The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1907-05-18
HOW Ruef Became A Boss.

"eo NuS NASSut CldN. III itQ-
or trouble convulsed the city; there
was bitterness and ~bloodshed on both
sides until the MI " stsrul, sup sie.s
ed the ncting throu b the pllnce ar
with nnueces'ary violence, man, be-.
leved.
The seeds OF hltred thus slw
brought the worSilg nan topeta,r
more Clsnnishly tina ever. Ia rte
to defeat PhelaU for reelection tie
determined upon al explr nent IN 10
'boratory OF politics ald orgaqz q
the Onion Labor patty. Their n1u
noe Tor MAJOR WAS Eugene Sohmuz
He is a fac figure Of a man, moro tha
six feet tall and handsome, Ia d
sketehey way, with a splendid coz
olack ponpadour AID beard. Fo
many year be had knocked ab ut In,
Kloudlke earning a ~preearlous living
as a fiddler in The Northern dance
nails. When he was no minated b.
was leader of the Columbia theater
orchestra AMI president of the music
ians' union.
Though Schmitz was the nominee
OF the new party, its organization was
immediately captured oy Abe Ruef
a rec Q ntR publican, who was admit
tedIy. shrewd in county politics, but
who was In dlsrepute because Of a
scandal for whioh his associate In law
is still serving a term IN San Quentin
prison.
Between the o~ontending Republican
and Democratic factions Schmitz was
elected by a small plurality. At once
ne accepted Ruef as his poli tical
adviser aud attorney.
San ~Fraucisco's charter makes
the mayor almost absolute dictator
and Ruef ruled through Schmitz like
an Oriental potentate. The CITY was
thrown wide open. Extortion was
openly practised. The saloon men
were held up at every turn through
the police commission. The police
were tarown into politics with the
fireman and the rest of the municingll
employees. Resorts and Chinese
gamblers we're levied upon. Stuffing
was freely practiced at the primaries.
City offices we're sold. The board
Of public works was a farce for effect
lVeness and u bargain counter for graft.
Schmitz end Ruef held the city in
tho hollow of their hands. Thew
a political machine complete
IN every detail. The botrd of super-
net Ia secret sessions every
Sunday night snd Ruef was D 4 esepl
direct them how to vote when they
appeared 10 public. Franchises were
solo for a song or gwen away, though
6neJ only went tothe highest bidder
10 The obscure market of bribery. Then
came the earthquake and with it
temporary respite, during which
SchmiIz worked as only a man of his
vitality can and announced that he had
been "born again.. However
almost before the ashes cooled a newer
wider field of graft was opened.
NJ re franchises were sold, every saloon
mat reopened did so at a price, every
contractor who put up a new building
nad to pay for the privilege.
" lillian G. Langdon, the district
attorney, nsd been elected on the
huef ticket, bat he was the one citv
'ihcial whom The boss could net con-
rol. The ne Wrappers, Langdop.
and Burns set TO work to o.,
! new grand jury, for the one ntben
'lttlng was notorlously IN Ruef,s
The gratters only smIlled.
But their troubles began when JUDGE
fraham issued a call for a new grand
Jury. ,
Mayor Scbmitz vas in Europe at
ihe time, but Ruef bad control of the
mayor, Gallagher, and the
issued an order removing Lang
lon as district attorney and appoint
ng kuef. But this bit Of effropterv =,
vas TOO much even for the people of
II San Francisco. Sentiment was :
'galn't Ruef and Langdun obtained {
II injunction forbiddirg Ruef to take l
'Ver the office of district {
attorney.
AND then came the indictments Of
Ruef ana Schmltz for extortipO ,
money from the keepers sof French !
.%esturants. R1ef began Immediately +,
0 dodge trial, while the grand Inv, .