Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-23
President of United
Railroads Will
Explain
Secret Indictments Are
Not Even Placed
on File
Abe Ruef May Be Guarded and Held
Prisoner for Months in Mayor
Schmitz' Resi-
dence
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 22.-It was
stated today at the prosecuting attor-
ney's office that Patrick Calhoun,
president of the United Railroads COM
pany, would upon his arrival here from
New York be given an opportunity to
appear before the grand jury in con-
nection with that body's investigation
of the alleged bribery of the board Of
supervisors in the matter of an over
head trolley franchise granted the
United Railroads last May.
From the same source it was also
learned that number of secret in
dictments, which have not even been
| trusted to the secret file for fear that
| their contents nigh leak out, are not
all against one person, but are said
| to contain the names of several.
To the Associated Press Abraham
Ruef said today that he is considering
the preparation of a statement to the
| public and he declared that when he
tells his story it will contain sensa-
tions equal to the disclosures made by
| the alleged confessions of the super
visors.
He expressed the opinion that the in
vestigation now going on was in fur
therance of an organized attempt to
seize the municipal government, and
asserted that it was government by
indictment" instead of government by
injunction"
No Bench Warrants Issued
The sixty-five charges of bribery
against Ruef were today assigned by
Presiding Judge Coffey to Judge
Dunnes department of the superior
court. They will be placed on the cal
endar tomorrow and arraignment set
for some day early next week. To
chief of police or sheriff and Elisor
Biggy no bench warrants would be is
sued on these indictments.
1t may be the irony Of fate that the
former residence of Mayor Schmitz, in
which he resided when elected and
often entertained and dined Ruef,
where the mayor and the political boss
laid many of their political campaign
plans may become Ruef's prison for
some months.
The present owner is attempting to
rent it to Elisor Biggy as a place of
detention for Ruef when he takes the
| latter away from the st. Francis hotel.
The true reason for the determina-
tion of the prosecution to take no inn
mediate steps removing from office the
supervisors was disclosed this after
noon. District Attorney Langdon stated
that in order to remove them it would
be necessary to prove the charges made
against them.
Langdon Explains
This would compel the prosecution TO
bring forward all it's evidence and
thereby disclose its entire hand before
the trials of those who are or will ne
| indicted. Assistant District Attorney
Heney declared that the mayor, having
the appointive power, could fill the
vacancies created by the removal of the
supervisors with men on whom the in
vestigators had no hold.
| To overcome this obstacle it would be
necessary to first remove the mayor,
and this Heney admitted the prosecu-
tion was in no position as yet to do.
| 1t also developed that the district at
torney's office would run counter of the
same law that defeated the attempt of
Ruef and Acting Mayor Gallagher last
fall to remove District Attorney Lang
don and apoint Ruef in his place.
While summary proceedings could he
taken to remove the mayor, the issu-
ance of a writ of probable cause by
some Judge would act as a stay of pro-
ceedings during appeal and by resort
ing to technicalities, the settling of the
appeal might be delayed until the
mayors term of office had expired.
No indictments Expected
The grand jury did not meet today,
but will hold a short session tomorrow,
at which time the investigation of the
alleged telephone deal will be resumed.
No indictments are expected to be
filled tomorrow.
The same care and watchfulness that
has marked the custody of RuefI
will be exercised in guarding the
jury against any possible outside in
fiuences when his trial begins. Instead
of bailiff or the sheriff having charge
of the jury, District Attorney Langdon
stated today that the jury win be
placed in charge Of Elisor w. ]. Biggy.
This Is said TO be the first time In the
legal history of the United States that
an elisor has been appointed by a court
to apprehend defendant and given
such power to keep him In custody dur
ing trial.
Up to the present time the ordinary
functions of an elisOr have been per-