Bisbee daily review., 1907-05-01
SCHMITz ASKING IMMUNITY BATH
San Francisco District Attor- ney Undecided Whether to Go After Bribe GiverS or Bribe Takers.

The Los Angeles Times prints the following in regard to a plea for i'm munity alleged to have been made by Mayor Schmiz of San Francisco.
 The latest candidate for immunity is the indicted chief executive of the municipality, Mayor Eugent g. SchmitZ. Through trusted repTesen tatives within the last five days the Mayor has made proposal to the graft prosecutors which is now under consideration. The Mayors proposi- tion may be accepted at any moment. but tonight Rudolph Spreckels and Asst Dist. Atty Francis Heney de- clared themselves against giving the indicted Mayor any of the immunity bath he craves
 In brief. this is what Schmitz has offered to do:
 To resign his office as Mayor or San Francisco
 To make a full confession to the grand jury of his knowledge of mu- nicipal graft.
 Wants to Join Reforners.
 There is undoubtedly much that Mayor Schmitz might tell the graft prosecutors which they would be de- lighted to learn. There are many so- called cases which rest largely on sus- Dicion alone and not even on ques- tional confessions, but whether full details and evidence, desirable as it would be, is worth the price of i'm munity to one of the arch cUnspIIa- tors against the people, is a matter of grave doubt.
 No immunity for Schmitz-at least not this week"
 This is what Rudolph Spreckels had to say when asked whether the grace was 10 be extended in the case of Schmitz
 Scorns His Aid.
 AS far as I am concerned, you may say that I am not in favor of grant ing any immunity to Mayor Schmitz," |" declares SDreckles.
 Heney is somewhat evasiye in his answer to a direct question as to whether he will extend immunity to the Mayor. He says:
 q will tell no one whether immuni- ty will be granted to Mayor Schmitz. except to the Mayor himself. In my position as a prosecutor cannot do otherwise"
 Graft circles were agog today with the report that Mayor Schmitg had come to terms with the prosecution. A fact which lent color to the report was the absence of Schmitz and nis family from the city. The house of the indicted Mayor at Vallejo and Pierce streets WAS closed and the members of the household had de- parted for the country.
 The Mayor Is out on bail and can not leave the jurisdiction of the Su- perior Court, without permission of the District Attorneys office.
 \ complete ccnfesSios from Mayor Schmitz would undoubtedly involve some of those higher up, whom the graft prosecution is known to be apE- ious to bring to the bar Of justice, chief among those against whom 1t is desired to obtain discriminatory evi- dence are William F. Herrin and Pat rick Calhoun. But as much as Inc graft prosecutors desire to bring those whom it regards as the prime sources of corruption to justice, the wishes of the people of San Francis co must be considered.
 If Mayor Schmitz has been as cor EupS dS lS Dy tue sions of the Supervisors and others, it is doubtful whether public opinion would tolerate the granting of im- munity to him, for any consideration.
 The graft situation seems to have focused at last on the question of whether it is preferable to punish the bribe-givers or the bribe-takers. The evidence of one branch Of the tree oI corruption is necessary to convict the other and this is the proposition which Heney and Burns are now facing.
 The resignation of the Mayor would enable the graft prosecution to obtain complete control of municipal aIIaIrs. Tn event of the resignation of Mayor Schmitz, the chairman of the Finance Committee Of the Board of Superyis- OTIS, James L. Gallagher, one of the confessed bribe-takers, would become acting Mayor. The Board of Super visors could, acting under the dicta- toin of the District Attorney remove Gallagher from his position as chair man of the Finance Committee and appoint another Supervisor to fill the position With the Mayoralty under the control of the graft prosecution. all the municipal commissions would fall under the swsy-of the ebig stick" There would be a complete cleaning