SAN FRANCISCO FRAUDS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 116, 17 May 1907, Page 5

SAN FRANCISCO FRAUDS.

"BOSS" RUEF. CONVICTED OF EXTORTION. i fFBKS* ASSOCIATION.! (Received May 17, 8.40 a.m.) NEW YORK, 16th May. Abraham Ruef, of San Francisco, has pleaded guilty to extortion fiom owncra of restauranta in return for the pTivi'ege of selling liquors. Gross as were the condition* of political rascality revealed at different times in connection with the government of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, and other American cities (writes the New York correspondent of the Molbourae Age), nothing so audacious, far reaching and all embracing as thfe system by -which "Doss" Ruef, his led Mayor (Sclimitz), and tho rest of his gang, looted poor San Francisco has ever been dreamad of. ... The latest revelations have to do with what is locally known a* "big graft." Heretofore, Prosecuting Attorney Heney and his detective, Burns-- the greatest investigator of crime in this country — hod brought to light each matters as extoition from saloon keepers and restaurant keepers, 'and the taking of toll from keeperu of places of vice and gambling hells. This is technically known as "little graft." The "big" variety implies the bribing of city officials by wealthy corporations in return for the granting of Valuable privileges. The grand jury has ascertained that immense sums were paid Ruef, who distributed portions of these euius amongst the supervisors, by the United Railroads, the Pacific States Telephone Company, the Homo Telephone Company, the San Francisco Gas and Electric Company, and the so-called "Fight Trust." Based on this information, sixty-fire separate indictments have been returned against Ruef, who is already on trial for extortion. The indictments are based on the strongest possible foundation, namely, the confessions of the corrupt supervisors. . . . The amazing faots that have been brought out show simply ,that Ruef was a broker in corruption. He knew the price of every supervisor — in fact, ho flung to these mean creatures just what he pleased, as one would throw a bone to a dog— and if any person or corporation wanted anything from the ■ city he negotiated Xrith Ruef, who placed a price on the concession. The price sometimes approached £100,000. A few hundreds would go to the supervisors; tho remainder would be divided between Ruef and hia subservient Mayor.