The San Francisco call., 1907-03-22

Supervisor l. A. Rea. who until re-
Gently was deemed an honest man IN a
nest Of rogues. is telling his clos+
friends that their confidence IN him was
not misplaced Incidentally his story
fncriminates Mayor Schmitz. Publicly
Rea denies acceptance Of anything more
than his salary. but 10 intimates AS
repeats admissions made 10 the Oralu
Jury and explains that IL was al
mistake He pocketed two offerings
one Of $3.50 and the other OF 5000, out'
according 10 his story. Abe Ruei oe-
ceived him by telling him both We're
personal gifts from kind master 70
faithful servant and were intenoeo
solely 20 reimburse him Tor can pSisI SLi,,l
expenses. When pertinent ihqOlIies ihq.,iss
follow his explanation Res aoos tlat
rss votes in favor OF various grsftinS
schemes were cast on the aoNice OF
Ruef and that until some time alteL
he had unwitringly stultihed himseit
he did not know his colleagues on the
Board Of Supervisors were pelns
bought and sold.
The case of Rea is the most peOulial
Of the many brought 10 the ATTENTION
~ +ba Grand Jury Figuring from the
records OF the prosecution, he, althoush
: personal friend Of both Ruef sno
MAYOR Schmitz. received the ieast
money OF any OF the SUPERVISOR On
the list OF the faithless his name ap
,,ears only twfce-once for $3.50, when
,,,es ne amount maid for votes for 80
cent gas. and once for S5o0, wnlch SUM
renresents the bribe Of the fight trust.
There is no evidence that he recelNeH
anvthing in the three big deals IN
which the amounts passed ran INTO ths
thousands The rival telephone com
panies and the United Raiiroaos ia1-
-a-ed the purses Of other members oI
nnfnr1nE TO the
rrice list and record OF deliveries IN
sists that the big corporations gave
him nothing.
R4-rFr-s TOKENS OF ESTEEM
There IS anotho- SIDE OF this story.
b,rr the proof necessary 10 make i<ea
ott 4 willing CRATER is said TO De
s.rtxtDe~ Tho men who have been in
,-re+fearsuc the Doodle transactions be
ieve Ruef did business personally win
Res in one OF the big deals ana gave
him at least a little more than was
thrown bonelike TO the cheaper mem
bors ~ the board However. the tale
+har Res tells when the confidential
,nood overcomes him is part Of the his
torv Of the case and is therefore worth
repeating ,.
Rec would have the public believe
.hat on two occasions Ruef handed
over packages of money, saying tnat
he thought it only right TO onset the
drain on the Rea exchequer due 10 the
Res campaign expenses. ms
after Rea had voted for eighty-hve
cent gas and 4 fight trust and the
amounts Ruef gave him, $3.50 as pipe
opener and $500 as a chaser, taliieo
with the sums passed around by Sup
cr,-isor Jim Gallagher, who was not
81 the habit Of making princely gifts
still Rea thought everything was all
ferr mi he n
-he board by the Pacific States Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company did not
undeceive him. Rea was not one OF
the ten. Theodore Hslsey, bribery
agent Of the telephone company. had
heard much Of Rea's reputation for
honesty and looked upon him as live
wire.
~KEEP aIIET." MAYOR SAYS
when the Home Telephone Company.
3 few months later. fixed things with
Ruef. the member from North Beach
began 10 acquire wisdom. he oidn
ike Ruefs advice. and when he pro-
tested. Ruef cooIly informed him that
lie had already taken $3.50 in bribe
money and that his colleagues had
done the same Rea now SAYS that
this was q revelation and that IL horri-
fed him. He hurried to Mayor Schmitz
with his troubles and wss told 10 cain
himself and think no more or the mat
ter Res voted against the Home Tele-
phoue Company This would seem to
settle all doubt as to whether he got
any money out Of that deal.
Soon sfterWsrd the United Rail-
roads made Ruef its purchasing agent.
Again Ruef reminded Res Of the $3.50
ne had accepted and again Rea poured
out hts heart 10 the Mayor. This time
he got no sympathy According TO Res,
the Mavor said, You had better keep
your mouth shut"
Rea declares he received no money
from the United Railroads. either
through Ruef or any one else, but he
certainly kept his mouth shut and the
minutes Of the Board OF Supervisors
show that he voted for the overhead
trolleys that meant millions OF dollars
20 Pat Calhoun and his business asso-
ciates.