The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-01-27
A. RUEF'S WATERLOO
BY n. D. WHEELER

ders is a ticklish and a dangerous
business.
Abraham Ruef, arch CRATER, one
time political despot of San Fran
cisco, now inmate of cell No. 1863,
county Jail, has discovered it.
The chow" and why" therefore
form one of the most intensely in
teresting of all the interesting
chapters in the san Francisco graft
prosecution.
The leaves of this chapter, which
deals with the manner in which
Ruef lost his immunity contract
and was dragged, by virtue of his
own cupidity and inordinate vanity
from the bright assurance of COM
plete freedom, again into the
gloomy shadow of San Quentin,
have never been fully cut. District
Attorney William H. Langdon saw
to that. Those who have read as
they ran have supplied the missing
narrative in their own way; have
explained in score of different
ways why Langdon snatched from
Ruef all hope of immunity and
have hurried on to succeeding
events.
Yet that which transpired during
the week ending Jan. IS, 1908,
marked a vital turning point in the
fight against corruption in San
Francisco. Here is the true story
| of what is contained in that closed
chapter:
On Saturday, Jan. IS, Langdon,
at the end of a week of tension
that was felt throughout the state,
announced in an official statement
| that "for good and sufficient rea.
/ sons" a contract of immunity
which had been granted to Ruef
the previous May had been an
nulled.
During the week previous to this
district attorneys Office had been
guarded by the most rigid Sc
| crecy.
There was Langdon: there was
Spreckels; there was Ruef. And
in the background, as always. was
Detective VIM. J. Burns. These
four held almost daily conferences
That was all the outside world
knew. These star chamber SEES
sions, following close upon the de-
cision Of the court of appeals, re-
versing the verdict in the SchmitZ
case and declaring extortion, as
developed in the Schmitz trial, to
be not a crime, threw San Fran
cisco into fever of expectancy.
Francis j. Heney was in the
north. aPtrick Calhoun, under in
dictment for bribery, was in the
east.
"The backbone Of the prosecu-
ton is broken!" 'Langdon is up
against it," "Ruef has turned
dictator!"
These were the cries that were
raised on every side. A majority
Of the people of San Francisco be-
lieved, wholly or partially, what
they heard To almost hourly de-
mands that he issue a statement.
Langdon smiled.
mot yet he said. Ruef re-
sumed his old jaunty air. Things
| looked bad
Then on Saturday came Lang
don's statement. 1t revealed one
thing that had not been known
that an immunity contract with
Ruef had been signed early in the
previous May. This contract had
been annulled. That was ALL
There have been as many con.
Structions put upon this statement
or Langdon's as there are SEN
fences in it. The true construc-
ton Is that chapter In the prosecu-
ton that has never been officially
opened for all to read.
Abe Ruef had boldly played his
last card and lost.
That was the true meaning of
Langdon's statement.
In all those mysterious secret
conferences Ruef was fighting
fighting desperately-to have that
old immunity contract stand.
II was Langdon who has dictator.
not Ruef.
(Watch tomorrow's Press for the
first complete explanation of why
Abe Ruef lost his immunity con-
tract)
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