The San Francisco call., 1907-03-29

Continued from Page Z, Coils. and 4
The bed until It covered his hiding
place, and laid himself down 90 dream
OF days to come and loot ungathered-
Ruef learned yesterday afternoon Of
the discovery of the casket- He seemed
emused, and after he had his laugh he
remarked. sarcastically. "Schmitz was
a damned fool to leave things that
way"
The secrets OF the Mayors old home
were barred TO the world by Detective
william J. Burns. No sooner had he
completed his negotiations with the
present lessee and occupant OF the big
white house and gained possession OF
big copper key than he went straight
20 a corner OF the room in which the
Mayor used to sleep, ripped UP the car
pet, thrust down the copper key, and
3n a moment the plush-lined casket was
exposed to view. II was empty. but
Burns knows Schmitz and was not dis
appointed All he wanted was evidence
of the casket's existence.
Burns began TO talk business with F.
A. Reiss, the lessee of the house, about
the FIRST Of the week. He wanted
Reiss, who takes in boarders and
dodgers, TO add a detective, an elisor, a
prisoner and six guards TO his list OF
guests. Nothing came OF the first
talk. except that A +. Lawton. who
bought the house from his friend. the
Mayor. two years ago, heard Of the
proposed arrangement and entered a
protest He declared that Reiss could
not under the terms OF his lease put
the place to such use. Burns and
Elisor Biggy examined the document
by which Reiss held possession and
found that IT contained nothing which
would forbid the taking in OF peace
officers and prisoners as boaroers and
dodgers. They so Informed Reiss, and
the deal was closed Wednesday after
noon
OWNER IN RAGE
Lawton did not learn Of the lessee's
action until yesterday morning after
sRuef had been removed to his new
prison quarters. The news sent him
into a rage and he demanded that the
new guests be Immediately elected
Burns merely laughed. and Elisor Big
gy expressed a Willingness to go to
law TO settle the point, but no one was
willing to be elected except Ruef. and
be would move only on the condition
that no one follow him out. The in
dications are that the Schmitz home
Will be Ruefs prison for some time to
come. Reiss has already accepted 3
1sfled with the present arrangement.
The finding Of the casket was evil
IDENTIFY no surprise to Ruef. Before he
knew that Burns had learned the secret
le was asked how he liked his new
quarters. and had replied. II know this
place well" Later, when he found out
what a search of the Mayors former
sleeping-room had revealed, his manner
and his sarcastic remark gave evidence
that he had told the truth.
CAsKET PROBABLY FILLED
The door in the floor above the cask-
et is thirty inches long and fourteen
inches wide. These however, are not
the dimensions of the casket. for IL is
eight inches longer than the opening,
extending under the solid portion of the
floor. The receptacle is sixteen inches
deep. making it sufficiently capacious
10 satisfy even John d. Rockefeller.
whether Mayor Schmitz ever had II
filled is not known, but the prosecution
thinks that il was bulging at the sides
just about the time Schmitz began to
build his new mansion
There are no caskets in the den, but
this is explained by the fact that con-
federates OF the Mayor, as well as
bribe bearers, took advantage Of the
alley door. When in use the den was
Illuminated by eight powerful electric
lights, thus protecting the Mayor
against soulless corporations and little
fascals not averse to Riding them
selves now and then of a piece OF bad
money. or the den and under the stairs
SIS a closet. with shelves quite large
enough TO hold numerous baskets Of
wine. of the kind that Hilbert Brothers
frequently sent TO the Mayor with their
compliments. AS the wine did not cost
him anything Schmitz was no doubt
generous with it, and the rogues who
called upon him went away with q good