The San Francisco call., 1907-03-23

EoSSA sea OF CQEEQPAADD AAAApN7A Nf'--N--
the ways OF the bribe-bought Super
visors have passed there were but four
occasions on which the dishonorable
eighteen, or any considerable portion
OF their number, found themselves IN
the same boat. The fight trust graft,
the gas bribery, the trolley steal and
the fight between the rival telephone
companies were signals for unanimity
OF action in reaching out for share OF
the spOils, but on other occasions the
betrHyers OF the city acted singly or in
groups OF two, three or four.
These facts were brought out in the
confessions which led to the voting OF
the seventy-five indictments against
Ruef and Halsey. There were other
deals besides these four-deals so nu-
merous and OF such diversity that they
have as yet been given but meager
attention on the part Of the Grand Jury,
but these four were the only ones in
which the board acted as unit in its
despicable work, and the only deals in
which Ruef, with all his thievery, ever
Joined hands with the Supervisors, so
far as the Grand Jury has been able 10
learn.
The confessions of the Supervisors
were all to the point that on none but
these four occasions did they ally
themselves with the archgrafter and
divide the spoils with him, giving him,
OF course, the lions share. Other deals
were admitted by practically every one
OF the confessing Supervisors, but these
other deals were ones I'm which they
were personally concerned, and in con-
nection with which they did not join
the names of more than one or two OF
their fellow officials.
CONFESS PETTY CRAFT
These side confessions were OF petty
- fr, rr-1,f T.onarp1
and Boxton were engaged when the
overhearing OF their skating rink ordi-
nance deal opened the way for the land
slide Of admissions that followed. Here,
there and everywhere this petty bribery
went on, leaving none Of the members
Of the board unscatheo, but In these
instances each kept his own counsel
the bribes came to him unsought, or he
solicited them, but in either instance he
pocketed the money, slipped on his well
worn mask OF virtue in the presence OF
his fellows and cast his vote without
explaining to them the why and where
fore Of his AYE" or no"
Ruef. TOO, from the evidence Of the
Supervisors. adopted this method OF
counseIing only with himself II was
dangerous ground on which he trod
when he cast his lot with a dozen and
2 half boodlers as greedy as himself,
and as rule il was unnecessary. Even
when he did act in conjunction with
them he dealt only through Gallagher,
whom he looked upon as strongest Of
them all for the work he had TO do and
yet safest OF them ali and more absolute
lv than any Of the others under his per-
sonal control. In the gas, fight, trolley
and telephone deals, Ruef took the
chance Of joining hands with the Su-
pervisors, although in the Pacific states
Telephone bribery the money passed
directly from Halsey TO the Supervisors
instead of through his hands.
The great mass OF Ruefs grafung
had been Of the petty nature, or at
least il has involved deals in which
ne could act alone and secure the end
desired without admitting any Of the
Supervisors into the game or giving
them g share Of the spoils- His system
was exhaustive, but il was practically
q one-man system With power extend
fnE 10 every branch OF the city govern
meut and tendrils reaching into every
board. commission and committee, the
Now from the small sources united 20
form the swollen river of tainted golo
that flowed without stoppage into his
Golfers.
SOME IN BACKGROUND
Even when Ruef united with the Su-
pervisors on the deals which his greed
refused 20 allow him 10 let go by there
were members Of the board who were
passed into the background, and chief
among these, as told in the confessions,
was Supervisor Pat McGushin. McGushin
OF al the Erafters was the most in
significant. He was usually just around
the corner when the rolls Of green
backs or the piles Of gold were slipped
into the pockets OF the others. and on
ali hut two occasions he arrived just
TOO late 10 do more than lament. He
was there when the night trusts contri-
button OF $500 per was being passed
around, Al which festival nobody was
missed and he also claimed $4,000 from
the United Railroads, when everybody
drew, with the exception OF Rea. Res
secured less from the four big deals
than Mcgushin did, only getting in on
the gas and fight trust bribes. but he
made up for this from the petty
sources, while McGushin drifted help
less when left alone. and utterly failed
10 fstten his pocketbook through the
sources so easily found by the others.
One reason for this was that he was
always r consistent municipal owner
ship advocate, and never a favorite
with the public service corporations.
Another noticeable omission IN the
confessions of the Supervisors was the
absolute lack OF any mention of the
suspected Union Street Railway trolley
franchise bribe, which struck g. sn6g
somewhere IN its career and is still
being held up. houndering through
some technical obstacles The Super
'isors declared unanimously chat they
Gid not get q cent of the $4,000 or
t50, 900 supposed to have been raised
BY 81 assessment on the company s
stock, and this fund. II there was such,
went directly TO Ruef and no further.
TO SCHMITZ DIRECT
The Ocean Shore Railway was alb
tolved OF any Implication of a deal
with the Supervisors. also II any
money was paid by this corporation IT
was paid 10 Schmitz direct. and so far
Is the evidence gained from the con-
lessions Of the Supervisors has gone,
here is nothing on which to hold
kchmitz TO account.
The question OF these deals, as also
me question of Ruefs sources of in
lone from saloon licenses, permits and
me like, are to be investigated by the
Grand Jury at a later date. At pres
mt the big deals are demanding all
me attention that the inouisitors can
rive, and the great system OF petty
trafting, with one or two lsyg-z Ses Is
= which only few figured must be