The San Francisco call., 1908-12-10
CROWD PACKS
DOOR OF RUFF
TRIAL COURT
Menacing ThrOng Stands All
Night in Rain, TenseIy
Awaiting Verdict
Hiram JOhnsOn's Closing Argu-
ment Is Mastery Plea
for Justice
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Continued from page
afternoon. after 1t had occupied the
attention Of the court for an hour. The
query of the court at the beginning OF
the reading as to whether the attor-
neys would make the usual waiver of
written instructions was greeted with
an unexpected refusal on the part of
the defense. Dozier did the unheard
of thing of insisting upon written in
structi0ns and made no answer when
the court expressed regret that he had
not made his intention known at an
earlier hour. His insistence on this
technicality caused a delay of half an
hour before the reading was begun.
Henry Ach was not present at either
the afternoon or evening session OF
court. When court convened after the
noon recess Dozier made an excuse for
his collea gue's absence, declaring that
Ach had been stricken suddenly with
pleurisy and was threatened with pneu-
m0nia Achs physician, he stated. had
refused TO permit him TO attend court
Jury Goes Out
At $40 o'clock the jury fled out OF
the courtroom for deIiberation, retiring
TO a small room in the upper story OF
Carpenters hall The crowd Iha,
waited during the afternoon for a pos
sible reappearance of the jurors was
disappointed, for two hours after retire
ment the jury sent word that it wished
10 go TO the st. Francis hotel for din
ner The request was granted without
the jury being called into the courtroom
for a rollcalL
At 7:40 the jury returned and again
took UP its deliberations, while the
courtroom once more filled with spec
tators. No word came from the jury
room until shortly after $3.50 o'clock
when the request was made for the
reading Of the testimony of the former
supervisors. The records were secured
and the long reading began.
All through the day crowd that
taxed the utmost capacity Of the court
room hung intent upon the final scenes
of the trial. Women formed fully half
the number Of spectators who occupied
seats in the large room and many OF
them stood with the throngs Of men
in the aisles. Even at night the in
terest did not abate a whit and the
courtroom was packed until after mid
night when the final adjornment was
taken.
DOLCnS CldtA0 III NdtH
Unable 10 gain admission. dozens Of
men stood for hours in the rain outside
the han during the morning session
Of the court. League of justice but
tons were in evidence everywhere. and
the temper Of the throng could not be
mistaken
Plain clothes policemen were
sprinkled throughout the courtroom
arranged in such order as TO prevent
any possible demonstration. The extra
detail of policemen guarding Rued and
his attorneys formed an impossible
blockade past, which none could pro-
ceed- Ruef was virtually surrounded
by guardians Of the peace.
In the Ruef circle, surrounding the
table used by the defenses attorneys
sat A. Altman Of the board OF educa-
tiOn. a stanch admirer of the curly
boss. and an interested spectator. Alt
man, distinguished among men by his
facial resemblance TO ex-Mayor
Schmitz. was mistaken by many for the
deposed mayor.
Bitter Lashing of Boss
Never in the history Of criminal sur-
isprudence in San Francisco has there
been voiced in any court more terrific
denunciation of any man than the lash
ing given Abe Ruef by Hiram ". John
son yesterday morning. Severe as has
been the published and spoken criticism
Of the curly boss since the inception ot
the graft prosecution. there has never
been so bitter q characterization Of the
arch criminal as that which furnished
the theme for Johnson's closing argu-
ment for the state.
For TWO hours and half the flood
OF invective poured from JOhnson's
lips in Overwhelming torrent. Pale
agitated and unconscious OF all the
courtroom scene. save that portion
which included the - men OF the jury
and the attorney who was painting his
character in the most sordid tints. Ruei
sat ike q man under a terrible spell
On his face was imprinted the haggard
brand Of mental agony. yet it was the
agony of fear not shame.
II was not alone in scornful vitupera
ton of Ruef. however. that Johnson!
argument abounded. From every stand
point OF cold logic and rhetorical elo
quence his words drove their wal
straight TO the vital issue Of the case
Summing Up Is Mastery
His summing up of the evidence wa.
a masterful gathering together OF ths
loose threads of testimony scattered
through the thousands of pages of Tho
record. In the short time allotted hin
he plucked from the structure of evi.
dence that has been weeks in the build.
ing the salient points of discriminating
proof which fastened the burden o.
guilt on Ruefs shoulders.
over and over Johnson drove HON.
his most telling points. He dwelt OF
the absolute lack of even pretensiol
by Ruefs attorneys of their client,
Innocence. and he sketched from tn,
record itself a case damning beyon,
contravention. His eXhortation was no
a mere appeal to the jury for the yer
dict Of guilty, but A demand for sucl
verdict-a demand backed by the enor
nous weight OF the evidence.
We know this man is guilty. n
declared sternly. You know he i
guilty Dare you, then. acQuit thi
nan. who came into court with trem
bling lips and streaming eyes and ad