Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-30
SCHM|TZ IS
ACCUSED OF
BOLD MOVE
Rumored He Has Told
FiveSuperVisors
to Resign
If Successful, Franchises
Obtained by Brides
Are Safe
Rudolph Spreckels Declares Every
Municipal CRATER In San Francisco
Will Eventually Be Sent to
States Prison
By Associated Press.

Dy AsSOClaLeu PresS.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 2s.-No
meeting of the grand jury being held
To-Day pause was given in the bribery
graft Investigations so far as official
action was concerned.
tomorrow the grand jury expects to
conclude, at least temporarily, it's in
vestigations into the alleged bribery Of
eighteen supervisors by the Pacific
States and Home Telephone companies.
to which, according to the prosecution.
seventeen or eighteen have already con-
fessed before the inquisitorial body.
Inc investigation of this subject has
resulted in the Indictment of various
corporation officials and several mem
oers of the municipal administration
1t is the understanding that no more
indictments wilttbe returned this week,
On Monday the grand jury expects
TO resume its investigation of the al
legged bribery of supervisors in the
granting of trolley franchises to the
United railroads, and the trial of Abra-
nam Ruef on the French restaurant ex-
tortion cases is scheduled for resumn-
ton Tuesday.
should Assistant District Attorney
Heney desire to go ahead with the brib-
cry Investigations instead of with tbe
trlal OF Ruef the latter may be again
postponed.
A sensational statement was given out
To-Day by Special Agent William 7.
Burns and other members of the prose-
cution to the effect that Mayor Schmitz
Is desperately trying to force the resig-
nation of five of the supervisors. 80 as
10 ueIeat an alleged intention of the
superVlsorlal board to revoke certain of
the public service franchises which the
prosecution claims were secured hv
bribing the board.
Sanderson Seriously III
The board of supervisors Is comnosed
OF eighteen men, sixteen of whom (as
the personnel now stands) are in the
llst OF alleged confessors. One of these.
Sahderson, is absent for an indefinite
time. He is seriously i'll.
Two others, Tveitmoe and O'Neil
were appointed long after the fran
chlses were granted. This situation
leaves fifteen supervisors aligned or
one more than necessary to override
any veto by the mayor. The statement
or the prosecution Is that fourteen Of
these are prepared to revoke the GER
tain franchise alluded to, and that the
mayor packed by The corporations.
Wnlch are formally accused of whole
sale bribery, today began silently cam
paigning to induce five of them to re-
sign In order that he may appoint five
aependables' in their place and so de-
stroy the power of the board to do that
Whlch the public service corporations
fear, or to override the veto which the
prosecution claims he would place upon
any revocation act
The mayor refused today to be in
terviewed on this or any other subject.
Spreckels Makes Statement
Rudolph Spreckels, financial guaran-
tor of the prosecution, today gave ont
a statement respecting the fund of
100000 which he had guaranteed. 1t
was upon this guarantee that the brib-
cry graft investigation was commenced.
Mr.. Spreckels said that thus far less
than half as much as has been ex-
pended has been contributed y the citi-
zens Of San Francisco. He added that
the prosecution will never be ham
pered by lack of funds" however.
Mr.. Spreckels said the prosecution.
without reservation, expects to send ali
Of the chief bribe givers, high public
service corporation officials and others
to the penitentiary for the crimes
charged against them. He thought the
Investigations and prosecutions will ex-
tend throughout the present year.
The sensational statement that every |
person openly identified with the |
prosecution of the alleged grafters and |
bribers is carrying a revolver concealed |
about him, that several of the more
prominent are employing each a body
guard and that an attempt to rescue |
Abe Ruef by force Is not unlocked for |
was made today by one Of the chief |
Investigators
He also said, and it was subsequently |
confirmed. that ElisOr Biggy has given |
orders to Ruef's seven guards to "shoot |
Ruef first, the others afterward," I'll
an attempt to rescue the indicted boss
by armed force is made.
The owners of the Fillmore street |
house to which Ruef has been removed |
from the ST. Francis hotel threaten a |
civil suit against the lessee OF the |
(cOntinued ON Page TweIve.)