Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1911-10-28
ABE RUFF, PHILANTHRoPIsT.

Demand for the pardon of Abe Ruef, the arch
CRATER Of San Francisco mlIsS and mess, con-
tinues with increasing force. From various quar-
ters It gains momentum, and such is the extent of
the movement that what may have sounded pre-
posterOuS six months ago begins to take
the air Of probability.
Among those who are leading the effort is
Charles Montgomery for many years president
Of the California prison commission-not the board
that controls the pententaries but purposefu
organization which looks after the condition Of
men III prison and also after their welfare when
they have been released. Montgomery is IA man
Of wide influence in San Francisco. He has just
written the Call summary OF his reasons for
endeavorng to secure the release of Ruef He
says
81 have known Abraham Ruef intimately for
more than 20 years. There is no man in San
Francisco who has helped me more generously
and effectualy in my work than Ruef watched
ltue closely whilst he was incarceraed in the
country Jail of San Francisco His character
was revealed to me as had known it for many
years and soon he found the vicious and
unSantary conditions. he Immediately set to work
with great energy and determination to effect a
change for good. He found many prisoners made
III by those unsanltary conditions He undertook
70 for them; he purchased groceries for them
and other necessities Of life he purchased med
cnes for the sick in the count.y Jail; he com
muncated with the families of prisoners through
over $1,000 i'll helping helpless prisoners and their
families. His work was done moStentatiously,
and outside Of the prisoners themselves | was
perhaps the only one aware of his acts. He caused
the release of many boys of whose innocence of
criminal intent he was satisfied.
The day he went to San Quentin ! was the
only man in the great crowd that assembled who
had kind word to say to him. | went wi
to the gates OF the prison | heard that last sad
goodbye said to his aged parents, and with his
heart racked and torn by emotion he dragged
away. | heard him request the sheriff to allow
him to call upon his business agent. and the last
thing he did in San Francisco to give this
agent list Of the SIX families which for some
time he had been supporting. have copy Of
that list. Only of the list is Il member of his
race; thus showing his breadth of heart and
mind. He told his agent to see that these people
received their amounts evry month.
Yet with all these good qualities of mind and
heart it Abe Ruef who more than anybody
else abased and debased San Francisco politics
That he has such qualities does not lessen his of
lenses. They only increase the mysel.y of hui
mainly that now and then boxes such seemingly
contrary elements upon the same brain.
Abe Ruef reached for the Soiled money of the
tenderlon with one hand and scattered benef-
with the other. He squeezed 100000 out
OF Pat Calhoun and turned and gave without
stint to the poor. He was trained to high ideas
and had ability almost without equal, yet he turn
ed his back on the ideals and used his ability to
develop new forms of graft. For which of these
shall he be pardoned?