Ruef went to the Appellate Court for a writ of prohibition to prevent Judge Dooling trying the case. The Appellate Court denied his petition. Then Ruef went to the Supreme Court. Here again his prayer was denied. Thus, protesting as vigorously as a cat pulled over a carpet by the tail, was Ruef for a second time dragged to trial. The work of securing a jury to try him began.
Gradually, the jury box filled. But before it was completed there occurred an incident of the prosecution even more startling than the sending of cash books out of the State, the trailing of members of the prosecution by agents of the defense,[375] the disappearance of witnesses, the larceny of the prosecution’s records, or the attempted kidnaping of Witness Lonergan and Editor Older.
On the eve of taking testimony in the Ruef case an attempt was made to murder James L. Gallagher by dynamiting his residence. Gallagher was the pivotal witness against Ruef, as well as against Ford, then on trial.
In the Ruef case, Gallagher had taken word from Ruef to the Supervisors that there would be $750—later increased to $1000—for each of them if they granted the Parkside franchise. Without Gallagher’s testimony the case against Ruef would fall flat.
General Ford’s third trial was then in progress and well advanced. Here again, Gallagher was the pivotal witness. He had taken the trolley bribe money from Ruef to the Supervisors. He supplied the link between those who had been bribed, and Ruef. His testimony was indispensable if Ruef and Ford—then on trial—were to be convicted. His testimony was equally necessary in the cases against Calhoun, Drum, in fact all the graft defendants, except those who had dealt directly with the Supervisors.
The evening of the day following Gallagher’s testimony in the Ford case, but before he appeared at the Ruef trial, dynamite was exploded at the front doors of the house in which he was residing. The dynamite had been placed next to the dining room. Gallagher was at the time living at the home of W. H. H. Schenck at Oakland.
So violent was the explosion that the house, a frame building, was split in twain. A pillar from the porch was thrown 150 feet. In the building on the adjoining premises, every window was broken. The family had just completed the evening meal and a number of them were still seated around the table. The table was split from end to end. At the moment of the explosion, one of those in the house was showing a curious watch guard and had the watch in his hand. The watch stopped, thus fixing the exact time of the explosion, 7:30 P. M.
There were in the house at the time of the explosion, W. H. H. Schenck and wife, and three children, the youngest seven years old; Lieutenant Guy Brown of the National Guard; and Gallagher and his wife. Every one in the building was thrown down by the force of the explosion, but extraordinary to say, none of them was seriously injured. Gallagher and his wife were in an upper room of the building. The stairway was demolished, and Gallagher was obliged to lower his wife to the ground, getting down himself the best way he could.
A month later three buildings in Oakland belonging to Gallagher were destroyed by dynamite. Soon after this second explosion a young Greek, John Claudianes, was arrested and charged with the outrage.
Claudianes made full confession, involving his brother Peter as principal. Peter Claudianes was finally captured at Chicago. On his return to San Francisco he confessed,[376] stating that he had been employed by a Greek, one Felix Pauduveris,[377] to murder Gallagher. Felix Pauduveris fled the city and the police of the world have been unable to locate him. Peter Claudianes was convicted of the attempt upon Gallagher’s life, was sentenced to prison for life, and at present writing is confined in San Quentin prison.[378]