"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft ProsecutionHichborn, Franklin
History
"The System," As Uncovered by the San Francisco Graft Prosecution
Hichborn, Franklin
Political corruption -- California -- San Francisco; San Francisco (Calif.) -- Politics and government
Some ten days before the taking of testimony in the first Ford trial
began, according to this affidavit, Heney had Gallagher and Ruef at his
office. The two men had told stories of the passage of the ordinance
granting the trolley permit, which conflicted slightly. Heney's purpose
in confronting them, he tells us in the affidavit, was that he might
determine in his own mind which was right. Heney had not seen Ruef,
except as he had passed him in court or corridor, since he had proved
that Ruef had made misrepresentations to him in the French Restaurant
cases.[311] The conversation between Ruef and Gallagher did not tend to
change Heney's opinion of the broken boss. Indeed, Heney became more
firmly convinced than ever that Ruef was not acting in good faith, that
he was not telling the whole truth. A few days after this meeting, Burns
brought Heney word that Ruef would not testify at the Ford trial at all,
unless the prosecution allowed him to withdraw his plea of guilty in the
extortion case, and dismissed all the indictments against him. Heney
refused to be coerced. He sent word back to Ruef that the prosecution
had had sufficient evidence to convict Ford before Ruef had told
anything; that if Ruef were called to the witness-stand it would be
without further talk with him; that none of the cases against him would
be dismissed, and that if called to the stand he could testify or not
testify, as he saw fit.
That night, according to Heney, Rabbis Nieto and Kaplan, with Ruef's
attorney, Henry Ach,[312] appeared at Heney's office. Ach announced in
substance, according to Heney's affidavit, that inasmuch as Heney and
Langdon had promised to permit Ruef to withdraw his plea of guilty to
the extortion charge, and then dismiss the case, as a condition upon
which Ruef signed the immunity contract,[313] the time had arrived when,
in justice to Ruef, this ought to be done.[314]
Heney let Ach finish.
"We might as well understand each other," Heney then announced. "You
know perfectly well that I did not at any time make any such promise to
Ruef or to you, or to any one present, or to any one else on earth."
Heney then recited the exact terms of his promise.[315] Both Kaplan and
Nieto agreed with him that his statement was correct, but Kaplan
insisted that he had understood that Ruef was to be allowed to withdraw
his plea, arguing that he had told the truth and that his evidence was
very important.
"Ruef lied to us," answered Heney emphatically, "in the French
Restaurant case, and I proved it to him in this very room, and he simply
laughed in my face. He also lied to us in all the other cases. He is not
entitled to immunity in any case, and I not only will not permit him to
withdraw his plea of guilty in case number 305, but on the contrary it
is my present intention to ask the court in that case to give him no
leniency whatever, but to sentence him for the maximum term which is
prescribed by law."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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