The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-05-18
TELL STORY OF
MUNICIPAL GRAFT
Sickening Tale by Reuf-Says the
Street Car Company Paid
$500, 900 in Brides.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 16.-It is
rumored tonight that a movement Is
on foot to bring about change In
the municipal administration by fore
ing the resignation of Mayor Schmitz
and choosing in his stead Frederick
w. Dohrmann, a prominent whole
sale merchant, as mayor. The report
lacks confirmation.
Abraham Ruef today made good his
declaration of yesterday that he
would, following his change of plea
10 guilty in the extortion case
against him, turn states evidence
and assist the bribery graft pros
ecution in its campaign against mum
icipal corruption. Ruef. obeying .
subpoena from the grand jury serv-
ed upon him at the Fillmore street
prison house shortly before 8 o'clock
went in charge of Special Agent
Burns, Elisor Buggy and another
guard to the grand jury chamber
in Native Sons hall, where he took
the witness esand and submitted
to an examination that lasted from
3:2O O'Clock until after p. m.
When the ordeal was over he call
ed the newspaper men around him
and said that he had promised the
grand jury to divulge nothing. Dis
trict Attorney Langdon and Assist
ant District Heney refused to make
any statement whatever. From Spe-
cial Agent Burns it was learned that
the only matter in which Ruef was
questioned was the alleged bribing
of Mayor Schmitz and eighteen sup
visors by the United Railroads to
grant to that corporation a change
in it's franchise allowing the electri-
fication of it's $50 miles of street
railway system in this city.
Gives Doodle Figures.
If Burns understanding of Ruef's
testimony is correct, the fallen boss
told the grand jury that President
Patrick Calhoun, Assistant President
Thornwell Mutually, Chief Council
William M. Abbott, of the United
Railroads, paid or caused to be paid
the sum of 100000 for the privil-
eye named; that $4,000 of this
amount was Ruefs "fee:" that $50
600 went into the pocket of Mayor
Schmitz, and that the remaining
$4,000 was handed to the eighteen
supervisors, sixteen of them receiv-
ing $4,000 each, another demanding
and getting $4,000, and Chairman
Gallagher Of the finance committee
being paid SIS. coo for acting as go
between.
After the examination of Ruef was
concluded the grand jury remained
in executive session until $50
O'Clock. Subsequently the statement
was made, but not officially confirm
ed, that indictments had been voted
against four high officials of the Unit
ed Railroads and Schmitz, as pre-
dicted by an officer of the prosecu-
ton two weeks ago.
Treated Kindly by Jury.
Sshu lin his prison room tonight,
Ruef said, regarding the ordeal
through which he passedA
II was received and treated by the
grand jury with a consideration that
touched me deeply. When l entered
the room every one of the seventeen
jurors present arose and shook me
by the hand. When I finished my
testimony every one of them got up
and babe me goodnight with hearty
handclasp. No disposition was dis
played to grill" me. The trying
task l had voluntarily set for my
self was made easy by kindness as
could have hoped. l do not know
when / shall be again called to test
ify. Perhaps tomorrow. l shall be
ready"