Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-12
FATE OF ALL
DEPENDS ON
BOSS RUEF
LkNGDON MUST MAKE TERMS
WITH PRISONER
FORMER POLITICAL DICTATOR
HAPPY IN JAIL
Saws He Would Not HaVe Missed Exc
perience for a Thousand Dollars
a Day-GiVes Concert
for Inmates
By Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. u-"My con-
ference with District Attorney Langdon
Monday afternoon will determine my
future course of action" said Abraham
Rusf today when interviewed at the
county Jail. Monday will decide the
fate of nations he added jocularly.
sIJntil then 1 have nothing to say"
By the "fate of nations" 1t was evident
that he meant that on Monday would be
held the final conference between hlmseil
and Langdon as to the disposition OIL ms
own case and that of the corporation
officials charged with bribery, in So Iar
as the testimony of Huel was coHo7iN N'N'
would be finally decided
Asked about the reports that serious
breacl had occurred between hlmseI anu
the prosecution at yesterdays $ conference
and that the district attorneys Office was
now determined to prosecute MN on
every charge and "give him the hiiii''
Ruef said: e..o,oo
.No one was present at that conference
hut I,angdon, Special Agent Burns anu
myself. Ii is admitted that none OF these
rave ont the slightest intimation OF what
took place The logical conclusion ls
that .le newspapers do not know What
they are talking about, which is ho'
unusual.
Trying to Scare Him
II was present at the conference anu
know that nothing was said that wouiu
hear out the statements published this
rnorni,,e If any of my friends are re-
snonsibIe fer these reports, then they
are more im9etuous than | am. sun
have some faith in human nature II
looks TO me more that such reports are
circulated for the purpose of intimidatnig
me-" o,.z
The former political dictator appeared
to he in a cheerful frame OF mlnd anu
,aitaratad his declaration that he was
innoeent of the charges against MIN
not innocent on mere legal technicallues
and Interpretation, but innocent upon the
facts" ho said. He declared tnat ne
was actuated by strong personal CON
sidorations when he pleaded guilty, al
though innocent, and would explain 10
Judge Dunno at the proper time in court
Although but three days in the county
iau Ruef like former Mayor Schmltz, :.
Dalzell Brown, w. ]. Bartnett Louls
class and other prominent men connneo
there. has been very popular with the
400 odd prisoners. He spends nuch oi nus
time interesting himself in their troubles
egi,,ine advice and not infrequently some
thing more practical
Unlike Schmitz. Glass. Brown and Bart"
nett who seldom speak TO any ol tnsh
fellow prisoners and to few OF the guarus'
Ruef has CHEEKY word for eVerypouy-
If was learned at the county jail that,
andine many of the prisoners had no
matches Ruef ordered twenty dozen
hoxes bought all the tobacco cigars ana
cigarettes in the commssary department.
of the iail and distributed them. lie is
tho principal customer of few prisoners
who eke out few cents by making peau
KnfDkKn1CkS.
patronizihg them to the extent OIL seVerai
dollars a day.
Gives Concert in Jail
Today Ruef sent to his house Tor
large valuable talking machine with seF-
eraI boxes of records from the latest
popular songs to the best operate music
and tonight gave a concert at when
C,aruso Tomagno, Meba and other
famous singers sang for the prisoners
Two large boxes of cakes, ordered by
Ruef were distributed to the inmates
while they listened to the muslc' u Wes
a break in the monotony of Jail Ire ana
an unusual treat that appeared to pc I'M
nensely appreciated One of the prison
ers seemed to voice the popularity OF
Ruef when he said:
MIR. Ruef, if we decide to make a
break we will elect you as our chleI,
but Ruef shook his head doubtfully as to
the honor.
"Do YOU know, would not have missed
the experience out here for $1,000 day,
said Ruef adding after moment
thought, '1f eventually get out OF mere
ITS q relief to be here" he continued
''No longer am l spied upon by two CT
three guards. my every move watched anu
every word I say listened for.
Ruef dwelt at length upon the unhappy
condition of some of the prisoners and
the small, cold, unsanitary cells.
''You may not believe it. but there are
men here who are not criminals-at least
criminals at heart / forget my troubles
in listening to theirs"
Pointing to a young country boy VINO
had run away from home and had been
sentenced for vagrancy, Ruef said; II
an unjust cruel and wrong system that
will send a boy of such tender years
among habitual and hardened criminals,
where he will learn every form of vice
and viciousness and go out worse than he
rae in. Such is not the intention OF
tpe law.
Ruef Humanitarian
While there are many here whom /
weu d not care to affiliate with it costs
ling to say kind word, and some of
poor devils are sorely in need of
hHa cheer. l have had more genuine
r sure out of a dollar spent among
fH poor unfortunates than out of fifty
t for my own pleasure and gratifica-
outside | find human nature here
same as in the world outside these
-appreciatlve of d little kindness
M"
King from his pocket large package
.,f otters, he said:
lis is part of my daily mail since
coming here"
animation showed that they were
fsyi is of congratulation on the appellate
decision and several OF them con-
d offers Of bail.
have offers of about half million
RS for my ball. in sums Of five. fer
ar twenty thousand dollars" decare1
''As sixty-iive OF the indictments
f st me are Implications. ! can fur
the other $500, ,oo0 If necessary"
aaid, however that he would ask for