Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-14

OiAAN hhXNSloSo. INOtcIlDeI It-EIt-
quently since the earthquake and fire OF
1906 have the people of San Francisco
been startled and aroused by revelations
and developments i'm the tangled maze OF
the prosecutions for bribery and corrup-
tion that followed the sudden overthrow
of Abraham Ruef and the boodling super
visors of Mayor Schmitz's regime. But
never has the city been more profoundly
stirred than by the attempted assassina-
tion late yesterday afternoon of Francis
J. Heney, the special assistant of the
district attorneys Office.
He was shot and seriously wounded in
the courtroom by Morris Haas, an ex-
convict residing in this city, whose past
record Heney exposed a few weeks ago.
after Haas had qualified as a juror to
pass upon the guilt or innocence of Abra-
ham Ruef. now in the midst of his third
trial for bribery.
Early today Heney was sleeping sound
ly in tffe Lane Hospital, where he was
taken after preliminary treatment had
been given In the city hospital. The last
statement issued by his physicians de-
clares the patient has a good chance OF
ecovery.'
blood poisoning. Today effort will be
made to locate the bullet and the exact
course of the wound.
How Heney Is Wounded.
Heney was shot in the right side of the
head as he was leaning forward over
table The bullet entered half inch
in front of the right ear. ranged down.
ward and is lodged somewhere in the
muscles on the left side of the neck. In
the opinion of the doctors his constitu-
IN. h iC
chances of recovery.
Haas. who did the shooting. was last
night confined in the county jail at In
sleside, several miles from the center OF
the city. Abraham Ruef, ordered into
custody Immediately after the shooting.
Is also temporary prisoner in the jail,
having been locked up for fear he might
be made the victim of renewed violence
from some excited and unexpected quar-
ter.
While a guard of thirty policemen
armed with rifles protected the approach
es to the Jail during the night the excite
ment of the early evening, when mutter-
ing crowds gathered about the city prison
and the courtroom where the would-be
murderer was being interrogated, sub
sided. There was no attempt at demon
straticn reported from any quarter.
An unbroken stream of inquiries as to
Heney's condition poured into the hos
pital during the night. however AT the
newspaper Offices men fingered for hours
to read bulletins and await the coming
of the first papers from the presses.
The news that Heney had been shot
spread like wildfire through the city even
before the extra editions of the papers
reached the residence sections. People
in every walk of life hurried to swell the
crowds in the downtown districts.
Haas and Ruef Protected.
Few of those in the street knew what
disposition had been made of Haas. who
was spirited out of rear door of the
city prison while the crowds stood in
front and driven by circuitous route
to the distant county Jail. Another sub
terfuge enabled the officers to take Ruef
out of the city without attracting atten-
ton.
Morris Haas. the man VINO shot Heney,
is native of Wurttemberg, Germany. and
has resided here since 1876. He is
forty-eight years old and FOR nearly ten
years, or ever since his release from
the penitentiary. where he served a two
yea sentence for embezzlement of his
emp oyer's funds. he has been engaged in
the retail liquor business.
In the course of a lengthy statement
made to the police after his arrest the
prisoner declared:
sentence that moment he denounced me
In the court." "
This, as far appears from the facts
nov made public. appears 10 be the at
titude of Haas. He alludes constantly
to the shame and disgrace he has ex-
perienced since Heney, several weeks ago.
confronted him as he sat in the jury box
before a crowded courtroom with a pho
tograph of himself in convict's stripes.
He has expressed a desire to be shot
or hanged for what he has done. He has
accounted for his movements of yesterday
in more or less STRAIGHTFORWARD man
ner, and has steadfastly declared that
no one except himself knew of his pre-
conceived determination to slay the man
who had exposed his sins Of the past.
None Other Implicated. 4
No effort was made in the statement.
as made public, to associate any other
person with Haas attempt. 1t is be-
lieved the prisoner. in the seclusion OF
the county JAIL however was. during the
early hours of the morning. subjected to
more rigorous examination.
Prominent citizens and attorneys of the
city gathered last night at meeting.
where spirited addresses were delivered.
calling upon the public to protect the
cause o. justice. The outcome was 0