RUEF, THE "GRAFTER."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 155, 29 December 1911, Page 7

RUEF, THE "GRAFTER."

AGITATION FOR HIS RELEASE. San Francisco, November 15. Somewhat surprisingly, there has sprung up a rather widespread agitation for the release from prison of Abe liuef, the San Francisco grafter who was convicted of bribery and sentenced to serve 14 years in San Qiientin. Ruef was one of the most intrepid corrupters of public officials ever captured and scut to gaol in the United States. His transactions ran into millions of pounds. He was the ringleader of the gang that looted San Francisco for several years during the time that E. E. Sehmitz was mayor. Yet that there should be a demand for his release before he has served one year behind the bars is not altogether astounding. It is largely based on the fact that of the forty or fifty individuals concerned in the wholesale graft Ruef is the only one who has been punished by confinement in the State prison. Although he offended on a larger scale than any of the others, it is not considered by many people that he should be the >sole sufferer. He is being punished for having acted as a go-between in a bribery transaction for the benefit of the United Railroads. Two officials of that corporation have been tried for passing the bribe-money to Ruef, and both were acquitted. Others have been tried for receiving the bribe money through Ruef, but none of them have gone to prison. Schmitz, the corrupt mayor, is a free man, and is said to be adding to his.wealth by mining speculations. He was a professional violinist before lie took to polities, and occasionally is seen attending fashionable concerts.

The chief agitator for Ruef's release i«, curiously enough, Fremont Older, editor of the Bulletin, who did more than perhaps any other single man to bring about the downfall and conviction, of Ruef. Older says he is sick and tired of howling for punishment and wishes to inaugurate a new era of forgiveness. Older is a close political associate of Governor Hiram W. Johnson, in whom the pardoning power lies; so it is not absolutely unlikely that the former political boss will be released. It was Johnson who took the place of Francis J. Heney when the latter was shot in the court room, and by a remarkable address to the jury Johnson brought about the conviction of Ruef.