The morning call., 1891-03-21

admission or exclusion of testimony the error
was on the side OF mercy and III favor OF tue ac-
cused.
First-Dld any guilty conspiracy exist between
Elwood Biuner and the Police commissioners OF
San Francisco? l.,
the negative. Police Commssioners.Ham ammond,
Alyord and TObin and Chief crowley OF San
FrSnclsco were all examined and all denied any
promise OF patronage TO Bruner or completely
with him. In fact, there was no evidence, direct
or indirect, which In any way connecleu une
Police Commissioners of san Francisco with Mr.
Bruner In immoral or Illegal practices with lela-
tion to appointments to the police force:
Second-Did ElwOod Bruner have SIX or any
loss number Of positions on the police 1oIce OF
San Francisco at his disposal3
To answer this question inTelligently VIII re-
quire brief summary OF certain evidence. Tue
testimony OF Chief OF Police Crowley, Senator
Maner, aud of Bruner himself, is 10 the effect
that prior to tile present session OF the Legs,
lRufe Crowley had hill prepared, the rnect OF
which would be to increase the police force OF san
Francisco; that j. n. L. Wilson, an attorney OF
San francisco, prepared the bllli that senator
Maher undertook tointroduce the Dill IN the SEN
ale AT The request of Chief Crowley. Sell
ator Maher at the time he was requested 10
Introduce the bill in the Senate, mentioned
Btuners name TO Chief OF Police Crowley,
Eruner would be Il proper person TO Introduce
the bill in the Assembly. In fact, Crowley
wrote to the Chief OF Police OF Sacramento, VINO
was nte rested IN the passage OF the Dill, stating
that MIR. BIuner would introduce The bill IN the
ASsembl y Early III JANUARY Senator Name: con-
versed with Bruner about ne bill aud IL was vas
under stood that Bruner would Introduce the bili
in The Assembly. On the 13th day OF January
Bruner ala introduce the bill in the Assembly.
adyocat- Il It's passage and was instrumental in
passing 1t. The bill passed the Assembly on the
22d day OF February. Bfuner had frlend In
San francisco named Reed, and Reed had a
friend whom lie wish q 10 get ON the ponce
force Reed requested BruneT 10 give him q
letter of recommendation for his friend Bfuner
promised TO do what he could Tor bun. SuDse-
quent to this BIuner mad conversation WIFI
Senator Maher with regard 10 X eds request,
aud Senator Maher lntimated to Bruuer that he
(BruneD would hav; influence with the Police
Commlss ssioners Of San Francisco.
Senator Mahtr testified that he took the bill
to Bluntr and asked him 10 Introduce IL In the
Assembly at The request OF Chief Crowley when
lie thanked Bruner for the interest lie had taken
IN the bill Subsequently Bruner ASKED hin To
help him get man on the san francisco police
force. To this Senator MabeT replied that
bruner would not ed MS assistance, thus lnll-
mating to BTuneT That his own influence would
be sufficient 10 accomplish tie desired result
Chief Crowley testified that the fact that Mr..
Brnner had taken an interest IN The bill would
have given weight 10 MS request Tor an appoint
ment on me police force, and that such request
would have been respected. Crowley also testi-
fed TIA Senator NaEeI told im that Bluher
had friend lie would Ike 10 get on the police
force aud Crowley expected that Bruuer would
cal and see him about IT,
We conclude thai the testimony with respect
TO the preparation. Introduction and advocacy Jf
the bill all tends TO show that Bruntr had reason
least one position ON the police tuIce OF san
Francisco. he was not new hand IN politics.
lie had been in public lie long enough to know
that lie successful advocate OF dn important Uill
would have influence with lis fiends. Tie fact
that he had been requested 10 Introduce the bill ;
the fact that tue Ulll originated with the san
Francisco Police Commissioners; The FAC, that
Senator Maber, member Of tie Senate from San
Francisco, was tile chi advocate OF tile bill In
the Legislature aud The further fact that Seha
tor A.alIeT nllmatrd 10 him that his influence
ba
an appointment these facts must have been
sufficient TO induce Bruuer to believe that he
had al least one position On The San francisco
police force al his own disposal for suitable
Thlrd-was he Offering such position or po-
sitlOus Tor lie through the medium OF brokers
In finding an answer to this question there
must be taken INTO consideration several lmpor-
Iaut circumstances. We have found that lie be
lieved that he had al least one position al bis
disposal, and that lie had promised II 10 a friend.
One Of the most Significant circumstances $ In
connection WIN this matter Is The fact that,
after promising TO aid his fTieud, lie suddenly
and mysteTiUusy abandoned any effort III that
dir ction. with the power 10 ala his friend aud
having promised him that aid, why did lie not en-
deayOr 10 secure the position Tor that f. leHd
There is no answer 10 tDlS question, exc p the
plalu infer nee that The project OF Relau and Ile
Jones brothers came DEW Ell BTuuer ana that
promise 10 his iIleud. Ihero Is a question as to
when lie iute was formed IN Burners mind to
sell a position Ou tie police force OF san f an
cisco. huI u Is lmmae,Id wirn mat purpose
was formed. 1he plain ani unmistak Ible infer.
euce 10 ue dawn ftUm lie testimony is ina; lhc
Intent was formed. Bruner testified That the
first time Beldu lullinated TO him that
there was mOuty In tie sale OF the posi-
ton was on Monday, March 2d, the day
before the StOley letter OF recommended liOn
was written, tut IL Is uuGl-puled that on The
23d Of Fl blEa Bruner me- Belau at tile Grand
HUei In San Francisco ana had 4 conversation
with him about al pointments TO The San Fran
g O { olice force. AT mat time lie police Dnl
had passed the Legislature. but had not been
signed by the Governor. e bill was approved
by the Governor on the oath OF February, tile
day af er Belau had his first conversation on the
subject with Biuner. Tie fact WAS In evidence
that b uner III tnat first conversation with Belau
Informed Belau that lie would s"e about the mat
ter, aud actually did use language indicating
that Be2u', request for the position migul be
complied win. He did not, as mgat have been
expected, inform Beau at that interview that he
had promised 10 a friend the On!y position in
his power 10 give. and hat he could not under
any circumstances com! ly with Beau's request.
II must not De forgotten thaL letter to BiIiueT
was written by his friend Reed on January 2Tth,
nearly month before tn Interview with Beiau.
asking for b. uuer's aid in appointing man on
the police force Uf San Francisco. THIS letter
HALL OF RECORDS
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, Jan. ~, 1891. !
Friend BTiu6r: / lnc!cse you card OF Mr.. Barnes
the Barnes whose ambition is to become police
man. He would be a credit to the force for lie Is a
man of quiet dignity and perfect athlete, very
gentleman!y and OF goOI address. He is the man
6ur mutual friend Frank BuIt smoke 10 vou about
There is such a rush own here for those positions
that don't like 10 cOmp.jcate things too much by
trying to force him In. Now, if, when the time
comes, you will 10 this for me, some day 1 will re-
cprocaie Yours truly, El3. REED.
p. S.-lf you wish viii send Barnes up to see
you.
Uron the day that Bruuer received the above
letter, lie wiuIe a leIrr 10 Reed In rel ly, telling
him hat II lie could be Of any assistance to his
tleud, al The proper time lie would do what lie
could; ana lateI, in a personal interview VILE
j esse MaTks, a Sau Francisco politician, and q
friend Of Reed, Biuner said that when tie
tffura. Nfrfst
lhe l0lice COMMISSIONERS, he would assist
Barnes 10 get tle place. Yet there Is 10 evidence
that BTuner ever really endeaV0i ed 10 Ret posi-
tiun for Barnes or any other friend OF Reds. AL
about lie same time that Blunef had The inter-
view with Belau at The Grand Hotel, Daniel
Jones and Louis Jones, brothers, of San Fran
cisco, were attempting to induce certain cas-
drivers Oh the Mission street line TO purchase
positions on tie police force Of san Francisco
for lie sum of $500 each. In considering The
testimony OF the Jones brothers and of Beiau, II
caunOt be denied that they are men of the most
depravtd and worthless Character. Their de-
meauOr on the witness stand their personal ap-
pearauce, and the manner In which they te titled.
all indicate that they aIe contemplate and DIS
honorable wrel ches, who would sell themselves
for a song.
LOUIS Jones testified that the first advances in
the matter we're not made 10y him. but were made
TO him By a car dllVcr named Moran ard that he
Informed Moran that lie wCulu write 10 a friend
at Sacramento about the matter. Bclau's te>Ii-
mODy In regard TO the sum OF S4OO aud with
regard TO lie connection OF the Jones brothers
hood aud Il nth. Belau was AFRAID to tell more
lhaa half Tie tIuh, ana was mdnifeStiy acting
under Powerful cOnStlant Of some kind. IL Is
evident from the testimony of tile Jones brothers
and Beau, however, taken in connection with
other testimony, that lhe scheme for the sale of
POSITION oil the police force OF San Francisco
originated with these thee individuals. They
had learned that BTuueT introduced the pOlicc
bill in the Assembly; Belau had met Bruner
frequently at the state Capitol; and the three
selected BIuner as the instrument by which they
would effect such sale. Belau ol,efatt d Sacra-
meuto and worked upon Bruner; tie Jones
brothers Operat d san Francisco and worked
upon the Mission street car-dTiYrrs.
James Comisky, who keeps a saloon on the
corner Of 1hirIy-hrSt and Mis- Ion streets, San
Francisco, testified that he heard one OF tile
Jones brothers OffeI 10 get positions on the po-
lice force for S40O each. EDWARD Moran testified
that one OF the Jones brothers offered TO get lin
position on The toce force for the sum OF
S4oO, and that Jones said that lie position would
be secured through friend at Sacramento. w.
q. Cox testified tina; Jones offered him position
on the police force for The sum of S40O, aud as.
su ed him that Bruuer would give him a letter
that would make his appointment sure. Aud
on February oath Belau sent the following tele-
gram TO Louis JONES: (Then follow The tele-
grams between Beau and JOnes.)
Ii BruEeT's testimony lie true that The first
time that IL was iDtlmated 10 him That there
would be money in the transaction was on Mon
day, March %, what are we TO understand by
ihe above kilograms? And how are We 10 recon-
cile with ETuuer'S Testimony the SI00 Offers