Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-23
RUFF PROMISES A SENSATION
Says Charges Are Result Of Attempt TO
Steal tbs City Government
CALHOUN MAY APPEAR BEFORE JURY
President of United Railways WIN he
Asked to Testify-NO Attempt
Made TO Remove super
viaors.

SAN FRANCISCO, March Pit was /
stated today at the prosecuting attorneys |
office that Patrick Calhoun, president OF the |
United Railways company, would, upon his /
arrival here from New York, be given an |
opportunity to appear before the grand jury |
I'm connection with that bodys investigation |
Of the alleged bribery of the supervisors |
in the matter Of an overhead trolley fran- !
chise granted the United Railways company |
last May.
From the same source It was also learned !
that number Of secret indictments which !
have not even been trusted to the secret
file for fear that their contents might leak
out, are not all against one person, but are
said to contain the names of several
Abraham Ruef said to the Associated
Press today that he is considering the
preparation OF a statement to the public,
and declares that when he tells his story
it will contain sensations equal to the dis
closures Of the alleged confessions Of the
supervisors. He expressed the opinion that
the investigation now going on was in
furtherance of an organized attempt to
seize the municipal government and as
serted that it was government by indict-
ment" instead of government by injunc-
ton"
Dunno to Hear Cases.
The sixty-five charges Of bribery against
Ruef were today assigned by Presiding
Judge Cofrey to Judge DUNES department
of the superior court. They will be placed
on the calendar tomorrow and arraignment
! set for some day early next week To
/ avoid possible conflict between the chief
| Of police or the sheriff and Elisor Biggy
| no bench warrants will be issued on these
! indictments.
! 1t may be the irony OF fate that the
! former residence Of Mayor Schmitz, in
which he resided when elected. and often
entertained and dined Ruef. and where
| the mayor and the political boss laid many
of their political campaign plans, may be-
! come Ruef's prison for some months. The
present owner is attempting to rent it to
EIlisor Biggy as a place Of detention for
Ruef when he takes the latter away from
the st. Francis hotel
Supervisors to Remain.
The true reason for the determination Of
the prosecution to take no immediate steps
toward removing from office the super
visors was disclosed this afternoon. Dis
trict Attorney Lagdon stated that in order
to remove them It would be necessary to
prove the charges against them. This
ward all its evidence and thereby disclose
its entire hand before the trials OF those
who are or viii be indicted. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Heney declared that the
mayor, having the appointive power, could
hIl. the vacancies ereated,by the removal Of
the supervisors with men on whom the
investigators had no hold. To overcome
this obstacle it would be necessary first
to remove the mayor and this Heney ad-
mitted the prosecution was in no position
as yet to do. 1t also developed that the
district attorney would run counter Of the
same law that defeated the attemp of Ruef
and Acting Mayor Gallagher last fall 70
remove District Attorney Lagdon and put
Ruef in his place. While summary pro-
ceedings could be taken to remove the
mayor the issuance of a writ Of probable
cause by some Judge would act as stay
OF proceedings during appeal, and by re-
sorting TO technicalities, the settling of the
appeal might be delayed until the mayors
term of Office had expired.
The grand jury did not meet today, but
will hold a short session tomorrow, at
which time the investigation Of the alleged
telephone deal will be resumed. No indict-
ments are expected TO be filed tomorrow.
Jury VIII he Guarded.
marked the custody of Ruef will be exer-
cised in guarding the jury against any pos
sible outside influences when his trial be-
gins Instead of a bailih or the sheriff
having charge Of the jury. District Attorn-
ney Lagoon stated today that the jury will
be placed in charge Of Elisor w ]. Biggy.
This is said to be the first time in the legal
history Of the United States that an elisor
has been appointed by a court to apprehend
a defendant and given such power to keep
him In custody during trial. Up to the
present time the ordinary functions Of an
elisor has been perfunctory and his appoint
ment was usually for the purpose of draw
ing returning and taking charge of juries
, when the sheriff or other proper officers
were disqualified
The present appointment Of an elisor ex-
tends only to the one charge of extortion,
for which Ruef is trial, and does not
apply TO other indictments.
In order to appoint the elisor to take
charge of Ruef during the trial of the other
cases, It will be necessary to show that the
sheriff and other regular officers are dis
qualified. The report that there is dissen-
sion among Ruefs attorneys seems to be
borne out by the fact that they no longer
confer with him together, but visit him
singly.
Ruef was in much better spirits when
seen this afternoon. He submits gracefully
, 20 the restraint placed upon him and ex-
! pressed his appreciation Of the courtesiei
J extended TO him by Eisor Biggy and his
4 guards.
When told that Mayor Schmitz's former
residence may become his temporary prison
Ruef jokingly said: why not take my
, house2 I offer the elisor my home for the
. purpose"