The San Francisco call., 1908-03-10

months daily the strain Of an actual trial OF this
case. the consequent continual nightly prepare,
tion therefor and the necessary consultation ana
conversation with my attorneys in regard there
To. 10 say nothing of other cares and RESPONSE
bilities.''
Occasionally Ruef stopped to gulp water. and
took small drinks continually thereof through
out the. rema inder of his statement Occa,
sionslly the tears rolled from his eyes and
he continued TO talk and read further as
follows.
Moreover. the strain of these proceedings
upon those whom / hold nearest and dearest
OF all earth has been grave and severe
that result of tnese prosecutions theil
health has been undermined; they are on tEs
verge of collapse. and their lives are indeed
now actually In the balance.
II have occupied somewhat prominent po,
sition in the city of my birth. in which
have lived all my life. where are all my ties
and interests whence when the time comes,
| hope to pass into the eternal sleep l have
professional life there has been stain; In
my public affiliations until the municipal cam
paign OF 1905. and the election of the preseh'
board of supervisors. the abhorrent charges
or the press. to the contrary notwithstanding:
no action OF mine ever gave just ground
for adverse criticism or deserved eensure. But
the assault of the press and their failure 70
credit honesty of purpose and desire 10
hold together a political organization, which
had been built up with much enort-neans OF
holding it together being otherwise impossible
did in measure influence ME aud corrupted
the high Ideals for which l had theretofore
striven-
During the past two weeks l have thought
deeply and often of this situation. ITS causes
and conditions To offer excuses would be
folly To make effort at some reparation
FOR the public good is. however. more. than
possible To assist in making more difncuit.
our public men and corrupts our politics VIII
be a welcome task. l have decided that what
shs pe ae in Ss fe s
TO restoring the ideals that have been lowered
shall. as soon as opportunity be accorded;
integrity. May 1t be allotted to at some
time hereafter to have at least some small
part in the re-estabishment. clear. sane
basis, of plan OF high civic morality and
just reciprocal relations between the constantly
struggling constituent elements Of our govern
mental and industrial life.
In the meantime l begin by an earnestness
OF purpose, purpose TO make the greatest
my disposition. TO acknowledge whatever there
may have been of wrong or mistake and so
far as may be within my power 10 make II
right.
II reached the nnal determination last night
after careful reflection and 6eliheration- Where
duty calls / intend TO follow; whittier here
ever unpleasant and painful may be the re-
suit. make this statement so that the court
and the whole world % MAY know at lsast ts s tine
| am about TO take. As earnest have de-
tesmined to make beginning. ask now that
this jury be dismissed from further consdera-
tion of the I desire to withdraw my
plea of not guilty and enter the contrary
plea. and at the proper time to submit to
GRAFTON. -
OWN WORDS BELLE RUFF
When he had finished Ruef sat down and !
arose and said the court;
If the defendant wishes TO change ms plea
Of not guilty 10 guilty the prosecuting at
torneys will consent to the discharge OF the
jury. he requests. but we think the indict-
ment should first be reread 50 that he may
enter the plea as he wishes -
The Indictment In case No. 205 was thereupon
read to Ruef by. the clerk Of the court. and
hon ole had nile ted
the Indictment he said to Ruef:
What Is your plea q
Judge Dunno then discharged the jury. stat
ing that it done with the consent OF the
defendant, and that the record should so show
Thereupon the district attorney. Langdon. re.
quested the court TO postpone sentence for 81
days. and the order was so made by the
court
/ am Informed and believe that after court
adjourned Ruef made the following statement
among others. TO reporter OF The San iran.
cisco Call, in which newspaper these statements
were printed in its issue OF Thursday. May 10
1907. TO wit:
alter my plea until told them this morn
ing during our conference In court | sat uI
all night thinking the matter over, iu,,Rss It wa
to enter a plea of guilty. had talked the
matter over with my father We talked foI
sister objected when she heard OF it. but
showed her Ii the best way to put an emo
to this suspense
Il don't know what my sentence will be.
For myself | do not greatly care | say C
you now, and you can Judge II DOS Doss, .h.n ina
do. / could face a crowd OF 5.Voo men, OF lo.,
900 men. every one with a rope IN MS nanu
CALMLY and meet my end without finching
But the suffering OF those love T So'.e rIovy sN
%E.T DUR no uT l9nssE sssxrESeh h WILL p Be IF II BF
FIVE YEARS ACROSS THE BAY can MEEi
THAT WHEN 1T COMES; | believe that viii
tions the feelings of those who love me and
have stood by me- l could spend nve years al
San Quentin almost as comfortable tai as IN ~
hotel at Napa Springs But II the step toos
this morning had meant Eve years or IA years
or l. 400 years the fear Of that would not nave
deferred me.
HOIST BY OWN PETARD
The physical courage about which Ruef was
declining 10 boast In the foregoing statement
was being exercised. it must be remembered.
according TO his present statement under oatn
with "a an absolute aae p1Iase and up complete immunity
by being permitted to Withdraw tnls pretenued
plea Of guilty and have the case dishIsssq h 1.
cent afidavits that he does not only possess
..physral nerve" but immaculate gall. Indeed.
do not knw nss any Ss one b d ns Henry
Ach. 1t would be difficult to judge oetween
them. - -. =,
made the following statement TO the same news
paper reporter, which is published IN the same
isSue of the same newspaper, 10 VIII
Il will not say at the present moment that
Mayor Schu1itz is guilty Of the charges that
have been brought against him. or that he Is
innocent. I will say this: l wanted 10 break
away from Schmitz before his reelection year
ago last November told him: sl am sick OF
the whole thing and ! want to get out
can't stand for all these labof union buns you
have gathered around you and will appoint.
They would eat the paint OF house In
answer the mayor begged me to stay with him
and pu. up the argument that those fellows
must be allowed their share or we could never
hold the machine together. There was all too
much truth in that
II STAYED with Schmitz and stayed with the
machine that ! at great labor and pains had
built up and assembled found then that
had taken a step away from the high and clean
ideals with which, / earnestly assure you.
originally entered the political neld- | found.
In short that TO hold this machine together |
had to permit and conniye at corruption In
the state of affairs existing it was necessary.
But l myself asked dollar of any man,
never took a dishonest dollar from the public.
The things | did were things that hurt no one.
Before the doodle board of supervisors was
elected l warned them against crookedness in
ofhce Immediately after their election l got
them together and l said TO them: Now, YOU
- II any one OF you takes dol
lar I'll prosecute him myself And / meant
it. | was I'm earnest. But found I couldn't
carry out my threat and keep the machine from
going to pieces Schmitz was right about that
In other words, Ruef and Schmitz had 70
permit the other fellows 10 have their share
In order to hold the machine together. Ruef
found it necessary to permit and connive at
board of supervisors that he would prosecute
thar, himself any ono of them dared m fak Ks