Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-27
THREE MORE
MDIC7M MEN7S
BROUGHT IN
BRIBERY CHARGED BY BAY
CITY GRAND JURY
CALHOUN, FORD AND RUFF ARE
AGAIN ACCUSED
Technical Objections TO Previous
Documents Believed to Be Over
come - Heney Explains
Latest Purpose

By ASSOclAleu fTcSs.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 26.-Three
indictments, each containing three
counts, against Patrick Calhoun presi-
dent of the United Railroads, TREY L.
Ford, general counsel for the same cor
poration, and Abraham Ruef, former
political boss of San Francisco, secret
lv voted by the grand jury last night
were filed with presiding Judge Sturte-
want this morning.
The indictments charge Calhoun, Fora
and Ruef each with having offered a
bribe of $4,000 on May 10, 1906, TO super
visors f. z. Nicholas, John J. Furey
and Daniel G. Coleman in connection
with the granting of a franchise giving
the United Railroads the right to con-
vert its cable lines into a trolley sys-
tem.
The new indictments were returned
with a view of meeting every possible
technical objection that has been raised
by the defense to the indictments re-
turned by the former grand jury.
Assistant District Attorney Francis
J. Heney. in explaining the purpose OF
the new indictments, stated to the AS
sociated Press:
Heney's Explanation
while we don't concede there is any
flaw or defect in the other indictments
we have not the last say in the matter.
That prerogative is with the supreme
court. We don't want TO learn in a
year from now that our indictments
were invalid. Should a contingency
arise, however. we will be prepared for
it with the indictments returned by the
present grand jury. These have been
drawn up with a view of meeting all
the technicalities raised by the various
without Ruef's testimony, that defend
ant cannot raise the point that he IS
indicted upon his own testimony"
This new and unexpected move on the
part of Assistant District Attorney he
ney came as a surprise to the detend-
ants in the bribery graft cases. Every
action taken by the prosecution against
Ruef during the past two months mas
met with skillful counter moves by the
former political boss and his counsel
to prevent a trial.
Long Legal Battle
1t has been a continued series of legal
skirmishes in court for tactical ad-
vantage, but in this move Heney has
outmaneuvered Ruef for the time be-
ing. Ruef will be put on trial Monday
morning on the charge of bribery IN
connection with the granting of the
Parkside trolley franchise, and TREY
L. Ford will be placed on trial for the
third time before Judge LaWlor.
Mr.. Heney will possibly conduct the
trial of Ruef, while Assistant District
Attorney John OGara will represent
the prosecution in the ease against
Ford. -.
The filing of the indictments this
morning was attended with considera-
BILE secrecy. Presiding Judge Sturte-
want read the inquisitorial body lee
ture because of the alleged leak
through which some of the newspapers
obtained the informaoon that indict-
nents had been returned against CAL
houn. Ruef and Ford before they were
fled in court. Heney absolVed the
members of the grand jury from any
blame and denounced one or two men
'swho pose as newspaper men but are
said to be in the employ of the united
Railroads, and who" he declared, were
around the garnd jury room yesterday
Makes Further Complaints
incidentally Honey also stated that
some of the witnesses before the grand
iury had complained. that newspaper
men had entered the room set aside for
witnesses. denounced the prosecution
and made sIurring remarks ABOUT tht
witnesses.
Judge SturteVant ordered the clerk tc
give out no information about the IN
dictments without instructions from the
district attorneys Office. Heney re-
fused to state who the indictments
were for. but District Attorney William
II. Langdon had no hesitation in stat
ing that thev were against Calhoun
Ruef and Ford, and that they Wer'
charged with Offering bribe 10 furey
Nicholas and Coleman.
Mr.. Langdon called attention to th'
fact that the new grand jury considered
the evidence against Calhoun and Fort
strong enough to indict them Wltnou
the testimony of Ruef, who testlnec
before the Oliver grand jury. WINE
Ruef can raise the question of lmmunl
tv again the new indictments are sale
to deprive him of considerable teen
nical ammunition with which to attacl
them.
Showing Is Completed
With the exception of an affidavit
from Superior Judge Dunno with refer
ence to his alleged promise to allo"
Ruef TO withdraw his plea of guilty tt
The charge of eXtortion, the evidenciarS
showing before Judge Lawlor on tho
motion to set aside Ruef's arraignmenl
i'm the trolley cases was completed TINS
afternoon. ,
Judge Dunno will file an afhdaNit OF
behalf of the prosecution tomorrow
morning, and Judge Lawlor at that time
will also pass upon Ruets request lol
rerr11ission to place HeneY, Burns
Iangdon and Spreckels on the witness
stand for cross-eXamination.