The San Francisco call. [volume], December 11, 1908, Page 1, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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Boys and girls of California : , Ton • can
win a watch by writing a cleTcr last line to
(he followingr limerick and sending it to The
Jcuior Call:
California's a wonderful slate;
Its fame the world over is great.
It may have ils flaws.
But I love it because
VOLUME CV.r- NO. 11.
Ruef Found Guilty on Sixth Ballot Alter 24 Hours
Eight Jurors Stand for Conviction From the First
BOLD SEER
IS EXPOSED
BY WOMAN
Miss M. C. Ellis, an Oakland
school Teacher, Bares Queer
Dealings of Clairvoyant
Declares J. Hobart Deane, Act»
ing for Promoters, Sold Her
Worthless Stock Vi
Dual Personality of So Called
Mystic Comes to Light
in Bay City
Poses as Society Man, and Ad
mits Scheme to Dupe
Victims
John F. Neylan
WITH the assertion of Miss
M. C. Ellis, a teacher In the
Grant school, Oakland, that
she has been made the vic
tim of a rnlnlngr stock swindle by J.
Ilobart Deane, "the world's greatest
clairvoyant," who plies his trade at
tl:'e. Adams hotel in the city across the
bay, there has come to licht the strange
story of a man who has trained himself
to. emulate the dual personality of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,. It is a story
t?i?fba-res once again the credulity and
cjiildish simplicity and faith of eager
for wealth. It U a story o*
V::e promotion of dubious mining: stocks
«>y means of the apparently occult and
supernatural, based in reality upon the
pimple apparatus and suave deception
of the charlatan. And it is a story
•which, while confirming: the axiom that
a gullible fool is born every minute,
specifically exposes these facts:
That J. Hobart Deane, clairvoyant In
Oakland, and Jack Coker, society man
tr.d supposed lumber merchant of San
Kranclsco, are one and the same
person.
That In the role of Jack Coker,
Deane has baen Introduced Into local
society by Major George E. Pickett,
paymaster and popular officer at the
Presidio.
That Major Pickett has hitherto be
lieved Deane, In the person of Coker,
to be a secret service agent here on
Important business.
That Deane, by means of clairvoyant
Frances, Induces those of h!s customers
with money to invest In mining- stocks
in which he is interested.
That Deane is paid Jay the promoters
of. these stocks to secure purchasers,
and is paid half of the proceeds as his
commission.
That Deane, by means of a trick
desk. Is enabled to obtain Impressions
of the handwriting of his clients and
can reitd the questions which they have
wrjttcn and supposedly destroyed with
out his having seen them. Finally,
Deane has admitted to me, whom he
supposed to be a man of wealth in
search of Investments, that he Is daily
on the llookoutt t for dupes with money.
Taking me into his confidence, he pro-
posed a. partnership whereby, upon the
> jT-*yment' of $500, I was to become the
sharer of : his spoils -and assist him in
the landing of victims.
Says She Was Duped
So far as the dealings of Miss Ellis
with Deane are concerned, she asserts
tfaat she was cheated out of money
which she paid to Deane for. mining'
dtock, and the clairvoyant himself has
admitted to me that he did sell the min
ing: stock for the men, who now say
that; they know but little about him
and that they agreed to give him half
of what he got. Further than this,- he
has 'admitted to me that he is: laying
plans to induce an Oakland banker to
invest $20,000, half of which is to be
hls.commission and the other half to go
to mining promoters engaged In the
business of peddling worthless stock.
.•Deane, or Coker, has not, only bared
The Inside workings of his own schemes,
but,has ridiculed separately and collec
tively those Individuals who are mak
ing money by Imposing on the credulity
qf simple xnindedTpeople In San Fran
olsco and vicinity, claiming that -the
superiority of his methods gives his
rivals the appearance of three dimes In
a fog. .
Quick witted. a fluent talker, care
ful!^ attired, Deane in talking to me,
who'^he misunderstood for an addi
tional victim, corroborated every state
ment made by the woman who Fays
that h«;r small earnings were stolen
Continued OB F*J« 4t4 t Column I
The San Francisco Call.
'Of Tiffi 34DLIHAY CS¥EMNSS
MDWEVIRrSHOP IAR.LV>
INDEX OF THE
SAN FRANCISCO CALL'S
NEWS TODAY
TELEPHONE KEARXY 86
FRIDAT. DECEMBER 11, 1908
WEATHER CONDITIONS
YESTERDAY — Clear vcit wind; maximum
temperature. 60; minimum, 50.
FORECAST FOU TODAY— Fair; light north
wind. rase IT
EDITORIAL
The conviction of Roof a moral rletoryPase S
In the interest of criminals. • I'age S
A city ball on the Installment plan. I'nge 8
Jnst home.- '.Pace ß
Help the Eed Cross.—' ' I'u^cS
GRAFT
Foreman of Ituef Jnrj say* TerdJct hinged on
credibility of testimony of Gallagher, Wilson and
Furey. Page 1
Attorney Frank J. Murphy, on trial for jury
bribery, takes stand in own defense.. Page ."
After taking six .'• hallots and deliberating 24
hours,, jory finds RneJt gnilty of bribery!"' Pagre 1
Ituef to be . forced jto \u25a0 trial again otT; Monday
moraln(r on another Indictment growing oat of
the Irolley bribery. Pace r
CITY
Eer. G. M. Zwack, secretary of weather bu
reau at Manila, -on trip for health. I'ajr a
Million club plans two great demonstrations
to aid in campaign for increased : popula
tion. Pae« 0
Automobile turn* double somersault In park,
Injuring three of the alz occupant*. Pace 18
Head of Tale divinity school declares solution
of civic problem rests with parents. Pace U
Harriman lines abandon system of train agents, ;
scalpers having - been universally ' abol
ished. ' Pase 3
Direct Legislation league is organized to purify
politcs. Pace 15
Police fear bloody tong war in local - Chinese
district. Pace 5
Board of supervisors sends letter to Spring
Valley water company asking that proposition of
selling to city be submitted to stock hold
ers. Pace 3
Harbor commissioners open bids for contrac
tion of Illinois street wharf. Pace 7
Officers are Installed by Parnassus chapter.
Order of the Eastern Star. Pace 5
Federal, elate, and authorities of San . Fran
cisco and Valiejo begin investigation into poi
soning at navy yard luncheon. Pace 3
James A. Blair, New York banker, entertained
by chamber of commerce. . Pace 15
"Dodic" Valencia Is granted letters of guard
ianship over David Jennings Baird Jr. Pace 18
Wilson, suspected of sending poison to Boa«,
must account for \u25a0 hfs actions on the. day .
of tragedy. Pace 18
Railroad traffic men .absent themselveß . from
the city and allow ' the local shippers to .
wait. Pace 7
SUBURBAN
Hugo Lilienthal creates a white strawberry
that bears throughout the year and excells
the red berry. Pace 6
Insanity if guilty is Mrs. Isabella J. Martin's
pie* presented In address of counsel. Pace 0
Girls of Montiesta, club of Stanford form sew
chapter of Tri Delta sorority. Pace 6
Mrs. T. W. Koster is arrested for passing
worthless checks. Pace 6
Student at Berkeley uses electric light bulb as
foot warmer and Beta bouse afire. Pace 6
Oakland girl-; jilts fiance on eve of wedding
and marries another. Pace 6
COAST
Stockton's scheme for deep channel to sea gets
rap from Colonel Biddle of war department, who
recommends widening of stream. .. Pace 3
Soldier, jealous of woman, shoots sergeant 'of
company at Pacific Grove. . Pace 3
Mrs. Sage opposed by cross examination of
Jackson Hatch's counsel in embezzlement
trial. Pace 5
EASTERN
Business depression fails to hurt Uarriman'*
Union Pacific profits for year. - Pace 3
Resolution to be submitted to house for in
quiry on president's statement regarding secret
service. Pace 10
"Uncle Joe Cannon on . anxious seat ' because
lie can get no assurances from President-elect
Taf t not to oppose bis re-election. Pace 10
SPORTS
Begat motor car I» . latest make of auto 'to
reach this city" from east. Page 12
Lansrford and Flynn refuse to forsake Berger in
spite of Coffrotu's tempting offer. ... . Pace 11
. Big Boston black shows the fans a lot of classy
work In his Col ma gymnasium. Pace 11
Fruitvale baseball team will make Us local de
but tomorrow. - "j Pace 11
Judges at Emeryrille ; track ; severely criticised
for strange decision regarding what constitutes
a foul. \u25a0 " „ S Pace 11
Oakland salesman , beats Boston "Tough .; Cus
tomer" In amateur event. - Pace l2
Crack racehorses sold for large sum. '-* Pace 12
Five favorites at Arcadia, are" among the also
nns; tzt£B3Of&sBHSSBBKEB&B Pace 1 1
Shoe ' of famous racer disappears ' while ; befog
cent to president. > Pace U
MARINE
: Army : tram port Thomas makes record ..trip
across . Pacific • »nd -arrives a V day ahead of
time. '\u25a0'\u25a0; Pace 17
LABOR
Prospect of « strike lzalmt the rarrlaje
workers'- ssiroclatioai \u25a0 '\u25a0 Vast 7
SA3L FRANCISCO, il;:i908.
Convicted Felon and Men
Who Adjudged His Guilt
| Abraham Ruef ' (in center) and the -jurors .who' convicted j him/ ; •On "the}lef t" of the. ex-boss,^ 'reading from top |
|.to bottom, are Jurors -William Oakley/; William j£,O'Lwry, T: rJo^
Alex Bond, rOn the right, ; in- the [same (order; rare jjurbrs James McNamara (foreman), Timothy Sullivan, Den- I
nis Murphy, George (M. ; Schilling, CharlesVA.? Roller and; William S;: Harrison; \u25a0'\u25a0'-':* ; |
Foreman Reveals Proceedings of
Jury That Convicted Ruef
HOWRUEF^FATE
WAS DEGIDED
FOIST BALLOT
For Conviction— Bond, Benttler^Aai-^
demon, Roller, ' O'Leary, SohllUnflf,
McXamara, < Oakleyj ' 8.
For Acquittal— Harrison, -O'Brien,
.Sullivan; 3.
Undecided— Murphy; 1. ' .
SECOXD BALLOT
Unchanged.
THniD BALLOT
For Conviction— Bond, Beuttler, An
demon, Roller, O'Lfary, .Scbllllnr,
McXamara, . Oalcley; '8. \u25a0'\u0084
For - Acquittal — Harrison, O'Brien;
\"- 22 '' \u25a0 -"
Undecided— Marphy, Snlllvan; 3. : v ." .
FOURTH BALLOT-
For Conviction— Bond, Bcut-tlrr, An
* 'derson, Roller, O'Leary, ScblHtns,
• McXmnarn, Oakley, Sullivan;' 9. VJ
For Acquittal — IlarrUon, O'Brien;
Undecldcil— Murphy; 1. .
FIFTH BALLOT
For Conviction — Ilond, Beuttler/ An
deraon, Roller, O'Leary, Schnilns,
McXamara, Oakley,' O'Brien, •.Sulli
van; 10.
For" Acquittal— Harrlnon; 1.
! Undeelded^-Murphy; 1. .
|1 SIXTH BALLOT
For Conviction— Unanltnoim.
GRAND! JURY- REPORT
EXPECTED^OMORROW
The grand Jury, ; which j will: go; out
of /existence" .Hoday or 'tomorrow, ?imet
last; night; tojput; the*; finishing?,;" touches
on . Its ; report? to ; the , presiding < JuCtße : of
the superior court. (The \u25a0 report tTrtlljbe
submitted^ to"^' Judge): Bturteyant^todaK
Foreman i McFarland t. stated* last Irilght
that it, will" be a v short 'd6cument,^de'vbld
of anj-thing • verging on the'sensatJonalJ
The : last; meeting.; of £ theyjuryjiwllllbe
held' this Jafternoon.
The "\u25a0\u25a0' summoning: ,5 of £ the".; suiccccdinj?
inquisitorial ibodyv.wlll j/takej place Jearl y
next -.week.- ->i It v in ;>thei' practice § ots the
(tiding ; judge)" to ; have? 30 «nam«st drawn
from-.the r cran<i Jury hox,*p and £ from
these 513" are * sworn n in? Tor • duty. ' .
A- CCORDING.; to James 'KcXarnara, foreman of -the. Ruef jury _ which
y votcdvthe ;cx-boss . guilty, yesterday in Judge' Lawlorfs court, the
- decision ;of the*, 12; jurors hinged on the credibility of the testimony
.of, Supervisors, Gallagher,; Wilson and Furey.-' During the, 24 hours
:.. . . l l lc : jury was out ever}'. argument bearing on ; the fate of the defend
'ant;narrowed'down.to'a discussion' of this point. .';; ' • '
: : . : - The-jury stood c'eighf; for conviction onjthc first- ballot;- three' not guilty,
and one, \u25a0 Murphy;. undecided; . ; The : three voting not f guilty-' on the first ballot
: were" Harrison,"": Sullivan and O'Brien. * v\ : "
Murphy maintained that the testimony connecting Ruef with the bribery
was # n6t clear./ Sullivan took jthe s tahd that" if r ßiicf. was guilty, all the super
visors were equally so, and it: was an-unjust discrimination. to send one man
.to jail and give immunity to, the others. Harrison would;not believe the testi
mony of -the ex-supervisors called as witnesses. O'Brien held- thai • the
corroborating- evidence t was not strong enough and. disregarding the testi
monyof:theex-supervisors, not sufficient of itself on- which to find a vcrdic
No Outside Influences Guided Jurymen *'':
;; V \u25a0 McXamara, O'Leary and' Roller, who^were strong tor : conviction, urged
|on those of; a different opinion the necessity of voting, the ex-boss guilty of
the. crime laid to this charge. "
.Mc.Namara' said that no outside interfered ;.with the jury in
making up. its .verdict. He \ professed the highest admiration for the men
who had served with him !*6n the case., declaring them to be without excep
tion honest; and -.men of high motives. .'\u25a0
v!' Afterv !'After we had heard the closing arguments of icounsel 'and listened to
the* instructions- 6f the; court,'- McXamara; said last night, "we' adjourned to
I our chamber. Sullivan immediately suggested; that I be. made foreman of
the jury. His suggestion 'was acted upon without hesitation arid they sug
gestion-was, acknovvledged by acclamation.
"Wei; resolved .to -take : a ". ballot immediately.-: I made: the proposal and
three or 'four .voices cried out: .'What is the use? Wc;are allof the same
mind.-- ; ....
Disagreement : Shown 'Upon First, Ballot . V 3
v"H6wevcr,'fa" ; vote. was. taken, and the. result; showed that we; "were not! all
ofs the fsame niind.\The'; count 'T showed.' -that* eight/had voted for^ conviction,
\u25a0three—^Harnson^O'Brien -,'; '.;and /-Sullivan— for guilty, .while -Murphy
remained jundecided:;.,O'Brien; serving .for; the -first time, on- any jur}V signed
Ins^hame;toihis}:ball6t, -'Xoit guilty,; O'Brien.' !\u25a0\u25a0••:.; / , •' :' \'^' : \
v "In jtakinglthelyotejl? passed my'hat^romJrnan:to;mah.^Rolla-took;the
fslips:from\the£hatjand^fead; the; vote; aloud? and] passed UhemHo 'Harrison- for
; verification.?; -We'» continued* this iprocedurej ;' six i« times, /tHat-"Js,' ; ever^ time \u25a0\u25a0' a
A r otefwasltak^^^^
"After; findings out ># *thatl>ve"; hadj :not ;agrecd : we \u25a0bcgan;a(discussiqri-"of;the
case; t The < four - men '\u25a0 who -did not I vote -for -conviction withdrew •to •\u25a0 one end
of> the; roomjv'and:\ VCj>^
4 : in f conversation
CONTrNUED : OX : TAGE 5, COLUMN S
'At \\ - • \u25a0
•pjrtLf j%n ara not OTcr IC, vtln a watch ,hj add.
fiiKa clcrer line to the following limerick and
mauicvU ty The Junior Call : /
_ *^£jlf*Awnzo mere my very i own
day I should buy him a bone \{i
\u25a0—^-"^T * For this doggie so spry £if
Makes me laugh till I Cry
Fallen Boss Must
Go to Trial Again
Monday Morning
Another Case Is to Be Pressed
Against Him at Once
by Prosecution
The Jury
. James McNamara
Alexander Bond
Joseph? Beuttler
Timothy Sullivan
£\u25a0 William S. Harrison
;|f} : Dennis Murphy
~' : John Anderson
Charles A. Roller \
William J. O'Leary
Joseph O'Brien
George M. Schilling
William Oakley
The law's verdict of guilt, long delayed, has been pronounced
at last against the one time boss of San Francisco.
s''l Abraham Ruef, the' arch dcspoiler of civic decency, stands con
victed after two years of bitter struggle of one of the scores of
crimes that have blackened the record of his public life. His last
criminal resource exhausted, his final effort toward the defeat of
justice spent, Abe Ruef heard yesterday the decision that means
for him long years of penal servitude.
:; : "Guilty as charged!"
The words sounded in a courtroom hushed to a sinister still
ness. Hundreds of ears. caught the ominous words; hundred of. eyes
turned' toward': the table where- huddled the form of .the man in
whose hands once lay enormous power"; yet : in all the throng that
heard and saw there was none to question the right or justice of the
verdict. It was not elation over the ruin of a human life that sent
a thrill of satisfaction to hundreds of hearts; it was a realizaion of
tlie triumph ; of common decency and the vindication of the law.
ONLY HOPE NOW RESTS WITH HIGHER COURT
i Just 24 hours from the time they left the courtroom to consider
the evidence against Abe Ruef the jurors returned once more to the
seats they had occupied during the long weeks of the trial. The
formalities were brief, and on the stroke of 4 o'clock the foreman of
the jury handed to the clerk of the court the paper containing the
irrevocable verdict of Ruef 's guilt. Xo clamor greeted the reading
of the words, for the warning of the court against any form of dem
onstration had been severe, yet so great was the tension that there
were spontaneous cries of "Order, order!" from the bailiffs and
policemen in the room when the formal return of the jury was read.
Before Ruef there lies but a single faint hope. A higher court—
and thie same which once set him free after a confession of guilt
had' passed his own lips— has yet the power to save him from the
disgrace ol a, convict's stripes, but on this hope he can pin scant
faith. Beyond that, the words spoken yesterday marked the ending
of his career. The verdict closed the long battle in which, for two
years, Ruef has fought with every weapon' that unscrupulous power
and unlimited wealth could provide. Rue? alone has stemmed the
tide so long. Others who have joined him in the fight have fallen
before the taint of his association, and as he now goes down it is but
to join those whom he has forced to the depths before him.
MANY ENTANGLED BY RUEF'S WILES
In the* history of Ruefs two years' struggle there swarm the
specters of many blasted lives. There is E. A. S. Blake, convicted of.
bribery in his behalf; there is Frank J. Murphy, once his attorney,
now on trial for offering a bribe to/save his employer; there is A. S.
Newburgh, another attorney, under indictment for the same offense;
there is .Alec Lathan. his former chauffeur, under indictment for
perjury committed in his behalf; there are the Claudianes brothers,
the would be murderers of James L. Gallagher; there is Felix Pau
duveris, dynamiter and fugitive from justice; there is Morris Haas,
whose life was ended by his own hand after his nearly successful
attempt to murder Francis J. Heney. This has been the cost of
Ruef s defense.
• . It \vas rafter hope of a verdict ha<i practically been abandoned
by the thousands of San. Franciscans who -hung upon the closing
scenes-ofthe Ruef trial that the decision. of the jury came. For 24
hours the jurors had remained in consultation, wrangling over the
details of the testimony before them and bound in adeadlock which
it; seemed 'that nothing could break. Then calm reason forced the
issue and brought the scales of justice to a balance. The men -in the
jury, room who had* held out against the giving of 'the verdict of
guilty, were made to see the overwhelming nature of the evidence.
They resolved their last doubts, took their final ballot, and Abe
Ruef stood convicted in the eyes of the law, as he has stood for
months convicted in the eyes of the world.
JURORS UNITE ON THE SIX TH BALLO T
: ; Six^ ballots were taken by the. jury : during the 24 hours that its
members remained locked away by themse.lves. When the first,
ballot was : taken, shortly a f ter the case was submitted Wednesday
afternoon, i eight jurors' voted immediately for ; the conviction of tha
defendant Three others— Harrison, Sullivan and O'Brien— stood
for r an acquittal, and Juror Murphy-; announced himself
The division 'of opinion was 'eloquent of tile confusion into which
the fvvhole case was tlvrown from its 'very stiirt by the pettifogging.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
The Crime
THI± aims oi which Abe
Ruef stands convicted is the
making . of an otfer of a
$4,000 bribe to former Super
visor John J. Furey, to influence
the latler's vote on and toncem
irig a proposed ordinance grant'
ing to the United Railroads an
overhead frollcy franchise for the
operation of certain of its lines in
and over certain streets in the city
and county of San Francisco.