Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-06-15


thy corporation officials indicted as
an outcome of the municipal. uphe-
val of 1907, when the administration
dominated by Mayor Eugene E.
Schmitz, and Abraham eRuef was
overthrown. In November, 1905,
Francis J. Heney, already we'll known
as a public prosecutor, charged in
a public address that Ruef and
Schmitz were guilty of corruption,
and with w. J. Burns, formerly a
government secret service agent, un-
dertook an investigation. Of privi-
leges awarded several public service
corporations. .. t.
Ruef and Schmitz were indicted on
charges of extorting money from
French restaurant proprietOrs in
in an effort to seize the district at
torney's Office through his appoint
ment by the board of supervisors.
The graft investigation, as it came
to be known, was conducted secretly
for several months following, but
in the early part Of March, 1907,
Burns succeeded in trapping Super
visors Thomas F. Lonergan, Edward
7. Walsh and Charles F. Boxton in
the act Of accepting money from
Golden M. Roy, skating rink pro-
moter who was acting in the inter-
ests of the prosecution. Within a
week eighteen supervisors had con-
fessed their acceptance of money
quently announced that the super
visors had been promised immunity
for their testimony against the men
charged with offering the brtbes.
The Oliver grand jury, empaneled
under the direction Of Mr.. Heney in
October, 1906, heard the confession
of the supervisors on March -. 1907,
and in forty-eight hours returned
more than 800 indictments against
various persons charged with COM
plicity in the briberies.
Mr.. Calhoun, together with Abra-
ham Ruef and three subordinate Off
cials of the United railroads, was in
dicted on fourteen counts, three of
which were returned by OH later
grand jury. It was charged that the
corporation had secured from the SUI
pervisors on May 81, 1906 permit
authorizing the substitution OF the
overhead trolley system for the cable
lines partially destroyed by the earth
quake and fire Of April Is, 1906.
Calhoun and the other defendants
were accused Of having paid Ruef,
Schmitz and the supervisors 5000, 900
for their services in securing the per-
NIT for the company, and each. in
dictment was based upon the money
received by one of the supervisors.
TREY L. Ford, general counsel
Of the United Railroads, was also
implicated by the indictments and
was tried three times. In the first
instance a disagreement resulted,
and In two subsequent trials Ford
was acquitted. -. TX.
Ruef's trial upon one of the go
called trolley indictments began
August 81, 1908. There was an In
terruption Of several days subse-
quent to November 10, when Francis
J. Heney was shot down in the court
room by an ex-convict who after
wards committed suicide In the court
jail. Three volunteer prosecutors
then took up the case, and on De-
cember, 10, 1908, jury returned q
verdict of guilty. On December 60,
Ruef was sentenced to fourteen
years in San Quentin -penitentieary
and since then has been confined IN
the county Jail, awaiting action on
an appeal. 100 100
me prosecution, during the sev-
eral trolley trials, has attempted to
prove that calhoun on the day fol.
lowing the final passage Of the per-
NIT, sent from New York to tie
mint here 100000 which he previo1s-
ly authorized the mint officials to
pay to TREY L. Ford. The money.
as is. admitted, was withdrawn IN
50 49,. ,'E FEE