Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-03-22
RUFF IS INDICTED
FOR GIGANTIC GRAFT
"Pay Dirt" Struck In Search
- !. for Corruption.
REQUIRED TO GIVE se4o, 600 BAIL

Agent of Telephone Company lndlct-
ed Along With Ruef-It Is Alleged
That Ruef Sold Franchises to the
Highest Bidder.
San Francisco, March 21.v-The
grand jury has returned rs indictments
charging bribery, sixty-fve against
Abraham Ruef and ten against T. V.
Halsey, former general agent Of the
Pacific States Telephone company.
Halsey is now in Manila Installing q
telephone service.
A statement by Assistant District
Attorney Francis j. Heney says in
substance:
Of the sixty-six indictments charg-
ing Abraham Ruef with bribery, Is
are for the alleged bribing Of the
board Of supervisors in connection
with the granting of fight permits to
the so-called fight trust. Ruef is
charged with having paid each one OF
the eighteen supervisors $500, and
one indictment was returned for each
supervisor alleged to have been
bribed
Eighteen indictments against Ruef
are for bribing the IS supervisors to
vote for S5-cent gas instead Of 10
ceat rate, it being charged that each
one of the supervisors was paid $3.50
by Ruef Thirteen indictments
against him are for the alleged brib-
Ing OF thirteen supervisors in cOnnec-
ton with the granting of a franchise
to the Home Telephone company. The
telephone company bid and paid tc
the city $25, 900 for the franchise In
indictments were returned again T.
V. Halsey, formerly general agent
of the Pacific States Telephone and
Telegraph company for the alleged
bribing Of four supervisors to vote
against the granting of franchise to
the rival company.
According to Heney, Halsey is
charged with having paid Is supervis-
OTs So 900 each and to one, James l..
Gallagher, $40, 900. Halsey, it is said,
agreed to pay each supervisor 81 500
additional if the franchise was not
granted to the home company. OF the
ii supervisors, who, 1t is charged,
were bribed by Halsey, nine, Mr.. He
ney said, turned around and took
money from the other company to vote
for the franchise.
Judge Coffey fixed the bail at $40,
$640 900 for Ruef and 500, 900 for
Halsey. The latter is a brOther-in-
law OF the late John L. Sabin, for
merry president of the Pacific States
Telephone and Telegraph company,
later at the head of the telephone sys-
tenn of Chicago, and a brother-in-law
of Lucius Glass, president of the In
dependent Telephone company. Hal
sey has been in Manila installing a
telephone system. He has been I'M
der surveillance for several days and
papers for his extradition are being
taken out and orders for his arrest
have been cabled.
In the overhead trolley deal, Ruef,
according to Burns, was given $685.
900 by the United Railroads, of which
the politician boss is alleged to have
divided sol 900.
Mr.. Halsey said all the supervisors
with the exception of Duffy, now pres
ident of the board of public works,
have testified fully before the grand
jury and confessed all their partici-
patton in the acceptance Of brides.
Duffy IS willing to testify and will be
before the grand jury on Thursday.
Assistant Attorney Heney stated
that Wednesdays indictments were
the beginning Of the end of Ruef,,"
but merely the beginning of the work
of exposing the municipal corruption
in San Francisco, and the prosecution
of those high up, who are respon-
sible for such conditions in this city"
District Attorney Langdon said i'm
mediately after the indictments had
been filed:
''The remarkable organization Of this
grating and corruption in San Fran
cisco, its amazing ramifcations, in
volving mfllionaires and the better
class Of citizens will appeal not only
the city, but the entire country when
1t is fully laid bare.
"Ruef acted as broker and agent
board of supervisors in all matters
pertaining to the obtaining of privi-
teges from the city fathers"