The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-02-04

cars of the United Railway are run
by that sort of motive power to-day.
That in brief, is how the alleged bri-
berry by Calhoun came about.
The mayor of the town was Eugene
Schmitz, once orchestra leader in
concert hall, and later the boss of all
the labor organizations that ruled San
| Francisco. Ruef was a Republican
| ward politician. Ruef and Schmitz
got together and Ruef showed Schmitz
| how money could be squeezed from
| San Francisco like water from wet
| sponge. The whole machinery of the
| municipal government was organized
Tor plumber with unequaled thorough
ness. If a corporation retained Ruef
as attorney that corporation got what
1t wanted-provided it paid in lump
sum in advance the big fee that Ruef
exacted for his counsel" The SUI
pervisors-there were only two honest
men out of IS, the court records show
always got their bit. Ruef and
| Schmitz became millionaires.
Direct Cause of Trouble.
Even the earthquake did not dull
the rapacity of the grafters-it only
whetted it. At this time came Mr..
Calhoun's desire for an overhead troll
ley and his unfortunately placed
5000 900 contribution. There was a
tremendous public clamor at once,
and the graft prosecution was started
Rudolph Spreckels, James d. Phelan
and other millionaires subscribed to a
fund which Spreckels guaranteed per-
sonally should not be less than $780,.
600, all for the purpose of seeing that
the guilty grafters should not 60 I'M
whipped of Justice. Francis j. Heney,
the special prosecutor of Oregon lum-
Der thieves, was summoned to San
Francisco to take charge of the prose-
cution. Schmitz was driven from Of
fee, being convicted of extortion. He
was allowed to go free under $345, 900
bail, the highest state courts finding
that his conviction was Illegal. Prose
cutor Heney says he will be tried
again. Ruef's bail was fixed at $780,
600, and, not being able to raise that
vast sum, he has spent nearly two
years in JAIL with the prospect of
many more now staring him in the
face. The grating supervisors, whom
it is alleged have confessed, have thus
far gone scot free and have never
disgorged penny of their Illegal
, profits.
Heney Will Push Cases.
Calhoun, TREY l., Ford and William
NJ. Abbott, officials of the United Rail
ways, also were indicted for bribery
Ford has been tried three times, but
no conviction has been obtained. Alb
bolt and Calhoun are to be brought
to the bar.
: Francis j. Heney, the square-jawed
prosecutor, who has had charge Of
these cases, was in New York the
other day He was asked what hopes
he had about convicting Calhoun. 81
nope to obtain conviction" he an
swered "Ford's going free on the
bribery charge will not help Calhoun
rhe public sentiment seems to be tha
, Ford was but servant who did only
2 what he was told TO do. The business
men of San Francisco would make al
Q awful clamor If Calhoun was con
7 victed. They have already. They
J. claim that ought to quit after Nv,
5 finished with Schmitz and Ruef ant
I that it's going to hurt business to e
1 IN up after the big fellows"
S But whether California wants Cal
S noun convicted or not, he must go t.
0 trial, and II he is convlcted-well
here will be a reimbursement of politi
y eal dealing by Wall Street financiers
3 I hurts a millionaire to go to Jail