The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-06
THE ECHOES
PROVE VERY
UNPLEASANT
Richards Attorneys Are
Fighting to Shut Out
Evidence.
LIVERNASH'S STORY NOT
RELISHED.
Interesting Side Lights on the
Doings of Sheehan and
Watt.
MORE TALES OF FINANCIAL
HODGE PODGE.
The Battle for Free Speech Has
MORE TALES OF FINANCIAL
HODGE -PODGE.
The Battle for Free Speech Has
Developed Into a Prize Attraction
for Spectators.

Metaphorically speaking there appear
TO be quilts on Edward J. Livernash.
Judge J. c. B. Hebbard and his attorneys
surveyed the newspaper man very critic
ally yesterday afternoon, and concluded
imm ediately that he was a legal porcu-
pine which they were not quite ready to
quill. This rather upset the program me
in more ways than one in the Marriott
libel case.
It was not Livernash's fault. He was
IN court for sacrifice at the appointed
hour, but at the last moment Attorney
Julius Kahn and Assistant District Attor-
ney Hinkle concluded to postpone matters
for a day or two at least. He desired
further consultation with his clients
friends, ex-Receiver John F. Sheehan of
the Peoples Home Savings Bank and his
confidential and trusted friend, James
Aiva Watt. The lawyer was profuse with
excuses. He had been very busy, so had
Judge Hebbard, 30 had John T. Sheehan,
and Llvernash's testimony came sud
denly, ergo would the court be gracious
enough TO give him twenty-four hours
more to study the newspap per man 5 story :?
Judge Dainger1ield did as he was asked
after Attorney Shortridee, In behalf of
Editor Marriott, interposed no serious OBJ
lection. And so Kahn and Hebbard were
given another JwenBy-four hours to
sharpen their weapons preparatory to their
dissection of very interesting and reada-
BILE chapter of the inside III anipulations of
the bank 5 affairs.
The case Is a prize attraction now and
draws a crowded courtroom at every SEES
sion. a battle as it is for the right of one
man to criticize the candidacy of another
for political office or to be more explicit
ba rIrb+ Of
that Judge Hebbard was more or less
morally responsible for John L. Sheehans
management Of the affairs OF the savings
bank, 1t presents many interesting issues.
The men that controlled the bank for
nearly TWO years in defiance of the wishes
of stockholders and depositors do not
relish the revelations that are daily being
developed.
James Alva Watt and John F. Sheehan
are ever close at hand TO fill any breach
that threatens danger 10 the cause of
Judge Hebbard, who is resenting at the
County's expense the inslnuation that he
is the tool and creature" of these two
friends. Throughout the case are run
ming echoes of the last political cam paign
and the connection OF Judge Hebbard
with the men in charge of the savings
bank after its light went out. Somehow
or other these "reminiscences seem painful
to the Hebbard clique, and scarcely a
until the lawyers have exhausted every
method OF Quibbllng known 10 law and
courts. As result, the case is proceed
ing slowly.
Benjamin F. Lucy. who was the first
witness of the day, said that just lew
days previous to the time when Hebbard
procured the indictment of the mem bers
of the depositors' committee, who issued
a circular opposing his candidacy for re-
election to the bench, he was approached
at his place in the shops of the Union
Iron Works by John Carnage, private
detective in Hebbard's employ. Carnage
acted mysteriously. but finally requested
Lucy TO call at the office of Attorneys w.
7. Baggett and henry Eickoff. 1t was
sort of FOOLS errand, thought the toun-
dryman, and he paid no attention to the
detectives request. When Attorney
Shortridge attempted tc esta biish the fact
that both Baggett and Eickoff were attor-
neys for Hebbard he stirred up veritable
hornets nest.
A. b. Fraesch, another mitteeman,
related the efforts of the committee to Sc
cure the election OF board of directors
favorable to the interests of the depos-
itors. After the members of the old board
had signitled their intention to step down
and out the depositor's committee met
and canvassed various names their sue
Cessors. The selections being made,
Fraesch SAID application was made to
Judge Hebbard to modify the in junction,
but with no effect. Attorney Snortridge
desired to draw from the witness the
various manipulations OF Sheehan and
Watt to thwart the wishes of the depos-
ftors. This was a tender spot TO Judge
Hebbard, and Attorney Kahn succeeded
ii having this portion of an interesting
story shut off.
The attempt of Hebberd and Sheehan
to break into the meeting of the bank de-
positors at the Busb-street Theater on the
Saturday evening preceding the last cleo
ton was the reason for the appear
ance on the stand of Andrew E.
Jenkins, who was the doorkeeper on the
occasion, and the cause OF many inter
ruptions on the part OF Kahn. Entrance
to the meeting was by handbook, and sup
posed to be confined to depositors. Shee-
han and Sam K. Thornton put in an ap-
pearance first and presented bankbooks
which, according TO jenkins, were $50
new as TO excite his suspicious that
everything was not right. A few mo-
ments later Judge Hebbard came along
and beckoned to Sergeant Cook for a
private conference. After some parley-
ing Cook assisted Hebbard through the
door in spite of Jenkins protest.
II asked him for his bank book" said
Jenkins, "but ne waved me aside under
the protection OF the police sergean. and
passed in"
Attorney Shortridge, after eliclting the
Information that Hebbard had no right in
the meeting, made an effort to have
Jenkins repeat the attempts of Hebbard's
friends to break up the meeting but this
was such an unpleasant narrative to Kahn
that Judge Daingertield granted his re-
quest to stop the testimony.
!. Henry S. Stedman was one of the three
depositors who were induced by Secretary
C. E. Palmer to sign petition in Shee-
hans behalf to retain him as receiver in
spite of tie protest of the majority of
those who had money in the bank Sted-
man subsequently, upon learning for
what purpose his signature had been Sc
cured, wrote a letter to Judge Hebbard,
Informing him that he wished 10 with
draw his name. Stedman had no copy of