.rt.s e,A--s.-