The San Francisco call., 1907-01-20
CONSP|RED
To GUST THE
MAYOR
Plot Is Said to Have Been
Afoot While Schmitz Was
Making European Tour
ADVENT OF HENEY
BROUGHT A HALT
Great Cleanup of Doodle
Was Planned With Aid Of
Gallagher as Executive

Gallagher as Executive
In the searching investigation Of the
relations that have existed among
Schmitz, Ruef and the Board Of super
vIsOrs there has developed a story
which would seem more credible were
the plot laid In Central America In
made highly plausible by the person
aIfty of the chief cOnspIratOr, Abraham
Ruef, and the complainant disposition
of the subcOnspIrator, Supervisor
James L. Gallagher, erstsvhiIe acting
Mayor. The plot is said to have In
vOlved the dePOainE OF the absent
Mayor. SO that the EOOting of the city
through the sale OF the Geary-street
Railroad to n syndicate, the cOnsumma-
tion of n sierra water "deal,' to the
great financial advantage OF Ruef. Gal
Iagher and the ObedIent Supervisors,
and sundry other grating schemes
could be carried out.
The gigantic plot was spoiled by the
dawning of the day of the Heney-
Burns Investigations upon the city
Then .Ruef tried to put over minor
coup. a feeble imitation OF what had
been in his mind. in the farcical re-
movaI OF District Attorney Langdon
and the appointment of himself as
District Attorney. Had Heney and
Burns not come upon the scene
when they did the probability is that
Ruef would have set in motion his
great eliminating project TO enrich
himself beyond all further need of
pursuing the tainted dollar.
Ruefs scheme was to have his SER
vile Supervisors refuse to grant to
Mayor Schmitz an extension of his
leave of absence for his gay European
tour. He had been allowed sixty days
for his joyous travels. with the un
derstanding that he could have addi
tional time did the gayety of the
natives across the water prove sum
ciently attractive to him. But no
promise to the Mayor would stand
in the way of the double-deaIing curly
boss.
While Schmitz was on the other
side of the Atlantic. at least fourteen
days journey from San Francisco.
Ruef would crack the whip. the Su-
pervisors would refuse to grant an
extension of time, the period OF leave
would expire. Schmitz would have
travelled himself out of Office in plain
violation of the charter, and acting
Mayor Gallagher. already in posses
sion. was to be. established permanent
" by vote of the Supervisors in that
fine executive chair.
Ruef and Gallagher are said to
have been feeling their way among
the Supervisors with the plot when
the fact that Francis J. Heney was
to prosecute them all became sud
denly known to the dismayed ad
ministration men. Then Ruef knew
that the time for internal con-
spiracy had ceased.
The old Franklin adage. We must
hang together or we shall hang sep
arateIy," became suddenly impressed
upon the minds of Ruef and Cal
lagher. They tried to cover all traces
of their plotting and almost sue
ceeded, but so great an undertaking.
unwieIdy with it's bulk could not be
entirely tucked in
1t is said that Ruef had reasons
for doubling the constancy Of
Schmitz and was not sure that he
could be handled in such big schemes
Gallagher was his ideal coworker in
graft.
Among the many other opportunities
the Union-street Railroad held rich
promises as field for exploitation by
Ruef and Gallagher. They had clev-
erly conceived plan to put that road in
such position that it would be at the
mercy of the despoilers-