The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-30
SHOOT RUFF FIRST,
OTHERS AFTERWARD
This Is Report of Biggy's State
ment, if Attempt at Rescue
Is Made.
MAYOR SCHMITZ SAID TO
BE in DESPERATE STRAITS
Trying to Force Resignation OF
Five Supervisors, Accord
ing to Prosecutor.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 29.-Nv
meeting of the grand jury being held
today, pause was given in the brib-
ery-graft Investigations so far as Off
cial action was concerned. Tomorrow
the grand Jury expects TO conclude, at
least temporarily, its Investigations
into the alleged bribery of eighteen sill
pervisors by the Pacific States and
Home Telephone companies, to which.
according 10 the prosecution, seventeen
Of the eighteen, IL is alleged, have al
ready confessed before the inQuistorlal
body. The Investigation of this sub
icct has resulted in tho indictment OF
various corporation officials and sereral
members Of the municipal administra-
tion. 1t is the understanding that no
more indictments Will be returned this
week
Monday the grand jury expects to-
resume its Investigations Of the alleged
bribery of supervisors in the granting
of trolley franchises to the United Rail.
roads, and the trial of Abraham Ruef
on the French restaurant extortlon
cases is scheduled for resumption Tues
day Should Assistant District Attor-
ney Heney desire to 90 ahead with the
bribery Investigations instead Of with
the trial of Ruef, the trial may be
again postponed,
One More Sensation.
A sensational statement was given
out today by Special Agent William j.,
Burns and other members of the pros
ecution, TO the effect that Mayor
SchmitZ is desperately trying TO force
the designations of five of the snper-
yisors, so as TO defeat an alleged inten-
tion of the supervisorjal board TO re-
woke certain of the public service fran
Il. Ln
were secured by brlblug the board.
The Board of Supervisors IN COM
posed of eighteen men, sixteen OF whom
(as the personnel now stunds) are IN
the list Of alleged confcssors One or
these. Sanderson, is absent for an IN
definite time. He is mortally Ill Two
others, Tycitmoe and O'Ncill, were ap~
chises were granted. This situation
leaves fifteen Supervisors aligned, or
one more than nee essary to override any
veto bv the Mayor The statement OF
the prosecution is that fourteen OF these
are prepared to revoke the certain
franchises alluded TO, and that the
Mayor. backed by the corporations
which are formally accused of wholesale
bribery, today began suddenly cam
paign to induce five OF them 10 resign,
in order that he may appoint five de
pendables' in their places and so de
stroy the power OF the board TO do that
which the public service corporations
fear, or to override the veto which, tho
prosecution claims. he would place upon
any revocation act. The Mayor retuSed
today 10 be interviewed on this or any
other subject.
spreckels Furnishes Cash.
Rudolph Spreckels, 6naucial euaran,
tor of the prosecution, today gave ont
r,cpaptiOy Tho fun1 ~
Sl00 900 which he has guaranteed, it
was upon this guarantee that the hr1b-
erv graft investigation was COM
menced Mr. Spreckcls said that thus
far less than half as much as has oeen
expended has been contributed ny the
citizens of San Francisco. He added
that .'the prosecution VIII never ne
hampered by lack of funds Mr..
Spreckels said the prosecution. without
reservation, expects 10 send all of the
chief bribe- givers, high public service
corporatiou officials and others 10 the
nnnitentiary for the crimes charged
against thom. He thought the lnvesu,,
cations and prosecutions VII! extend
throughout the wear.
The sensational statement that every
nerson openly identified with the
prosecution of the alleged graftcrs
and bribers is carving revol lver. con
realed about him. that several OF the
more prominent arc employing each a
body guard. and that I'M attempt to
rescue abe Ruef by force rs not un,,
looked for. was made today by one OF
the chief Investigators. lie also sad,
and II was. subsequently confirmed,
that EIisor Biggy has given orders to
Ruef's seven guards to shoot Ruef
first. the others afterward, If an at
tempt to rescue the indicted by armed
force IS made,
The owners Of The Fillmore street
house to which Ruef has been removed
(from the St Francis hotcl. threaten
civil suit against the lessee of the
dwelling on the ground that he has al
lowed il 10 hc turned into prison.
The District Attorney s office has ad"
vised rs oilBigrygvl
vised Elisor Biggy 10 "stsnd pat.