The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-01

no technical defense would be made, but
that he would be content to have Judge
Sanderson decide the matter, without a
jury, on IJs merits.
District Attorney Barnes called Judge
Low. who testified to having told an officer
to warn the other Police Judges not tc
accept any bond in the case of Pierce
He could not identify Thomas F. Barry a:
one of the men who had applied to him
as willing bondsmen for Pierce. Officer
Graham said that Judge Low asked him
to tell Judge Campbell to leave the
matter of Pierce's bond to him. Timothy
Sullivan, clerk in Judge Lows court, testi-
fed that Judge Campbell had told him he
did not understand there was any difficulty
about accepting Pierce's bond
After II. Jones of Jones & O'Donnell
attorneys for the collection of forfeited
bailbonds, had related his inability TO col
lect on this particular bond, Judge Camp
bell took the stand.
The Judge told plain story of how he
had been asked CASUALLY on his way to his
home, at 40 Post street, to accept this
bond. He was always being approached
for that purpose, but as usual replied that
if the bond was good he would accept it.
speeding the bond offered before approving
it. He did not remember that Judge Low
had asked him to leave the matter of this
bond in his hands, or as matter of cour-
tesy he would have reconsidered the re-
quest to accept it. AS a matter of
fact he had probably been required
to pass on 5000 bonds in the
course of his term, and had accepted,
say 5000 of them, none having been proved
straw bonds. Any Judge was liable to be
imposed upon, however careful he might
be, in the multitude of bonds offered and
other business before him.
The case having been submitted, the
court said:
This action cannot be maintained under
this testimony. 1t appears from the evil
dence that Judge Low, in the discharge of
his duty. very properly sent Officer
Graham to Judge Campbell, Judge Conlan
and Judge Joachimsen, to caution them
generally in regard to the acceptance of
sureties on this bond. Judge Campbell
says he has no recollection of it. Even if
he had, the testimony in his behalf, the
bond itself, shows he took due caution in
this matter. There is no showing here
that. the City is to lose a dollar by the
bondsmen If they are properly prosecuted.
l think rather than to be accused of lack
OF duty, Judge Campbell NAV be COM
mended for looking up the qualifications
of the bondsmen as he did. The Judgment
will be for the defendant
In speaking of the matter afterward
Judge Campbell said: at was alleged in
the accusation filed by the Grand jury
that took bond in a saloon. This state
ment was proved to be false. When this
matter first came to public notice / said
that / had no fear of the result, because |
knew that had done nothing wrong: that
fully recognized the fact that some OF
the members of the Grand Jury had per
sonal animus against me. They tried to
defeat me at election time, because of a
case that ! decided against one of the
unions. One of the members of the Grand
Jury thereupon threatened to defeat me
at the polls.
~ don't care to discuss the matter
further, as the decision is complete vim.
dication of my action in the bond matter.