Show RUff DOIN AND ENTERS PLEA Of GUilTY Trembling Like an Aspen and With Tears in His Eyes the Former Political Boss Tells T ells His Story e Calhoun C and Others Placed in Decidedly Uncomfortable able Position by Ruef Unexpected Action j f tf t L tSan tSan San Francisco May 15 1 The specific charge to Abraham pleaded guilty was that of extortion of 1175 1 1 75 from the proprietors of the Delmonico French res yes restaurant restaurant the amount being paid to secure a renewal of their liquor license which had been revoked d because they served drinks in private rooms The case was based on only one of many other indictments against Ruef each charging a simi similar similar similar lar offense Ruef claimed that the money was given him voluntarily as a an attorneys fee but this was denied by the proprietors of the various establishments interested who testified before the grand jury that they could not secure licenses without yielding to demands The trial of Mayor Mayot on the first of the th charges of extortion against him is set for next net Monday in Judge Dunnes court San Francisco May 13 Abraham Ruef better known as Abe Ruef Ruet th tp acknowledged adviser of or Mayor and once the recognized dic die dictator dictator later of municipal affairs in San Fran Francisco Francisco Francisco cisco pleaded guilty to the charge of I extortion in Judge Dunnes department of the superior court today Sentence will be pronounced upon him ll two VO weeks henc hence After a private pr t conference with ith his four Cour attorneys in Judge Dunnes private chambers tIll this forenoon and after at r they had withdrawn from Crom his Us case because of tho tim resolution he Ite had taken to change his plea pica and avoid trial Ruef to the utter ast of oC the tho prose prosecution I cution cutton arose in court and announced in a dramatic address that after long Ions and earnest arn t consideration he had de tie determined determined to withdraw his plea pl a of not guilty and enter a plea pl of or guilty He asked that the jury j be bo dismissed and the tile trial abandoned Sympathetic Tears Ruef read his statement from a man manuscript manuscript manuscript which he lie had prepared in the presence of his attorneys a few mo nio moments ments before Judge Dunnes chambers opened He showed in his voice vol in the expression of f his face in his quiet and g attitude and by b the tears that again and again overflowed his ills yea the great emotion and mid the t e utter humiliation he ite suffered The pathos of 01 o the tire scene was communicated to the fue that thronged the courtroom Tears sprang to the eyes of ot veteran newspaper new paper men who have Ilave been life lifelong lifelong lifelong long acquaintances and whose papers have conducted against him and his political associates a long and bitter campaign for the purification of ot mu municipal municipal municipal affairs The accused man was several times all but overcome by emo enio emotion emotion tion When he reached th final words of or his address I desire to withdraw my plea of not guilty and enter eater the tho contrary plea his voice was sunk EUnk to ta toa taa t ta a whisper But so Sf intense was the sl si that it readied to 0 the far corners of or tho the room Guiltless of Extortion Though Abraham Abrahan Ruef Rue has formally declared himself to be guilt guilty of ot th the tho charge on which he was about to be tried he nevertheless proclaims his hl in innocence Innocence innocence Ho confesses that he is guilty of having connived In tho t fo corruption in hi municipal officials but he ho denies with all an the Ule emphasis a man in his unhappy position can command that he ho is 16 guilt guiltless guiltless guiltless less of the crime of ot extortion charged against him He declares that his sole soIl motive in accusing himself in open court was w s to save the lives of ot those who are nearest and dearest to t him hIs aged father and mother his maiden sister and a niece In the course courte cour e of a long and frank con conversation conversation conversation this afternoon with a representative representative of the Associated Press in a room at the house Nj NO 2843 2849 Fillmore street which for the tho last month or nr more has been his prison Rue Ruef said Continued on Page 2 RUEF BREAKS DOWN AND ENTERS PLEA OF GUILTY Continued from Page 1 I changed my m plea piEa to guilty git in court today tod yes es but I pledge you OU my solemn word that I am as innocent as you OU are I i have been guilty sul conniving at the tile corruption of o municipal officials by corporations but in these French res restaurant restaurant cases I am anI not guilty gi Since my action aeton of this morning I can have no motive in misleading PU on this point 1 I shall shoJI not mislead you ou Never never in the wide world could I have been ben convicted on u this charge No one knew this as 8 wei weli as ns thyself myself Then why wh you ou ask did I plead pled guilty git I pleaded guilty to save the lives lve of or those thOS who are nearest and dearest to me on un onearth unearth onearth earth I am not the truth when I tell tel you ou that t lt If i my father my m mother and my m sister had been com corn compelled pele to endure the strain of or my trial lasting at t least two months and possibly possibly possibly bly longer it I would have cost cst their ls es cyrs were filled with fled tears teal when he said sId this tills He le turned and for lor fora lora a full Cul moment gazed gaze out out onto of the te window When he had mastered himself himsel he lie 1 turned and with wet Met eyes ec but bat a steady voice olce went on Could Stand It No N You Yoi dont know what they have hac suf red in the last few ew months and I would not tell teU you OU If I could Why h night after night every eT night my fa father father father ther and my m have hY come un here into my m room room and sat st for fat fot an in n hour say s Ing lug nothing seeing nothing I could coul not stand it i any au longer the tears tear and the choking and the long look out of or tha ta window windo Last Lt night I gathered my mj family about me in this prison house hoube of or mine and prepared them for the th act I had determined upon That would mean m an one Dna day da of oC sorrow To go on would have have meant ment months of ot agony agon an 3 death |