The Mena weekly star., 1907-06-20
MAYCRGHN|IZ0OTHALF.
Part of Ruef's Restaurant Retain ing Fee Paid to San Frsn-
 cisco Executive.
END OF TIE ExToHTIoH CASE IS NEAR
All the Evidence in and Arguments
 of Attorneys 1esun--Schmitz Sc
 vereIy Scored by Prosecuting At tcrney Johnson--Ruef Produced i Contract With French Restaurants


 San Francisco, Cal, June 14.- Wednesday was an ear-burning day for Mayor Schmitz. Seated at the counsel table before the altar in the Jewish synagogue on Bush street, he heard Abe Ruef, his former political friend, philosopher and guide, prac- tically call him a perjurer to the jury. and with that same jury he listened to a scathing denunciation of himself at the hands of prosecutor Hiram Johnson And If there was balm for scourged feelings in the speech that closed the day, the speech of his own attorney Barrett, he took no open heed. Indeed during most of the two hours and twenty-five min utes Mir. Barrett was speaking the mayor was either glancing over newspapers or buried deep in type written pages of testimony. But no word of the prosecutors address es capped his sensitive ears.
 Ruef was of course the sensation of the day. His appearance on the stand as witness in rebuttal for the prosecution is now accredited to the tactical error of the defense in let ting the mayor testify. for it was to refute the mayors denials under oath that he had participated in Ruers fee" that the prisoner ex.boss was connected. Ruef told the jury that he went to Schmitz's former resi- dence and handed to the mayor at stated intervals one half of the fees of $5.0o0 and $3.000 paid him by the proprietors of the five fore most of the French restaurants of San Francisco before the fire.
 As the cross-examinatior of Ruef proceeded attorney Campbell asked Ruef if he had in his possession and If he could produce contract with the French restaurant men to act as their attorney. Ruef replied in the affirmative and while he was search ing in his pockets for the document the big crowd in the court room wait ed with the liveliest interest for Ruef to draw it forth. The contract. which the defense has relied upon to prove the legal and moral exculpation of Ruef and hence Schmitz was soon produced by auef It was fin a sealed envelope. Ruef handed it to Attorney Campbell who read it and then had Ruef identify as Pierre Priet's the signature borne by the paper Ruef said he saw Priet sign the contract. Priet signed as president of the French restaurantmen Association. Ruef identified the contract as the one he has referred to when he told the mayor that he tRuefD had con tract with the French restaurant men. MT. Campbell then offered the document as evidence. The terms of the contract provide for the retention of Abraham Ruef for a term of two years. as attorney for the French restaurants known as Delimonicos. Marchand's the New Poodle Dog, the Pup and the Bay State. and places the retaining fee at $5.000. Ruef says the contract was signed In Feb ruary. 1905, few weeks after he had received the t5.000.
 Two unimportant witnesses were recalled by the state and both sides announced that their testimony was fin.
 Hiram Johnson then began the opening statement for the prosecu- ton.
 Attorney Johnson severely scored Mayor Schmitz, asserting that he was equally as guilty as Ruef. He con cluded by saying that the case of the prosecution has been conclusively proven. Attorney Barrett made the opening statement for the defense