Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-05-18
sCHM|Tz SAYS ne
HASN'T ADVOCATED
Brands Statement That He Has
surrendered the Reins OF Gov
ernment as a Falsehood'
ne WILL MAKE NO CONFESSION
o.o q, Ills Attorneys Says lie Has
Nothing to Confess--M"''ers
Are in II Muss.

san Francisco. May 1T,-lnterest was
avoided today between the appearance
~ Abraham Ruef, late political boss
of the city, before the grand jury Whlch
Is investigating charges OF politicai cor
r,lption, and the many reports OIL u"
Imminent change in the municlpal al
,ninistrution. An earnest etort is Dc
ing made to find the solution oil an
unusual situation, but no plan has yet
boon evolved that Is satisfactory to all
,,otitical interests. committee OF
seven prominent business men called
upon Prosecuting Atty. Langdon and
others who are conducting the graft
prosecution with view Of forcing the
hoard OF supervisors to resign IN or
der that Mayor Schmitz may appoint
a new board, which In turn would eject
tr successor 10 Mayor Schmilz inc
plan was not acceptable 10 me prose-
Cuticn who suggested that mayor
Schmiiz resign and allow the existing
hoard of supervisors to elect his sue
,essor. While 1t was not so stated,
il was implied that the choice or the
board would conform to the desire OF
the prosecution, and That ~ was pest
that the reform forces work out tho
present board of supervisors and leave
the situation in the hands of the prose-
Ii was also reported that Mayor
Schmitz had virtually abdicated il
favor OF committee OF seven TINS
was strongly denied by the mayor VINO
said:
THE statement that l have handed
The reins of government to any person
or committee Is an unqualified ialse-
hood. | called the committee or 50
together some time aso In order mat
| might have the advantage of the Wis
dom and advice of the best citizens
of the city in financial and INDUS
trial crisis. This committee OF 90
selected sub-committeeS i'll order that
important work might be systemati2ed
and carried out, and one of these com
mIttees is the so-Callcd committee or
seven. / have not resigned nor yield
ed my prerogative TO anybody, ana
any staement to the contrary is a
malicious falsehood. There Is no rea-
son why | should pass over the reins
of government to other people.
las for Ruef's charges. VIII say
he has never paid me any bride money,
aud he knows 1t. If he says he passed
bribe money to me, he simply lies, |
only know that he has made such
charges from what ] am told and from
the newspaper reports"
Dist. Atty. Langdop was asked to-
night;
HAS the prosecution entered into
any arrangement, tentative or Other
wise, for the virtual retirement of the
mayor and the turning over OF the ac-
tual reins of government TO commit
tee of seven, representing commercial
orgapizations?'
THE district attorney" replied MIR.
Langdon, positively will have no deal
ings with any committee appointed by
Schinitz"
Dist. Atty. Langdon was also asked:
Accepting as correct the state
ment by member of the prosecution
that the mayor has endeavored 10
make terms, would the district attor-
neys office accept a confession from
hm?"
1T will accept tho confession of any
criminal" he replied.
Would an agreement to accept carry
the provision that no immunity
strings be attached?"
Absolutely" he answered.
w. III. Nelson, one of the mayors
attorneys, today stated that Sohmtz
viii so 10 trial Monday ON the eXtortion
charges brought Jointly against. hin,
and Ruef by the grand jury.
Mr.. Schmitz," said Metson, will
mot confess. He has nothing to con-
pess. He is not guilty"
! Letters from a hundred sources con-
tnue TO pour in upon Ruef daily.
Many of them are from women. some
From old friends, others from acquaint-
Ences with whom he says he has not
kbeen in touch for 10 years, and still
tnore from people whose names are
Sstrange and whose signatures he has
Eome difficulty in reading. Almost with
tut exception they express sympathy
(and encouragement,