The herald., 1896-01-04
Mr.. Behrendt Alleged to Have
Offered a Bribe
TO SQUARE A PROSECUTION
Clerk Everett OF the Police Court Re.
affirms His Statement
His Tender Indignantly Refused But ths
Case Was Afterwards Dismissed
In the Superior Court

The grand jury is again meeting daily and
it would be an excellent idea for that b ,dy
to thoroughly investigate all of the facts
appertainng to the Behrendt assault case
and it's dismissal in he superior court after
Behrendt had been held to answer on ie
charge of committing an assault with a
dead y weapon.
1t is reported in a morning paper that
Behendt called at the district attorneys on
MondAy and was 'very in lignant." The
paper states that he desired a warran:
against the managers of The HERALD for
criminal libel, but this "was refused on the
ground that the office was mixed up in the
matter" The paper further added that
Mr.. Behrendt went away from The district
attorneys Office declaring that he would
bring civil suit against this paper for
damages.
Now, the facts in this Behrendt assault
case are few and can be briefly stated. Mr..
Behrendt assaule ed mn with shoe
makers hammer. The facts of the assault
as established by the evidence adduced at
conclusive and p 'sitive. Justica Morrison
held Behrendt to answer to the superior
! court on the criminal charge.
w. w. Everett, clerk of Justice Morri-
sons court, says tha Behrendt came to
him af.r the preliminary examination
had been concluded and wanted to "square
it," He 'ffered first, Mr.. Everett says, a
brbe of 500. This was refused. Then
the offer was doubled, 5000 being tender
ed. according to Clerk Everetts 8 own state
ment made to HERALD repre-
sentative and to others. Mr. Everett says
that he declined Indignantly to have any
| thing to do wi n Behrendt or his money,
| telling him that he had nothing to do with
the affair, AS it had gone to the superior court
| and the district attorney had the matter
in hand. So Mr.. Behrendt, Mr.. Everett
says, ceased to bother him with tenders of
coin and went his way. Later the case was
I dismissed in the superior court by the rep
resentative of the district attorney on me
ground that the evidence was insufficient.
This is the story and Clerk of the Court
Everett is THE HERALD authority for the
assertion that Behrendt offered him a
bribe to "square" prosecution that was
afterward dismissed.
| Up to p. m. yesterday Mr.. Behrendt
had filed no SUIT against The HERA d for
| damages. The general opinion is that he
will not do so. The district attorney has
! declined t) give him a warrant on the
ground as stated by the morning paper
yesterday that "tne Office was mixed
up in the matter" This being the case
| Major Donnell must know whether or not
|
| him sufficient to warranr a prosecution OF
the managers Of The HERALD for Grim
| inal libel. If he has the major would un
q ubtediy sancti N the issue of the war
rant, for it is his duty to d, so. IT he has
not Major DoDnell will not issue it.
THE HERALD made the first publication
of the facts in the itehrendt case
as they were related to its represent
alive on Monday morning. Under
| Instructions from the edtor-i chief
a rep eseutative called at the district attor
ney's Office that day and asked if here was
any exclamation to be made on the part ol
that office thai would throw any further
light upon he Behrendt case. The reply
was that there was nothing to be said
either denying or affirming what had been
| printed in the morning.
Clerk w. w. Everett was seen, however
and he reiterated his statement concerning
Behrendl's offer made to him of 500 il
coin to ''square it,"
On second thought MIR. Behrendt will
perhaps, bring no suit against this paper
if he is wisely advised. The district attor
ney has already stated that he will sanction
| no war ant for criminal libel
This gives the grant jury clean field.