Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-30
LANGDON IS
SUENTA AS TO
ACCUSE TON
REFUSES TO ANSWER RABBI
NIET0'S CHARGES
JUDGES SAY NOTHING OF MID.
NIGHT MEETING
Those Involved In Promising lmmun-
ity to Abe Ruef Decline to Make
Any EnIightenIng State
ment

By Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 2s.--Neither
District Attorney William H. Langdon
nor anyone associated with his office
in the prosecution of the bribery graft
cases was at all disposed today to dis
cuss the statement given out by Rabbi
Jacob Nieto of Temple Sheriff. Israel
in which he made public some of the
details In the negotiations between the
prosecution and Abraham Ruef, result
ing in the drawing up and signing of
contract granting the latter i'm
munity.
These outbursts on the part of the
defendants in these cases show that the
prosecution has the tactical advan-
| tage," said Langdon % the Associated
Press, land this tactical advantage we
are going to keep. This at present is
merely tactical fight aside from the
object of the other side to mislead and
influence the public
The district attorney then explained
that he was speaking of the statement
issued yesterday by Patrick Calhoun,
president of the United Railroads, in
which the prosecution was charged
with bad faith and Interior motives as
well as the statement of Rabbi Nieto
on behalf Of Ruef.
Inc ldCL Oh IIl5 IldLleT is, continued
the district attorney, that these de-
tactics. They recognize this, hence the
wriggling and outburst, charges of bad
faith, broken promises and Interior
motives. The district attorney is well
satisfied with the situation-and that is
what causes such keen dissatisfaction
to the defendants.
81 could explain away the entire mat
n Ii 49,
reasons for the change of attitude on
the part of the prosecution toward
Ruef and the determination to place
him on trial ahead of Calhoun, but it
is not my intention to furnish the de-
Tense with ammunition against us nor
advise them ahead of the proceedings
in court of our plans to enable them to
devise counter moves"
Langdon Refuses to Talk
When asked if the attitude of Ruef
in having at no time criticised the dis
trict attorney, his assistant, Francis J.
Heney, or Special Agent William ].
Burns for suddenly deciding to prose-
cute him, or making any statement in
any way rejecting upon them for this
change, did not justify the impression
that the former political boss still
hoped that the prosecution would re-
tent anu ludL ne sun NC dDl6 10
make terms. the district attorney re-
manned silent.
Aside from stating that Rabbi Nieto's
statement was not entirely accurate in
some respects, but declining to point
| out the alleged Inaccuracies, Special
Agent Burns contented himself with
saying:
1--WE will make our answer in court"
Neither Judge Frank H. Dunno nor
Judge William p. Lawlor of the su-
perior court would deny or affirm the
alleged midnight conference between
! themselves, Special Agent Burns and
Rabbis Nieto and Kaplan, in which, &C
cording to Nieto's statement, they were
a party to the immunity contract be-
| tween the prosecution and Ruef.
Both judges declined to discuss the
matter. Ruef comes up before Judge
Lawlor tomorrow morning. at which
| time 1t is expected that his trial Will
be set and that further extension OF
time because of his inability to get
| counsel, if asked for. will be denied.