New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-21
MORE FRISCO CHARGES
WHOLESALE BRIBERY.
Sirfy-fue Indictments against Ruef
and Ten against HGLsey.

Can Francisco. March 2O-The long looked for
,,sic+rnents in the municipal! graft cases were
reryrned tonight. Tho grand jury filed with
presiding Judge Coffey Of the Superior Court
eeventy-hve indictments charging bribery
,rbch were found on evidence presented to the
rand Jury after six months probing into the
,,ynie'pal affairs of this city by Assistant Dis
.-,ct Attorney Francis J. Heney and Secret Ser
,oa AGENT William J. Burns, and which reveal
an amazing story of alleged graft and corrup-
ton
of The seventy-five indictments returned
,tv-v-sye are against Abraham Ruef. for years
leading politician of San Francisco. charging
him with bribing the Board OF Supervisors 70
e-anr franchises TO the United Railroads, the
Home Telephone Company, the San Francisco
Cas- and Electric Company and the so-called
..Prizenght Trust"
Ten are against T. Y. Halsey formerly gem
eraI agent of The Pacific States Telephone ana
Telegraph Company. who is charged with haV-
irr bribed the supervisors not TO grant fran
cbise 10 a rival company
o. Indictment against Ruef and four more
against Halsey. it is understood, were also Voteo
.o-6av but were not fled in open court
Several moro indictments, the exact NUMBER
and against whom Heney and Burns refuse TO
- NTH the accused persons have been ar
rosted. were returned by the grand jury. but not
FLED. Heney and Burns would not even trust
the secret file.
THE COUNTS AGAINST RUFF.
of the sixty-6ve counts Of bribery against
R1ef. fourteen are in connection with the grant
ing Of overhead trolley franchises TO the Unlteo
Railroads Company Immediately after the earth-
Quake and fire Of last April; seventeen are
based upon the money alleged 10 nave peel
srent by the gas company 10 procure an s5-cent
rate e
fer TO the alleged passing of money by the Home
TeIenhone Company 10 obtain franchise for a
lhs oe s25Gn0 which II has been declared
was worth ar least S1O00000 and eighteen in
Gictn1ents are based upon the alleged brlhlng
Of the supervisors by Ruef 10 grant fight per-
,,7irs only 10 the so-called fight trust of this
citv which is composed of Eddie GraneY'
Morris Levy. James Coffroth and Willis Britt
The money in all these cases is alleged to nave
been handled by Ruef, who. according 10 f1eHey
and Burns was the agent and broker between
the public service corporations and the Board
Of S,Iueryisors and sort of general distributing
agent for all who desired privileges from the
supervisors.
THE INDICTMENTS AGAINST HALsEY
The indictments against Halsey, agent of the
Pacific States Telephone and Telegraph COM
pany. charged him with having bribed fourteen
the rival company franchise
Judge Coney fixed the bail at $4,000 on each
Indictment. or a total Of SGJ0.000 for Ruef and
Sl0ooe9 for Hasey. Halsey is brother-in-law
Of tbe late John l. Sabin, formerly president OF
the Pacific states Telephone and Telegraph Com
Dany later at the head of the telephone spsteIn
of Chicago and a hrother-in-laN Of Louis Glass
president Of the Philippine Telephone Company
Halsey has been in Manila, installing a tele-
.-raw-r f11ca
for several days. and papers for his extradi-
tion are being taken out and orders for his ar
rest have been ca bled
IN the overhead trolley deal Ruef, according
10 Burns. got S4S5.Oo0 from the United Rail-
roads of which Ruef is alleged 10 have divided
$1,000 OF this amount $4,000 is said 10 have
been given to each of fourteen supervisors; two
received $4,000 each. and one $4,000
In the restricting Of boxing permits TO the
fght trust the indictments charge that $500 was
given 10 each Of eighteen supervisors. or total
Of $4,000. although a fund Of 100000 was said
70 have been collected for Ruef
IN the alleged deal by which the gas company
CT an S5-cent rate $4,000. it is charged. was
divided among sixteen Of the supervisors in
sums Of $3.50 each. but the amount supposed 70
have been received by Supervisor Gallagher is
nor known Besides the $4,000 bid for its fran
chise. Rues is charged with having divided
among thirteen of the city fathers $4,000 re-
ceived from the Home Telephone Company for
the granting Of a franchise to install their sys-
tern IL this city IN this connection fourteen Of
The Supervisors are alleged TO have also taken
$4,000 each from Halsey TO prevent the granting
Of the franchise 10 the Home company and il
Is said that on these counts fourteen indict-
rnenfs were returned against Halsey. only ten
Of which were fled to-day.
MERELY THE BEGINNING,' SAYS HENEY.
Assistant District Attorney Heney said that
to-days batch of indictments was the Begin
ming % the end Of Ruef.'' but merely the begin
ming Of the work OF exposing municipal corrup-
ZION in San Francisco, and the prosecution Of
those high up, who are responsible for such
conditions in this city"
District Attorney Langdon said after the in
dictnents had been filed: THE remarkable or
ganzation Of this grating and corruption in
the municipal affairs in San Francisco, its amaz-
ing rsrniacations. involving millionaires and the
better class Of citizens. viii appan not only the
city but the entire country when II is fully laid
hare"
This is only the beginning" declared Detec-
tive Burns ''The evidence IN the indictments
hled to-day and others that have been returned
hut kept secret, is as perfect as the evidence in
any case with the investigation Of which have
been connected
"Ruef acted as broker and agent" he contin-
ued, between the corporations and the board Of
supervisors IN all matters pertaining TO the OBJ
tanning Of privileges from the city fathers"
Burns denied that he had been ordered back
= washington and declared that it might take
a year 20 complete the work he and Heney had
undertaken lie asserted that every depart