New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-31
MORE FRISCO CHARGES
Witness Says Ruef Got $1,000 a
Month as Private attorney.

San Francisco, March 30.-Three members or the
executive board of the Pacific States Telephone
Company f. S. Pillsbury. Homer s. King and
| Timothy z. Hopkins. testified to-day before the
grand jury investigating municipal corruption that
they had no knowledge whatever Of the alleged
bribing Of supervisors to vote against the award
OF a competitive franchise to the Home Telephone
Company, and. according to reports from the jury
ROOM that II bribery committed. they knew
nothing of the transaction even if Vice-President
Louis Glass. indicted on nine counts. did have
knowledge of the alleged affair. Another member
of the executive board. Percy S. Morgan. made the
same denial of knowledge several days ago, when
on the witness stand.
f. s. Psbury testified it Is said. that Abraham
Ruef has been for than two years on the
payroll as attorney for the Pacific States COM
pany. at q regular salary of 1.2O0 a month Pills
bury said, it is reported. that this more than
the salary paid himself attorney and director
of the company. When he discovered this, Pills
bury testified. it is said, he objected to the
pany. and his own remuneration was increased.
The following witnesses were also examined by
the grand jury to-day: w. ]. Kennedy. cashier OF
the Pacific States Telephone Company; John s.
Cannon. janitor of the Mills Building. who
Intercepted TO his knowledge as TO the alleged
payment to supervisors OF brides by J. V. Halsey
in behalf OF the Pacific States company in a room
in that building; DR.. Fred Eaton. and Miss Mary
Ryan. Halsey's former stenographer.
District Attorney Langdon said tonight that II
present plans are not altered the grand jury would
meet every day next week. and that the trial of
Ruef and the French restaurant extortion cases
would DO begun next Tuesday.
Langdon said that to-days proceedings before
the grand jury had been very satisfactory" He
said that additional Indictments would be returned
result of the telephone Investigations
Ruef gave out public statement to-day in part
| as follows:
This IS the first time in the history Of jurspru-
court Tor the purpose OF keeping in custody de-
lam J. Biggy and comforting upon him fun discre-
tionary powers to select private prison and sur
his untrammelled Judgment as to my confinement.
superior Judge Dunno has sought to establish a
TO overthrow our national traditions.
defendant and make the case impersonai Here is
one Abraham Ruef indicted publicly by a grand
Innocent or guilty of that crime he should ~ 9Tos
ecuted by public officers. confined Cbail being
fused IN public jail and the expenses incident
should be paid out OF the public funds Is this
on the contrary. this Ruef is the prisoner of
private citizen raised 10 peculiar power without au-
armed guards privately employed; incarcerated
hrst in hotel and latterly in n private dwelling
created for this purpose private prison: he IS
being prosecuted not by the regularly elected and
lawyer, specially appointed deputy for tho pur-
pose and former secret officer who IS not even
vately retained and privately paid out Of
private find raised and guaranteed by private
stands publicly accused OF public offence and the
penalty 10 be visited upon him. should no ba de-
clared guilty, is one prescribed In tho public laws
Special Agent Burns of the prosecution to-day
said that he is purposely refraininE from arrest
ing Abraham 4 Detwiler. Of Toledo In order TO
give him full opportunity 70 arrange for the Sl9O
OOO bail fixed by Justice LAWYER. who has formally
declared Detwiler fugitive from Justice and issued
a bench warrant for his arrest on each OF the thir-
teen counts OF bribery returned against him by
the grand jury