Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-29
RUFF JURY
COMPLETED
TRIAL OF INDICTED BOSS TO
BEGIN TODAY
PLEA FOR CHANGE OF VENUE
LIKELY TO BE DENIED
Associates In Paskksll==ee Paskksll==ee Franchise pea!
Depended Upon to Testify Against
Former Political Dictator of
San Francisco
By Associated Press.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 2S.-The
jury to try Abraham Ruef, former
political boss of San Francisco, on one
of lit indictments charging him with
bribery, was completed this afternoon.
after both sides had exhausted their
peremptory challenges.
The taking of testimony will be be-
gun tomorrow afternoon, the morning
session of court being taken by Judge
Maurice T. Dooling of San Benito
county, who is sitting for Judge Frank
H. Dunno, in hearing arguments on a
motion made by counsel for the de-
fense for a change of venue on the
ground that there exists such state
of prejudice and bias in the public
mind in this city that Ruef cannot
have fair and impartial trial.
To Submit Files of Papers
In support of this motion counsel for
Ruef will introduce the files of all the
daily papers in San Francisco and one
in Oakland, from October Is, 1906, to
date.
In addition to these volumes of the
daily papers, which 1t is alleged have
worked up such a state of public opin-
ion against Ruef that it is impossible
for him to obtain fair trial here,
counsel for Ruef will offer in evidence
several scrap books filled with hum
dreds of articles and many cartoons,
the files of all the weekly papers in
this city, one printed in Los Angeles
and two eastern magazines, containing
articles and comments upon the brib-
ery-graft prosecution in San Francisco.
It is generally believed that Judge
Dooling will deny the motion.
The work of impaneling the jury
which is to try Ruef consumed nine
teen days and over 500 names were
drawn before twelve men acceptable
70 both cidaS were obtained.
The particular charge upon which
Ruef Is first being tried Is the offering
of bribe of $1,000 to Jennings J. Phli-
lips for his vote upon the Parkside
trolley franchise.
The following twelve men will pass
upon Ruefs guilt or innocence:
John l.. Vermilye, hay and grain
dealer.
Valentine Franz, contractor.
F. j. w. Anderson, contractor.
James E. Lennon, lime and cement
dealer.
S. r. Crooks, real estate.
William NJ. Leverone, butcher.
John Koeneman, grocer.
Edwin Mohrig, automobile supplies.
Patrick Connolly, retired saloon
keeper.
Isaac Penny. contractor.
Robert frost, contractor.
w. f. Swift, lumber dealer.
Immediately upon completion of the
jury Judge Dooling, after expressing
his regret for the necessity or advisa-
bility of removing 1t from all possible
influence, ordered that the twelve men
be locked up and not allowed to sep
arate until the end of the trial. This
brought such vigorous protest from
some of the jurors, Swift asking the
court whether that was constitution
al" that Judge Dooling finally relented
and conceded that the jurors might be
at liberty until tomorrow afternoon in
order that they might arrange their
business affairs.
Umbsen to Testify
Assistant District Attorney Heney,
who will conduct the prosecution of
Ruef, declined to state who would be
the witnesses against Ruef, but it has
repeatedly been intimated that among
them will be G. H. Umbsen, q promi-
nent real estate man; Joseph Green
and w. I. Brobeck. the latter we'll
known attorney, all three of whom
were intedested in the Parkside troll
ley franchise and were Jointly indicted
with Ruef, having, according to the
prosecution, testified before the grand
the proposed franchise, with a prom
Use of $4,000 more.
From the questions asked by Ruef's
counsel during the examination of
jurors it is believed that Ruef will
claim the money was fee paid to
him as an attorney. On the other
hand 1t has also been asserted that his
codefendants will testify that Ruef
"held them up" controlling as he did
the board of supervisors.
Ford Jury Protests
The jury in the Ford case today pro-
tested to Judge Lawlor at the length to
which the trial was being extended and
the inconvenience they were suffering
in consequence. Through the bailiff in
court room they sent message to the
held as their business interests were
suffering in their prolonged absence.
Judge Lawlor took up the matter at
the close of the session today and told
the jury that he was satisfied with the
progress of the case and that he
thought it might work a hardship on
the attorneys and stenographers to Or
der night sessions, but, as a compro-
mise, he proposed an evening at the
theater for the jurymen.
At this the jury disagreed, as some of
them wanted to go for walk, think
ing fresh air was what they most
needed.
The final settlement was that those
who wished should walk and those who
did not should remain at the hotel in
charge of a third bailiff.
The testimony today was almost en-
tirely a repetition of that given on
former trials.
T..