The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-12-05
San Francisco Split Over the
Prosecution of Abe Ruef
and His Henchmen.
MANY TRAGEDIES
ARE SUPPRESSED"
Attempted Assassination Of Heney
Another of the Incidents of
Which Public Hear Details.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. B.-The death
/ BY drowning Of Oh IF Biggy, Of the
/ San Francisco police, who once kept
unuring guard over boss Abe Ruef
after that slippery head Of the graf
combination had tried to hide him
self and had failed. is one OF the in
cldents in san Francisco's bitter strug-
gle over municipal corruption that has
not been Suppressed"
The recent remarkable attempt to as
sa5sinate Francis J. Heney, the prose
cutOr Of the men under indictment for
eXtortion, was another incident that
could not be suppressed" Nobody In
the East knew how many earth
quakes there were following the big
quake OF April IS. 1905.
San Francisco much prefers that its
troubles should not be published. The
recurrence Of earthquakes and some Of
the most sensational features OF the
graft prosecution out there might tend
10 hurt business should the facts OBJ
tain undue prominence. Through the
random san Franciscan visiting here
people east Of Sacramento learn a little
more than comes by telegraph of the
true conditions that exist in the re-
building days
Public Opinion Divided
The shooting Of Heney brought to a
focus all Of the conflicting forces that
have torn San Francisco into two great
hostile camps. Interest in the pr0secu-
ton. which has been necessarily long
drawn out and only partially succeas-
ful because OF the tremendous influence
behind some OF the big men who ere
resting under indictment. was Instantly
revived. When Heney comes back to
San Francisco to make the closing ad-
dress 10 the jury now trying Ruef on
the charge OF eXtOrtion il viii be war
20 the finish.
One incident in connection with the
attempt 10 kill Heney, significant IN it.
self OF the dissensiOn that has torn the
city, was the necessity forced upon the
Examiner, Mr.. Hearsts paper, OF pro-
Jectng its Offices against the expected
attack OF mob. One hundred and fifty
special policemen guarded the Exam
ineT's editorial offices and press rooms
on the night that Heney was shot, and
for several days following that event
the guard maintained its position on
Hearst's property.
Newspaper Baited Heney
It appears that for many months the
Examiner had been batting Heney edi-
torially and in its news columns. The
paper had taken up the defense Of those
whom Heney was attempting to land in
prison unreservedly. being followed in
its enthusiasm by NJ. H. De Y0Ung's
Chronicle as a close second. BY car
toon and editorial Hearsts organ had
sought TO belittle the special prosecutor
and to put obstacles IN his path.
Before election when Hearst and His
gen toured California Hearst addressed /
a mass meeting one night and IN answer I
why II was that he opposed Henev in =
San Francisco Hearst launched into a /.
TRADE against the prosecutor. He had I
not gone far when he was Missed. The
Kisses grew into yells OF disapprOval /
speech.
The morning after Heney was shot /
the can, owned by members Of the /
Spreckles family and supporting Ru-
dolph SpreCEels and Heney, printed a /
half-page cartoon, drawn after the style
Of the Hearst political cartoons, which &
Haas. as creature OF Hearst D.
shooting Heney IN the back while the
graft trust persOnifed by the Hearst I
humorous giant, laughed inordinateIy
The Call directly charged Hearst with !
being the instigaJOr OF such violence as /
that done by Haas.
Mob Threatened Trouble. /
The night that mass meeting was /
held, a few days after Heney had been !
shot. q more sullen crowd than had T.
gathered In San Francisco since the .
days Of the Vigilantes listened to /
speeches and after the meeting, started 3
to walk down TO the Examiner Office
to wreck IL and 70 catch the editors
of the paper. Cooler heads prevented .
an attack upon the guarded newspaper E
office.
The newspapers represent the division