Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-03-29
Important Witnesses Reveal
Secrets of the Ruef System
to Grand Jury in San Fran
cisco.
GREATEST SECRECY
SURROUNDS DAYS WORK
in ImpaSSioned State
ment Denies He Has ProfiteG
to Extent of Half a Million
Dollars,
ny Morning Journal Special Leased wlre.l


San Francisco, March 27.-Twelve
witnesses were examined today by the
grand jury in its investigation of brib-
cry and graft during a session which
lasted from > o'clock until after 6.
These We're in the order named:
DR., Ferdinand Butterfeld. repre-
senting interests allied with the United
states Independent Telephone con-
pany the concern which desired to bid
but did not, for the competitive fran
chise awarded to the Home Telephone
company II IS charged, after approx
lmately 100000 of bribe money had
been paid to administration officials.
S25,0O0 to the city of San Francisco,
and $4,000 to the earthquake and fire
relief fund; +. Oppenheimer of san
Francisco; William Mead, president o.
the Central Bank of Los Angeles. and
stakeholder in the Home Telephone
company of that city; Mr.. Sloan of
Los Angeles;f Frank NJ. Brown, a
broker of Los Angeles, who had to do
with the formation of the New Home
Telephone company and who. 1t il
said, has furnished the grand iurv
with evidence respecting the manner
in which that corporation secured the
san Francisco franchise after as
claimed-it had been illegitimately
bought by the Pacific States Telephone
company W. C. Patterson, vice pres
ident of the First National bank of Los
Angeles, who was financially inter-
ested in the operations of the Home
company; j. $. Torrance, d Los An
geles broker; A. b. Cass. president OF
the Home Telephone company of Los
Angeles; T. $. Parkhurst, of Los An
geles; Mr.. Dole of Pomona. and Super
visor W, W. Sanderson of this city.
one OF the several supervisors who are
alleged to have furnished the grand
jury with much of the groundwork for
its indictments by cOnfes5ing to whole
sale bribery practiced upon them.
selves by the two telephone compan-
les, the local gas company, the United
railroads and other corporations.
Each witness as he came from tho
inquisitorial chamber refused to am
swer all inquiries put to him. or to di-
Vulge in any respect the nature of the
questions asked him or the answers
given In the jury room Each either
declared that he had been requested
by the grand jury To keep its secrets,
or that he had no statement to make.
and with that hurried from the Ma
tive Sons building, at Cough and
Geary streets, where the investigation
- btlllb lltlh.
At the conclusion Of the session.
District Attorney Langdon was asked
to make statement concerning the
days investigation. He replied:
This was one of the most IMPORT
ant days thus far before the grand
1ury--a day respecting which it Is
necessary for the officers of the prose-
cution to observe the strlctest silence.
] shall simply say that this was one of
the most satisfactory days yet"
This was taken to mean that the
witnesses called. or some Of the more
important of them, had given testi-
mony tending to corrOborate the brib-
cry and graft evidence on which sixty
five indictments have already been re-
turned against Abraham Ruef. nine
against General Manager Louis Glass,
OF the Pacific States Telephone com
pany' thirteen against Abraham X.
DetWeller, outside agent for the Home
Telephone company; ten Indictments
against j. V. Halsey, outside agent for
the Pacific States Telephone company.
five against Mayor Schmitz and one
against Chief of Police Dinan.
Assistant District Attorney Heney,
when asked for "A statement, replied:
1T would be big mistake to make
one. This Is one Of the days when 1t
is our business to guard especially
against publication"
Supervisor Pleads silence.
Supervisor Sanderson,. who though a
young man. is in feeble health. was
accompanied from his Pao Alto home
to the grand jury room by his physi-
cian, DR.. a. j. Villain. Sanderson.
when surrounded by newspaper men.
made a pathetic appeal not to be ques-
toned or quoted. He said this was not
on his own behalf. but for the sake OF
his very aged mother, who has suf-
fered greatly through several tragic
happenings Of recent occurrence in
the lives of her three sons. After the
grand jury session, Sandersdn was
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