Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-15
7RICKED BY
PROSECUTION
RUEFS PLEA
FORMER BOSS WEEPS AS AFFI-
DAVIT IS READ
Jurlst Refuses to Tell What He Knows
of Promise That Prisoner
Would Go Free if He
Told All
Confined from Page oue.l

he would kill such person"
That Elisor William j. Biggy also
urged him to tell all he knew about
the alleged bribing of supervisors, thaC
Biggy personally guaranteed to tne
afiiant the promises of Burns and "old
assert that he would kill any one VINO
was a party to said proposed agree
ment who would violate the same dS
against said affiant."
That it was part of the scheme sug-
gested to affiant by Honey, Langdol
and Burns that this affiant should
plead guilty to the charge on trial Eek
lortion), although affiant always as
serted and still asserts his Innocence
of said charge, with the distinct under
standing and agreement then MADE
hat the said plea should be Withdrawn
end indictments dismissed.
Ruef says that he did not agree WIN
the suggestion and was then told that
If he would not do SO his co-detendant
in the extortion case (Schmltz) anu
ether persons, in order to save them
selves. had offered to testify against
him and throw the blame all on him.
Urged to Confess
Ruef then relates all the alleged pres
sure that was bf ought on him and tnat
Rev, Nieto. Rev. Kaplan, Burns, he
new and Langdon finally gave him the
most positive assurance that Judge
Dunno had agreed that If he Wonld
plead guilty he would permit the pleas
to be withdrawn and that Judge Lawlor
would dismiss all the indictments
against Ruef. Acting upon these prom,
ises and a written agreement entered
into. he says that he went before the
grand Jury and testified After TESTIFY
ing, the affidavit goes on to say, Ruef
asked Heney what steps he should take
in the matter of the indictments, TO
which the assistant district attorney
replied:
''Follow in the footsteps of the other
defendants"
After relating several instances dur
ing the Ford trial when Heney person.
ely assured him that the agreement
would be fully carried out, Ruef says
that after the decision of the appellate
court in the Schmitz case Langdon ana
Burns attempted to carry out a por-
ton of the contract and had him meet
them in Judge Dunne's court, and that
"Iangdon did state to affiant that he
would go in and see the judge and pre-
pare him for the motion to withdraw
the plea OF guilty, which Langdon said
he would then assent to.
Judge Dunne baik5
'"That Burns suggested 1t would be
better to make the motion In open
court without seeing the judge. Lang
don went into the chambers OF the
sudge and after remaining there for
while came out and announced that
the Judge would not agree to 1t, and 1t
was suggested that Burns secure 9TH
er influences to operate upon the judge,
;4 Yry T.anOdnn and
Burns that they would secure other in
fuenoes to work upon the said Judge
to cause him to carry out the agreo-
lnent heretofore made by him, and 1t
was agreed thta I should appear IN
court on the morning of January is and
make said motion to withdraw said
Plea, and that the said Langdon would
ir open court consent thereto"
Ruef says he appeared the following
morning in court and was informed
that the matter had not yet been ar
ranged satisfactorily. and then on
January IS was informed by Langdon
that the contract would not be kept.
Ruef attached newspaper clipping
giving the alleged immunity contract
to his affidavit as exhibit "A"
The aged father of Ruef. in his affi-
davit, related how he had again and
again begged and pleaded with his son
TO comply with the demands of the
prosecution, and after many refusals
because he had said he was innocent
and would not plead guilty" he had
prevailed upon him to accept the con-
ditions offered him.
Continuing. the affidavit reads:
"Drs. Nieto and Kaplan and William
j Burns. all acting for the prosecu-
ton. gave to him and to me absolute
assurances of complete immunity and
in my presence they pledged their sa-
cred word OF honor that not only had
Mr.. Langdon and Mr.. Heney and Mr..
| Spreckels agreed to this, but that
Judges Dunno and Lawlor had also
| given to Mr.. Heney and to the rev.
erend doctors their personal assurances
and guarantee that the agreement
would be carried OUT