Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-19
ABE RUEPS Confession TAKES
fling INCORPORATION BRIDES

! in a small room in a French restau-
! rant. 1t proved to be Eddie Graney,
the honest blacksmith" a sporting
man and fight promoter Graney ex-
! planned that there had been cut-throat
competition between the fight promot-
ers so that the fighters and Coffroth.
Morris Levy, himself and others had
! formed a combination to divide up the
dates for the fight permits. Through
previous Boards these clever promot-
ers had gotten legislation passed
which only permitted regularly inaor-
porated clubs to conduct fights. These
must have permanent headquarters
and a gymnasium. Also an annual tax
Of $1,000 was levied. All this of clue
barred out Eastern sports who could
hardly afford to get up club and pay
a large tax for one fight. 1t also pre-
vented the fighters from pulling off
their own fights. Graney proposed to
form one combine and wanted Ruef
tc see that the permits for fights for
the entire year were granted at one
time to his corporation. For this privi-
lege Graney offered to make a contri-
button of $40, 900 to the Labor 'politi-
car' fund. This seemed reasonable to
Ruef, who discussed the matter with
SchmitZ, stating further that 120 good
tickets would be reserved at each fight
fol the Supervisors and other city Off
Gals
The prizefight resolution was drawn
and given to Gallagher to be presented
to the board. Ruef never dealt with
III IN Nf
kind, but always worked through Gal
lagher, the floor leader" Some Of
the supervisors were against passing
the resolution at once until they learn
ed whether or not there was some
thing to it" for them. This question
was not definitely answered, but it
was intimated that the resolution must
be passed at once, and it was, amidst
the greatest enthusiasm.
Immediately afterwards Graney paid
over to Ruef some $4,000, promising
the balance in a very short time. Ruef
gave $4,000 to Schmitz and passed over
$4,000 to Gallagher. The latter appear
ed among the supervisors and passed
man on the board refused the money,
not a single one asked where it came
from. They had got their first blood"
Later on Willie Britt, one of those in
the prizefight combination, came to
Ruef and asked for $4,000 back which
he had contributed to the fund. saying
that the fire, had almost ruined him
and that the fights he had expected
to pull offsnaturanya would not occur
with the city in ashes. Ruef told him
that personally he had never had any
dealings with him and advised him to
call upon the man to whom he paid
the money. Britt left very angry. = a
:. Within an hour Graney rushed in
and said that Britt was drinking heay-
lily and talking all over the city about
his troubles and what had happened.
Graney said Britt had actually paid
the money, that he would like to re-
turn it, but that the fire had left him
more or less stranded, too, or he
would return it. Ruef returned $4,000
to Graney, which he promised to give
to Britt to shut him up. i.
Meanwhile the supervisors were hav-
ing the time of their lives. The "bak-
ers, the BARRIERS, the carpenters, the
wagon drivers" who had probably new
err in their lives had 500 at one time
before, began changing S100 bills at
the corner Saloons, etc. Friends and
neighbors saw large, fat rolls of money
pulled from hitherto empty pockets.
Talk of "bribe money began to fly
thick and fast. Gallagher and .Ruef
learned of this very soon, and Gala
CHER cracked the whip of authority
over them, gave the supervisors a Sc
we're tongue flashing and rebuked them
severely for their indiscretion.
But the supervisors had begun to
live. They had for the first time in
their lives found big easy money. They |
we're just getting into that condition |
where they were afterwards described |
as being greedy enough to eat the |
paint off the house.
The Plot Thickens.,
Early in January, 1906, Gallagher
.elephoned to Ruef that he had gen.
see him. He refused to state the |
mans name or business over the |
phone, but wanted Ruef to call at
once. This Ruef did, and was pre-
'ented to a middle-aged gentleman,
dressed, with iron gray |
lair and closely-cropped mustache,
bright swapping eyes, firm jaw, a
nan evidently of great activity and |
determination, and a gentleman of !
arge affairs. Gallagher introduced
linn as Mr.. A. K. Detwiler, one of the
heads Of the Home Telephone Com
)any, a big corporation, which had
endeavored to get into San
francisco without avail owing to the
opposition of the Pacific
Company. With these re-
marks Mr. Gallagher softly closed the
Ioor behind him, leaving Ruef and
)etwiler alone.
Detwiler proceeded to his business"
which will be discussed in a later