New-York tribune., 1909-06-20

municipal upheavaI of 1907. when the administra-
tion dominated by Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz and
Abraham Ruef was overthrown. In November.
1893. Francis J. Heney, already Well known a
public prosecutor charged in public address that
Ruef and Schnitz guilty of corruption. and.
with ". J. Burns formerly federal Secret
Service agent undertook investigation Of privi-
leges awarded several public service corporations
Ruer and Schmltz were indicted charges Of
extorting money from French restaurant proprie-
tors in November. 1905 after Ruef had failed in an
effort TO the District Attorneys office through
his appointment by the Board Of Supervisors
The graft investigation as It came 10 he known.
was conducted secretly for several months, but in
the early part of March. 1907. Burns succeeded In
rapping Supervisors Thomas F. Lonersan, Edward
I Walsh and Charles F. Boxton in the act Of
accepting money from Golden NJ. Roy. skating
rink promoter who was acting in the interests OF
the prosecution Within a week eighteen super
visors had confessed their acceptance Of money
from six sources It was subsequently announced
that immunity had been promised the supervisors
for their testimony against the men charged with
offering the brihes.
The grand jury impanelled under the dTeo'oh
Of Nj Henev in October 1906, heard the confessions
Of the supervisors on March 19. 1907, and IN forN-
eight hours returned more than three hundred IN
dictments against various persons charged with
completely in the trjoeries-
THE CALHOUN CHARGES.
Nj Calhoun together with Abraham Ruef ana
three subordinate officials Of the United Railroads
was indicted fourteen counts. three OF "heh
were returned by a later grand jury II was
charged that the corporation had obtained from
the slIpery.sors on May q 1905. permit author
izing substitution Of the overhead trolley system
for the cable lines partially destroyed hT the earl
quake and fire Of April x. 1895. calhoun ana ule
other defendants We're accused Of having paid Ruef
Srr7irz and the suervisors S2on0ho for their ser
vices in securing the permit to the COMPANY ana
each Indictment was based unon th" m ''e\ re-
ceived hy Of the supervisors.
TREY 7. Ford. general counsel for the United
Railroads. was also involved by the indictments.
and was tried three times. In the first instance
disagreement resulted. and In two subsequent
trials Ford acquitted.
Ruefs trial upon of the so-calied trolley IN
dfctrnents began on August o. ZOOS There was an
Inter-1ptfon Of several days subsequent to NoNeIn
her g. when Francis J. Heney was shot in the
courtroom by ex-convict, who afterward com
uitted suicide in the county jail. Three volunteer
prosecutors then took up the case, and on Iecem-
her 10 1908 jury returned verdict Of guilty.. on
December % Ruef was sentenced TO fourteen years
in San Quentin penitentiary. ana since then mas
been confined in the county jail awaiting action
appeal
MONEY FROM NEW YORK
The prosecution during the several trollyy trials
has ATTEMPTED 10 prove that Calhoun III" dav
following the hnal passage OF the permit sent from
New York to the mint here 500 0lo, which ne previ
o1Iev authorized the mint officials 10 pay 10 Tirey
l.
drawn in three instruments by Ford. who presented
orders signed by Calhoun. It was alleged by the
prosecution that within few days after each Il
Tords visits 10 the mint he received a call fr"Ia
Rtef Following this assertion, James J. Cal
1sgher chairman of the supervisors testified mt
RrJef had paid him $4,000 in JULY and IN equal
amount in the following month Gallagher said he
had retained $500 for himself had paid $1,000 u
Andrew VI Wilson Of his lieutenants, ani had
given $4,000 to each Of the other supervisors. 1t
vas affirmed by the prosecute that RCe1 and
Schrntz divided the rest of the fund-ahout Nl2fTp
The specjfc Indictment upon which Calhoun vas
tried was the offer # bribe OF 81 oN 10 Supervisor
Fred P Nicholas influence his action upon the
trolley hermit Nicholas admitted acceptance Of the
money fer that purpose Since the trial begah
many new issues, more or less important, nave
baar rrasented for the jury's consideration
In March when the trial nearly two. months
old warrants were issued for the arrest Of several
men charged with stealing documents from the Of
a-e of william J Burns. special agent Of the
rlfe+rjct Attorneys Office. The list Of defendants
headed bv NJ NJ Abbott and Luther 6. Brown. in
cI,,5e5 Rex Hanlin secretary 70 Burns, and three
other OF Burns's assistants who confessed 'hat
the, had given private reports. letters and tele-
grams to John H Helms and the agents or me
United Railroads
POLICE RAIDED OFFICES
~ ,,.-ot as and q the Offices Of Abbott. Brown.
,,s1,o,,r and Mullaly were raided by the police
,pon a search warrant obtained by Burns. VINO
Trofessed 20 have information that the men named
in or
desks we're forciblv opened in the presence of pro
testing attorneys and officials. and two thousand
documents were seized and delivered into the Gus
tod,- Of the police Judge who had granted the war
,ant Before the raiders had completed their task
attorneys for the United Railroads obtained an IN
junction forbdding further search
Another order was obtained enjoining the police
nudge from opening the sealed packages ana after
several davs Of argument Superior Judge r ).
,1,rasLv took under advisement an application TOT
IN order adtudcinE District Attorney Heney ana
,-,o detectives who took part in the raids guilty
Of contempt Of court
4 witness called in the trial was Rndolph Spfeck-
o1e rresident Of the First National Bank VII"
lacked the graft prosecution II developed that
z22a nao had been raised and expended ard MI
snreckels's accounts voluntarily produced III court
showed that he had contributed Approximately $l'2-
900 Of the total
The t,newritten record Of the case amounted /"
zoo On words when the jury was completed judge
artornevs nd witnesses have added another lhl'oH
md tIlree-quarters the bulky transcript slliCc
~, limo ma king total Of 4.2j00" words
CONGRESS CLUB HOLDS OUTING.