Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-30
ABE REUF'S RETURN FROM PRISON
California Expects Him to Achieve Great Influence in the Po
cal Life of the State-The Remarkable Drama Which
Followed His Convction-An Intimate Story
By WILLIAM RAIDER
Special Correspondent Evenfno Ledger.

SpeClul OoTTeSpoHu
TINE first time l saw Abe Reuf 1 waited
l. an hour for my turn to be ushered into
his room. How different from the time
when 1 saw him in prison stripes! The
first time, politicians job seekers, working
men and women young men, millionaires,
lawyers and clients composed the line of
callers which moved unbro1en to the law
Offices of ABE Reuf, attorney -at-law." Then
the glimpse of Reuf as a man in stripes en-
tering a cell; the gate bangs hard and loud,
and the lookup at San Quentin is followed
by a pathetic silence. For about four years
Abe Reuf was behind the bars, but a few
days ago he was released on parole and is
now on his ranch in Mendocino County,
California.
Reuf was a student in the University of
CALIFORNIA; brilliant student quick in
manner clean in his life and with that pe-,
culiar gift of leadership which later on en-
shared him. He became interested in San
Francisco politics and almost by accident
gained control of one of the wards. Gradu-
ally this influence was extended until he
became the acknowledged master of the city
He never held office.
The Sale of City
Following the great labor strikes in San
Francisco Reuf saw his opportunity to lead
The worlingmen wanted the administration
and Reuf would deliver it into their hands.
A violinist in the Columbia Theatre was
selected-a suave, handsome, capable man,
whose name was Eugene Schmitz. He was
elected Mayor, and Reuf was carried through
the streets the popular hero of the hour.
Then began the sale of the city. Privileges
and franchises were sold to the highest bid
der. The labor unions no longer talked
from soap boxes on the street corners. They
were the government. When the city was
smoking in her ruins, Reuf negotiated the
sale of a $250,000 franchise for the recon-
struction of the city railways, and Patrick
Calhoun was the party of the second part
The Mayor built splendid house and hid
away the money and the Board of Super
visors were happy under the shower of gold
that rained upon them.
Then came Francis Heney and Detective
Burns and a courageous newspaper, and in
vestigations and courts and years of con-
fict and controversy. Rudolph Spreckels
and Senator James d. Phelan put up the
money and the war was waged until Reuf
was put In prison. Schmitz escaped be-
cause Word was omitted IN one OF the in
dictments, and Calhoun's jury was divided
by reasons which nobody could deny. Dyna-
mite intrigue, kidnapping. coercion and
"gumshoe" tactics defeated the prosecution
and in the last State election Heney was
handed defeat for the United States Sen
ate for what he did to the grafters, and the
people turned and opened the prison gate
| for Reuf Such is the hckleness and ingrat
! itude of the public mind
The overturn of California
One day Heney was shot by man who
was trying to get on the Reuf jury Hiram
Johnson. rising young lawyer, took his
place and put Reuf in the penitentiary for
! "a years. For this in the days before the
heat of the public conscience began TO cool.
johnson was elected Governor OF California.
When Reuf went to his ranch last week he
enacted the last scene in a drama which in
yolved all the passions Of a city. 1t resulted
in woman's suffrage in the State, the recon-
struction OF the judiciary, the elimination Of
labor dictation in San Francisco politics. the
revolution Of State politics, the destruction OF
party lines and the overthrow of the South
ern Pacific in the political life OF California.
II has had indirectly much to do with the
Progressive movement in the West and sent
James d. Phelan to the United states Sem
ate. II insures the candidacy Of Hiram John
son. OF the Progressive party for President
Of the United States. Nobody is being pun
ished for graft except a Greek, who dyna-
mited the house OF witness. None OF the
Supervisors has been convicted.
Reuf must spend 90 days in the country 10
insure the moral safety Of the political cam