Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-12-25

mo GA>bto DE UNI SOOhl hOOM--DE-
TECTIvEs DOG DETECTIVES WHO ARE
DoGGING OTHER DETECTIvEs-AT-
TEMPT TO MOB HEARST PAPER.
[From the New YorkiSun.]
The death by.drowning of Chief Big
by, of the San Francisco police, who
once kept untiring guardI over Boss
Abe Reuf after that slippery head of
the graft combination had tried to hide
himself and had failed, is one of the in
cidents in San Francisco's bitter strug-
gle over municipal corruption that has
not been Suppressed The recent re-
markable attempt to.assassinate Fran
cisJ. Heney, the prosecutor of the men
under indictment Flor extortion, was
another incident that could not be
suppressed" Nobody in the East
knew how many earthquakes there
were following the big quake of April
IS, 1906.
San Francisco much prefers that it's
troubles should not be published. The
recurrence of earthquakes and some of
the most sensational. features of the
graft prosecution out there might tend
to hurt business should the facts obtain
undue prominence. Through the ram
dom San franciscan visiting here peo-
pie east of Sacramento learn little
more than comes by telegraph of the
true conditions that exist in the re-
building city.
The shooting of Heney brought to a
focus all of thelconficting forces that
have torn San Francisco into two great
hostile camps. Interest in the prosecu-
ton, which has been necessarily long
drawn out and only partially success
ful because of the tremendous influence
behind some oftthe big men who are
resting under Indictment, was instantly
revived. - When Heney comes back to
San Francisco to make the closing ad-
dress to the jury now trying Reuf on
the charge of extortion it will be war
to the finish.
One incident in connection with the
attemptlto kill Heney, significant in
itself OF the dissension that has torn the
'lty, was the necessity forced upon the
Examiner, Mr.. Hearst's paper, of pro-
ecting it's offices against the expected
lttack of a mob. One hundred and
ifty special policemen guarded the
examiners editorial offices and press 6
ooms on the night that Heney was {
hot, and for several days following {
nat event the guard maintained it's
osition on Hearst's property.
1t appears that for many months the
Examiner had been batting Heney edi-
orlally and in its news columns. The
aper had taken up the defense of those
7hom Heney was attempting to land
prison unreservedly, being followed
Its enthusiasm by M. M. De Young's
hronicle as close second By cartoon
nd editorial Hearst's organ had sought
be-little thespecial prosecutor and to
ut obstacles in his path.
Before election when Hearst and n
Llsgen toured California Hearst ad- d
ressed massmeeting one night, and G.
answer to a question from the audi d
ice as to why it was that he opposed
eney IN San Francisco, Hearst laun- is
led into TRADE against the prose-
ltor. He had not gone far when he
as Missed. The Kisses grew into yells
dIsapproval and Hearst was unable n
finish his speech.
The morning after Heney was shot
le Call, owned by members OF the q,
family and supporting Ru-
'iph Spreckels and Heney, printed
ilf-page cartoon, drawn after the style il
the Hearst political cartoons, which 6,
'picted Haas as creature of Hearst. al
ooting Heney in the;back, while the 2:
ait trust, personified by the usual te
earst humorous giant, laughed in W
The Call directly charged te
earst with being the instigator of
ch violence as that done by Haas.
The night that massmeeting was ef
Id, few days after Heney had been ir
OF, more sullen crowd than had je
thered in San Francisco since the r
ys OF the Vigilantes listened to b'
eeehes, and after the meeting started OF
walk down to the Examiner office
wreck it and to catch the editors of
e paper. Cooler heads prevented an
tack upon the guarded newspaper IT.
fice.
The newspapers represent the diy,-
IN That extends throughout the entire
lslness and social life of the city. The 60
III, the Spreckles paper, and the fo
Vening Bulletin, edited by Fremont al
der one of the stanchest supporters n
Heney and Rudolph Spreckles, are N,
two organs behind the prosecution. ~
lie Examiner, the Chronicle and the
'gonaut, the latter weekly paper of 1s
ore than local fame, are bitter against L,
attempt to probe further into the 81
stem over which Ruef and ex-Mayor az
hmitz one presided. Reporters of Ii;
contending papers have done de- na
'tlve work for their respective editors f.,
and against the prosecution. One ha
per sent reporter half way across al;
continent not long ago ON the track III
the man who was suspected of hay- M
blown up the house of ex-Super- 70,
'or Fallagher, who "peachedu on 90
lef Reporters have had first fights :,
tn detectives hired by the prosecu- or,
n and with the counter array of on
uths hired by the united railroads r.,
d at the disposal of the defense. !
The town is flooded with detectives. ~,