Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-02-26
WEALTHY CROOKS
HARD TO CONVICT
SAN FRANCISCO GRAFT PRosEcU.
TON PEsTEREp IN
MANY WAYS.
DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE THE
Law AGAINST ExTRAoR-
BINARY CRIMINALS.

San Francisco. Feb. 19.-The plan
Of the graft prosecution to appeal
from the decision of the appellate
court in the Schmitz extortion case,
mas sent another chill down, not only
the spines of Ruef and Schmitz who
are most Immediately concerned, but
of the indicted bribe-givers who dread
that Ruef. II he does go 10 states
prison, win take a bundle of them
along with him under each %Tnl. The
prosecution has moved in the matter
with the greatest secrecy, even sue
oeedtng in keeping knowledge of
their plans from the press,
The average citizen who gives a dol.
lars service for a dollars pay, who as
sumes as a matter of course that the
law is enforced impardally against all,
and who is ordinarily in bed by 10
o'clock each night-a about the time
he real work OF burglars, hold.up men
and machine politicians hegins-can
nn more picture to himself the diff
eulties under which the graft prose
cution in this city labors, than he can
form ideas of the methods employed
by machine politicians to secure the
nomination of ut persons for execu-
tive office, legislature aud bench.
For example, the crime of bribery
has been committed in San Francisco,
the evidence OF which is so complete
and convincing that the bribed have
been thrown out of office in disgrace,
The bribe-giyers are known. TIE
problem of the prosecution is to get
this evidence before A jury that the
bribe-givers may be punished AS the
law provides. For nearvly i year the
prosecution has been laGoring o this
end Opposed to the prosecution is
the craft Of attorneys, detectives and
other representatives retained by the
defense, whose labor is 20 cloud the
issue and keep from juries the evil
dence necessary to convict. The ordi-
nary criminal does not have the bene-
lit of a corporation law department,
or OF detective bureau, or OF press
agency, to evade the law; his proseeu-
ton is not so difficult. In other
words, the law with the ordinary Grim
inal is permitted TO take its course
without undue interference.
But the graft prosecution is not
dealing with ordinary criminals. 1t
is dealing with men who reckon their
fortune in six figures. and who have
formed the untenable notion that they
are entitled to anything which their
money can buy 1t is up to the prose.
cution to prove TO these gentlemen
that their somewhat arrogant view is
not well taken. Whether the prosecu-
ton will be able TO do this or not, is
not so much a question OF evidence OF
guilt--the evidence Is convincing
enough-bn; of generalship. II the
prosecution is out-generaled, the bride
giyers go free. 1t is not then, diff
cult to see why the prosecution is not
advertising its prospective plaus to
present the facts 10 jury; to do SO
would be to notify the other side.
which would indeed be poor general
ship.
Willie the matter Of appeal from the
appellate court decision is not a ques-
ton Of evidence, It is a question Of
generalship. Ruef was not taken into
the prosecutions confidence and until
a newspaper announced the plan of
the prosecution. was probably CON
graduating himself that no appeal
would be taken.
BY a provision Of the law PIT gen