The San Francisco call., 1908-12-09
Attorney Delivers Eloquent ADJ
dress, Urging CRATER Was
Victim of Circumstances
Speeches for Defense Denounce
Prosecution and Witnesses
Without Denying Guilt

the last words in behalf OF Abraham
Ruef.
Until after 10 o'clock last night the.
argument swept up and down the
gamut Of appeal. command and de-
nunciauon. Ach held the floor from
$50 o'clock in the morning until 6
in the evening. with only a single in
termission at the noon hour. He ac-
luany spent hours and 20 minutes in
argument. and Dozier followed in the
evening with nearly three hours more.
PLEA LACKS SINCERITY
Achs appeal held his hearers en-
thralled. II was the finished product
OF the actor playing his part with
consummate skill, and it seemed for
a moment real
Two vital elements were utterly lack
ing from Ach's otherwise mastery sum-
ming up One was moral strength,
which alone could stamp his appeal
with sincerity; the other was any plaus-
ible explanation 10 belle the incrim-
mating evidence massed up against his
client. He attempted no explanation,
yet he tried to clothe the proved
charges OF the prosecution with doubt.
ACH CALLS RUFF A VICTIM
Ruef was invested by Ach with every
virtue and the active workers Of the
prosecution with every criminal in
stinct. The picture conjured up by Ach
portrayed Ruef as an unfortunate vic
tim Of circumstances over which he
had no control.
NO slave driver ever had the power
over the blacklist negro that ever lived
In serfdom as has this district attor-
ney and this prosecution over these
immunity witnesses who once were su-
2crvisors." declared Ach in his attack
against the prosecution and the wit
nesses placed on the stand during the
frial..
You have heard politics mentioned in
this case. you have heard the Lincoln
Roosevelt league mentioned in this
ease; you were asked if you had at
tended meetings Of that league or had
heard Heney, Burns or Spreckels speak
from the rOstrum, pulpit or platform.
The graft prosecution lasted too long.
The ambitions Of the gentlemen who
desired to rise IN politics over the dead
body OF Abraham Ruef could not re-
strain themselves any longer and the
new party was born"
-.TTACKs UPON BURNS
Ach did not hesitate to charge Will
liam J. Burns with subornation Of
EVt -AA - olAA AAc reference 10 buInS
were many. Heney, he treated charity.
and in his stead he spoke of Burns as
the heart and light of the prosecution
the creator of evidence"
Away with q detective who comes
10 a community TO assassinate char
acter," he shouted. Away with a de-
tectiVe who has built up his reputa-
tion on the blood and downfall of an
other. who suborns perjury in a court
OF justice, who causes suicides and
murder"
The supervisors were termed by Ach
turncoats and perjurers'
Where is the dog-the common mon
grel cur-whose life you would take
on the testimony OF such witnesses as
Gallagher, Wilson and Furey2" he de-
manded.
Had Ruef accepted that immunity
bath" he continued; had he taken that
bath perfumed with the lash and
pledged himself to come here and lie
and perjure himself, he would have
now been the pet of the prosecution.
fondled and caressed and held up as
the IDOL He would have been extoIIed
by the League of Justice; he would
have been lauded by gentlemen of the
cloth; he would have been the washed
up sinner; he would have been trotted
before you 10 lie and perjure others
brought here to testify against God
knows whom"
CHARGES OF PERJURY
During only a brief portion of his
argument did Ach confne himself to a
consideration of the testimony. He
made wholesale charges of perjury
against the witnesses involved, and at
tempted to place constructions on the
testimony apart from its real meaning.
His assertion was that the case against
Ruef had not been proved. On this he
asked for acquittal-not on any claim
Of innocence.
Dozier's argument in the evening,
while similar TO Achs in its avoidance
OF logical analysis of the salient facts
OF the case, was even more intemper-
ate than his colleagues in its vituper-
ative attacks.
Dozier did not stop with denuncia-
ton Of men who have been active in
the work Of the prosecution, but
heaped abuse and vilifcation upon
lawyers, ministers of the gospel and
laymen alike.
DOZIER ATTACKS CLERGYMEN
NO church or organization of any
kind" he declared has the right to
attempt TO force the calm operation of
the law. When I read the rawlings
and rantings of inveterate pulpit
FOUNDERS my judgment asserts That
such are unworthy of credit or respect.
When men Of the gospel live after
the manner Of the lowly Nazarene,
seopardizing their lives in novels where
disease and poverty dwell, teaching
the gospel there, they have my pro-
found respect. But when I find these
men dressed in broadcloth, strutting on
the streets or trying to incite public
sentiment against any man, they may
shout 'Hallelujah' until the echo an
swers them. but I don't believe they
are sincere followers of Jesus Christ -
Dozier assailed the members Of the
prosecution and the ex-supervisors.
chasing them together and declaring
that Langdon, Gallagher and Wilson
had been glad enough but little over
two years ago TO accept political pre-
ferlnent from the hands Of Ruef"
IF Ruef was ten thousand times
more guilty than was claimed in all
the charges that were ever made
against him." Dozier cried, 1T would
stin be an act of inhumanity to con-
vict him on such infamous evidence"
Dozier declared that he was unwill-
ing TO conclude at the end of the time
allotted him, and asked Judge Lawlor
for a ruling. The court ordered him
10 close. calling attention to the time