The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1908-06-08
WIRES FOR
| ARREST OF
JUDBRUSIE
Prominent Politician, Clubman
and Playwright Is Accused
of Embezzlement
Jailed in Los Angeles on War
rant Sworn TO by Surety
Company
81 Am Innocent" He Asserts,
and Alleges Plot to
Ruin Him
Attorney for Metropolitan Tells
Officials Shortage Amounts
to $4,000

Judson c. Brusie, well known poll
tician and playwright, former member
of the state legislature and erstwhile
secretary of the state railroad COM
mission, was arrested at the Van Nuys
hotel in Los Angeles yesterday after
noon on telegram from Chief of Po-
lice Biggy, charging embezzlement of
$500 from the Metropolitan Surety
company. Brusie and his wife reached
Los Angeles yesterday from the north,
and he was shadowed by detectives
from the time his train passed the
Los Angeles city limits When ar
rested, Brusie remarked to the off,
GERS that he had expected something
of the kind. He was taken to the city
Jail, where he was assigned to COM
Portable quarters in the receiving hos
pital.
The warrant issued here last night
for the arrest of Brusie on a charge of
felony embezzlement was sworn out by
d. A Macbeth, a New York attorney
for the Metropolitan Surety COM
pany. and alleged the misappropriation
OF $500 on a certified check which
Brusie was charged with having held
out about May 10. In a conversation
with Bond and Warrant Clerk Roche
at the police station. however. Mac
beth stated that the amount OF the al
legged irregularities would run to at
least $4,000.
Police Judge Weller signed the war
rant In his rooms at the Knickerbocker
apartments after Macbeth, accompanied
by Detective Tom Burke and Arthur H.
Sawyers, Pacific coast adjuster for the
National security company Of New
York. had hurried out in an automobile
to get him at o'clock last night
Returning, they fled the warrant
with the bond and warrant clerk and
Chief of Police Biggy Immediately tele-
graphed to Los Angeles to hold Brusie.
Sawyers told Clerk Roche that Brusie's
books were much entangied and thaa
an expert was now working on them
BRUsIE MAKES DENIAL
This is an outrage" declared Brusi(
to The Call correspondent in Los An-
geles last night. Il resigned as presi-
dent of the Metropolitan Surety COM
pany about a week ago and came ia
Los Angeles to carry on some literary
work Joseph McCloskey was appoint
ed in my place and he put an expert to
work on the books Of the surety COM
pany. l suppose he thinks he can get
rid of me by trying to railroad me to
the penitentiary. 1 have led an honest
life and have nothing to fear. McClos-
KEY is my bitterest enemy and has
bounded me for months. This Is the
elimination Of his persecution
The surety company never amount
ed to anything until took hold OF it.
wrote S65.0OO worth of business for IL
within q year.
when 1 announced my intention of
resigning. the directors begged me to
reconsider I am sure they will stand
by me- Now I'll take the matter into
the courts and the fur will fly. l cer-
tainIy had no intention of running
away when I came here 1 registered
under my own name at the hotel and
made no efforts TO conceal my move
ments I have ngaged an attorney
and expect to get out Of prison tomor-
row on a writ OF habeas corpus"
Brusie declined to go into details as
to the nature of the charges that have
been brought against him.
Is MAN OF PROMINENCE
The news OF BRUSHES arrest will CONS
as a great surprise TO his friends in
this city ana L0IOuB0OGL the 5tdles VINO
number legion He was political
orator of note. has been prominent as
a clubman for many years and is widely
known as a playwright For some time
he has been secretary of the railroad
commission and in every quarter where
his business or social connections have
drawn him he has never failed to make
friends. As an entertainer and after
dinner speaker Brusie has few equals.
Brusie was known through his Pc
culiar manner Of dress. He clung to
the old fashioned stock worn in the
days Of Daniel Webster and Henry Clay.
He and his wife had a beautiful home
in Belvedere. where they did much en-
tertaining and where Brusie wrote
many of his literary productions
Brusie has been an important factor In
both the literary and political life OF
San Francisco and California for
number Of years
Among the plays that have brought
him wide notice were Lonesome Town"
and Il o u" both of which were staged
and played in San Francisco by KOlb
and DILL In 1906 Lonesome Town
was given its initial performance in
this city, with Kolb and Dill In the
parts. and it made an instant hit with
critical San Francisco. From here his
various pieces have been taken east
and TO New York, where they were uni
formly successful. Only few weeks
ago. at a California night giver by
200 former Californians in San Fran
cisco. Kolb and Dill produced Lone
some Town" in honor OF the occasion>