The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-10

"Did you give these gentlemen an inter-
view on the subjectP
mo, sir
you declined to make statement to
them?"
81 did; yes, sir. / might explain all
that in a very few words-the nature of
the interview with these newspapers, if
you will allow me"
"You have right to explain" stated
Judge Murphy, 'and l will give you full
opportunity"
ION Tuesday night, think it was" con-
tinued Mr.. Brown, IAN article appeared in
the Post ON the Howell case. About 10
o'clock that night the doorbell of our house
rang as we were about to retire. A gentle
man presented himself at the door and in
formed me that he was a reporter. He
had first asked me if / was w. s. Brown.
You noticed an article in the Post in
this City and County printed last Tues
day, subsequent to your being sworn in
this case?'
81 did not read it, sir; just glanced over
the headlines. The reporter asked me if |
was juror in the Durrant case and / told
him / was. He stated that he did not want
to interview me on that case, but Old an
other matter. 1 told him l did not want
to be interviewed on any subject, but he
said it was matter of importance, saying,
There is an article in the Post charging
you with being bribed as Juror in the
Howell ease My reply to him was that
the Howell case was three years ago and
that it had taken the newspaper men,a
long time to find out about it. then told
him l did not care to make any statement,
and he said he did not want to make any
IN connection with the Durrant case, but
wanted to know what this charge was. |
looked at the headlines and he told me it
was at the bottom. | looked and saw an
article charging me with having been
bribed. | told him it was not true in any
way, and then he asked me how the jury
stood. | said, That is a matter of record
and You can easily get it, He said Is it
true that the jury stood five to seven? and
/ said Yes, sir; that is true He then
asked me il had any statement to make,
and | said that if / had l would ask per-
mission of the court and if the court wished
me to make a statement l would gladly
do so.
about half an hour afterward," con-
tinued Mr.. Brown, "a young man came
from the Examiner. He said, Mr.. Brown,
l do not care to say anything to you about
the Durrant case. but | want to speak in
reference to the Howell matter l told
him | understood the character of the arti-
Gle, and he asked me if / wanted to make
any statement. He said, will YOU ac-
knowledge or deny that statement in the
paper charging you with having been
bribed as juror and I said, 4 deny it
emphaticaly, and the reporter walked
away.
between IL and o clock i'll the morn
ing gentleman came and rang the bell
and was answered by young man, MEM
Der of our family, from the window over
looking the entrance from the street. He
said he was a Chronicle reporter and
wanted to see me. The young man said /
did not want 10 see any newspaper men
and he did not wish to wake me up. The
reporter said the matter was of very great
importance and he wanted to see Mr.
Brown. Mr.. Howell, the young man. came
to me and | requested Mr.. Howell to say
to the reporter that had nothing to talk
about at that particular time and the re-
porter left. That is the whole sum and
substance OF 1t.
"Was this Mr.. Howell connected with
the Howell of the counterfeiting case ?"
asked Judge Murphy.
None whatever" was the reply. "He
is a son OF General Howell, who is now in
Australia, and he is in the real estate house
of Baldwin & Hammond"
81 merely asked this question. Mr..
Brown, in Justice to yourself" said his
Honor, that no mistaken impressions
might go out"
~ might state further" said Mr.. Brown,
"that the question and answers in the Ex-
aminer purported to have been asked me
and answered by me were not asked and
were not answered. The only question
asked me was if would accept or deny
that accusation, and l told him l would
deny it."
..Now, Mr.. Brown" said his Honor,
"you requested to be allowed to make
statement to the court. Do you desire to
make further statement?'
II would like to say few words" was
the reply.
"We ask" said Mr.. Deuprey, "that he be
granted that privilege"
~ have said, !" replied his Honor, dryly,
s'that he would be allowed to make that
statement, and he will"
"Well, your Honor" began Mr.. Brown.