The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-02
HENEY IS HAPPY
TO HAVE SUFFERED
Says if His Wounds Caused
Rh S Conviction They
Were Well Worth While
OTHER GRIMES WERE
WORSE THAN SHOOTING
Famous Graft Prosecutor
Writes interestingly on
Great Graft
Trial

SAN FRANCISCO, March -
Though Abe Ruef, former political
boss OF San Francisco, has been
granted seven days stay before he
begins his fourteen year term for
bribery. the end of the famous case
is now in sight. Ruof has prepared
10 appeal his case to the highest
court In the country, but the concen-
sus OF opinion here is that he Will be
compelled io serve out his sentence.
rancis J. Heney. the famous graft
prosecutor, whose efforts were respon-
slhic tor the conviction Of kueE, to-
DAY gave the United Press the follow
ing statement regarding the action II
the California supreme court rcvers-
ing Itself and the significance Of that
action.
BY FRANCIS j. HENEY.
The fact that supreme court OF
California reversed itself in order 70
sustain the conviction of Abe Ruef
~ important as a sign OF the times.
~ q nsw era in which the people
are beginning to ralc. That Ruef
N3il go TO prison is only of relative
Importance. IL IS important that
criminals in al stations shall be pun
'shed bat X Is more important thai
the people should control the admin
irony ana tremendous significance II
the fact that what Raef asserts was
techntcality forced the supreme
court to- reverse Itself.
tta former occasions teehnicallties
have weighed only In favor of defen-
dants IN the graft cases. Sehmitz was
freed because the indictment upon
which he was convicted failed to state
that he was mayor of San Francisco
al the time OF the crime he vas con-
y1cted OF committing, The supreme
court unanimously refused the people
hearing on the merits of the
schmitz case. on the fiimsy techni-
caitty that the fact that Schmitz was
mayor was not mentioned In the brief
accompanying the application of the
people for a hearing.
Ruef was granted a rehearing m
srCrHrCal grounds, The court then
reversed itself because the attorney
general called attention to the fact
that one OF the concurring justices
was out Of the State when the order
was signed
Why did the four members of court
fTst ignore and then reckon this
point! Because a fearless public Of
i1eer demanded attention, backed by
the weight of an awakened public
demanding speedy justice, the right to
remove faithiess judges and the ere
alton OF laws to stop jury tamperine
ana the miscarriage of justice,
Awakening Came In Time.
inis awakening came in time Il
work against Ruef. That was all.
Probably the bitterest thought OF
al 10 Ruef Is that he will go to jail
while more powerful companions ir
crime go free. There is bitterness
IN that fact TO all right-thinkinK per.
sons, yet the conditions produced b,
those very miscarriages of Justice
were the instruments which hay,
worked toward permanent good. Tn,
prosecutions of rich lawbreaker.
While they failed of their immedi la I,
purpose were wholly successful ir
their ultimate purpose, which was e
expose the causes behind tho corrup
ton of public officers, the solicitud.
OF me courts for criminal corporation,
ana TO show the people the nacessit,
OF controlling their own government
Ruef says he would not have beer
convicted of bribery had Mr.. Hene,
NOT oeen shot. This may be partial
true, though II Is certain that tn,
patriotism and the ability of tn,
president governor of California wa,
largely the cause Of that conviction.
hFneS Glad to Have Suffered.
II the shooting worked toward tn,
administration of justice, the suffer
ing ana INJURY entailed for mo am
mine We're worth while. or,,-. -
AS crime, the shooting. Will,
more violent, was not SO Dangerous =,
society as the other crime committee
during the course Of the prosecu,inn
Jury tampering. bribery OF witnesses
eontToi OF courts by private interest,
-~-these strike at the foundation o.
our American Institutions. The ope,
snooting worked quick, hut tenn nor
airy, awakening OF the public: the sx
posture OF other secret crimes, com
mitted by exceedingly clever and ad
roit criminals. worked towards 4
gradual but permanent awakening
Many honest citizens of Californi,
are to-day supporting the new pro.
gressive administration, who openl,
opposed the work OF the graft prose.
cutofs. Inese persons do not reaIiz,
mat their present mental and mora
attitude towards the administrator
of public affairs, in a large measure
tn due TO what they saw and came r.
understand during the course of ,hf
graft prosecution. That is the point
Haet goes to jail. II is right and
5ust that he should 20. but the fac,
itself IL not the real triumph. Ruet
was sent to jail by the court which
freed Schmitz on q fiimsy technicali.
~, and such a technically later an.
parently freed Ruef from the penalt,
of imprisonment for a crime 10 whicS
he pleaded guilty.
Public opinion liz beginning to CON.
troll the courts OF California In tbs
interest of justice. That is the sig.
nif'cance OF the Ruef decision. and
those opposed to the application "a
the recall to the judiciary seem n
fear. that public opinion always viii
do this