The San Francisco call., 1908-05-19
H[NFY LIKENS ABE
RUFF TO BUzzARD
Begins Argument in Parkside
Bribery Case and Scathes
Arch CRATER

gumsntS begun Assistant District At
I torney Francis J. Heney made his open
ing address and Attorney Henry Ach
replied for the defense Today Attor-
news Murphy and Chapman viii argue
/ for Ruef and Reney will close for the
prosecution Tomorrow morning the
fate Of the arch boodIer and fallen
political boss Of San Francisco will be
in the ha nds Of the jury.
To the strong presentation of facts
/ by the prosecution Ach raised the OBJ
lection that the testimony against Ruef
had been given by accomplices. a theory
al variance with the rulings OF the local
courts.
Ruefs aged father and his sister. Mrs
Sittenfeld- were in court and wept dsN-
ing the arguments At one stage in the
proceedings Ruef himself began 10
smile. but was checked by nudge
from Murphy. who sat next to him.
After reviewing local conditions at
the time of the Parkside deal Heney
paid his respects TO Ruef and mis- su-
pervisors.
.Ruef said these supervisors were so
hungry they'd eat the paint of
house" said Heney- Yes. I'm willing
/ TO admit they were-Tm willing 10 ad-
nit that they'd eat the yarnish OF this
+ jury railing-but want TO tell you. gem
tlemen, that Abe Ruef would not be
satisfied with the varnish. but would
eat the whole railing
Heney nkened Ruef TO a bird-tbe
kind Of a bird which he had become
familiar with in the Arizona deserts.
"Ruef told Dingee. according TO the
evidence said Heney. that If the
Parkside people had any money 10
throw 10 the birds they might consider
him q bird
a bird. Yes. he was a bird. In
Arizona we used 10 call them carrion
icrows-buzzards. Many times have /
seen these birds soaring and sailing
high in the air. and with a Whit of the
breeze I would get the stencil OF some
mortifying carcass over which they
were hoyering. There they flew-black
in color. black in heart and black in
stomach With q swoop they would
suddenly pounce down on their prey.
sinking their beaks into the deca ying
meat. eating OF the rotten flesh
DRINK CITY'S LIFE BLOOD
Abe Ruef and his gang Of political
crooks drinking OF the life blood of
poor old San Francisco while she lay
PROSTATE in waste of blackened ashes
is for all the world The same sight as
that in the Arizona desert, where those
foul buzzards were sucking those dead
carcesseS
Heney then sketcned the Parkside
transaction.
These men are not FOOLS he said.
referring 10 Green and Croker. They
are shrewd businessmen, keen TO every
chance. And now when they learn al
the caucus OF the supervisors al the
dinner AT the Casino pavilion, what do
they do2
Up TO that time Green had had no
use for Ruers great and wonderful
legal ability-oh- no; not until ne finds
his franchise held up. And here sits
Ruef in his Office. smugIy saying TO
himself: oh. yes; those felloEsn get
next TO themselves before long
And what next happens2 Green
sends Cope and Umbsen 10 see Ruef and
find out how much ne wants What
is reported2 Fifty thousand dollars.
Finally q deal Is negotiated for
$50. 80e- II is decided TO hand over
sls.eae of il Then how Is it paid? In
currency. In currency-why CURRENCY
Why not a cashiers check? Well,
hardly: a cashiers check would be evil
dence should the matter ever be inyes
tfgateG- Then the Parkside company
covers up the transaction in its books
by having il recorded as & real estate
sale. why7 Why not simply charged
as attorneys fee If such it were?
Why-simpIy so as 10 throw OF any
sIeuths or district attorneys who might
investigate, just as this crime was in
yestiga1ed-
"Ruef told Umbsen that he wanted
the money transmitted in secrecy be-
cause the newspapers might criticise.
Because the newspapers might criti-
else, Imagine Ruef. for years q polit-
icaI boss, and imagine how thin skinned
he must have been
-Audacity2 Yes, II was audscity that
was absolutely sublime. for II was
nothing else-that sort OF gall"
Heney's argument was short. and he
concluded by showing the motive that
had animated the district attorneys
offce in granting Immunity 10 all of
the supervisors for their testimony.
ACH BEGINS ARGUMENT
Ach opened his argument with the
statement that Heney had not offered
one word in evidence 10 prove Ruef
guilty of the particular crime OF offer
ing bribe to Supervisor Jennings
Phillips He reminded the jurors that
thew had sworn 10 return a verdict
solely in accord with the law and that
although they might believe the de-
fendant guilty they must disregard the
cided that the corroborating witnesses
were accompliees.
The heart OF their case. gentlemen.
said Aeh. is James L Gallagher. What
is James L. Gallagher? An accom-
plice-''
Ach quoted the bible TO enforce his
argument. but ceased after an Interrupt
tion by Heney, who remarked.
There's q saying that il takes the
devil 10 quote scripture"
That's a good one" admitted Ach.
generously.
Ach fought out at length his con-
tention that the supervisors were an
organized gang OF looters who had
combined under the leadership OF Cal
lagher TO hold Up every one. including
Ruef. He discoursed about the legality
of an attorneys fee" declaring that
comprehensive term covered practically
every transaction that might be in
vented.
Al the morning session before the
close of rhe case J. z Green, William
z. Dsneee and c. II. Umbsen were re-
called for redirect examination. Their
testimony was simply TO clear up some
discrepancies in the testimony they