The San Francisco call., 1908-12-26
.AR|STOCRATS NOT
AT PRISON DINNER
Ruef and Collins Only Ones Lett
to Furnish "Class'' at
County Jail
Convicted Boss Dimes in Cell
and Receives Many Visit
ors During Day

Christmas day 1908 at the county
jail was not such swell affair as
Christmas day 1907. Many of the aristo-
cratic guests who a year ago partook
of the city's compulsory hospitality
have since given up their rooms.
Schmitz, the ex-mayor, Glass, presi-
dent of the Pacific States telephone
company, Brown and Bartnett, the
eminent lights of the financial world,
are there no longer. But Abe Ruef,
who was in the custody of the elisor
last Christmas, spent yesterday behind
the bars, and George d. Collins, who
dreams o. nights of successful appli-
cations of writs of habeas corpus, is
still at the Ingleside establishment.
1t was Sheriff Larry Dolan's debut
as host of the Christmas festivities.
Old patrons of the city hosiery agreed
that Dolan treated them as Wen as
any previous landlord. Every one OF
his guests, of whom there are almost
400, had all he could eat of roast tur-
key, swimming in cranberry sauce;
roast pork, and mince pie. The only
religious service at the jail yesterday
consisted of mass at $50 a. M, cele-
brated by the Jesuit fathers. together
with singing by a choir of ladies from
st. Pauls.
RUFF HAS VISITORS
A string of visitors filed in and out
of Abe Ruef's cell and the Doodle KING
spent but little of the day alone.
Among those who called on him were
his sister,. Mrs. Henrietta Sittenfeld,
his brotter-in-law, Aaron Altman,
Senator George Keane, who was trained
in Ruefs law office, and the faithful
Charlie Heggarty. known to fame as
"the boy who carried the shirtbox.
.Ruef ate the prison fare IN his cell
with apparent relish.
Alexander Garnett, who was con-
victed of the murder of Major John
McChIng, spent his fifth and last
Christmas at the county jail. In few
days Garnett will journey to San Quen-
tin to start his Is year term. The
remittitur confirming his sentence came
down from the appellate court Few
days ago, but, at the prisoners request
Judge Lawlor permitted him to remain
in the county Jail over Christmas.
Garnett is nearly 70 years old. He
killed Major McClung in the Palace
hotel in a quarrel over Mrs. Lille
Hitchcock Colt.
l. W. Chang. the murderer of Dur
ham White Stevens. enjoyed his first
Christmas dinner in prison. The little
Korean ate heartily of the fare pro-
vided. E. A. S. Blake, the jury f1xer
one of the victims of Ruefs system,
had a long visit from his wife yester-
day. She calls on him every day.
CITY CHARGES F'EASTED
The Christmas spirit pervaded the
city prison yesterday, and while many
a poor family in the city lacked the
good cheer incidental to the festive oc-
casion, vagrants, drunks and other men
and women charged with various Of
lenses against the law were treated
to a sumptuous repast prepared by
the prison chef G.. RamaZzno, and
superintended by Commissary Shaw
and Sergeant Coogan.
The bill of fare consisted of chicken
soup, sucking pig with dressing and
apple sauce, mashed potatoes, mince
pie, English plum pudding, bread and
butter and tea or coffee. About 80
prisoners partook of the repast. Fifty
nine drunks, who had been celebratin g
unwiseIy. missed their dinner by being
released about o'clock by Judge Con-
Ian.
The prison officials partook of a
repast composed of chicken soup, tur-
key and cranberry sauce. mashed po-
tatoes, stewed tomatoes, imported
olives, mince pie, English plum pud-
ding, omelette souff1e and cake with
tea or coffee.