The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-06

N ANIEL NJ. BURNS and Nose Gunst
are and have been from its incep-
ton making the fight by which Leon
Dennery hopes 10 steal the seat of
r. Porter Ashe in the State Senate. and
the methods they are pursuing are char
acteristic of them-bribery, cheap per
jury and every other of the favorite
weapons used by this unholy duo In its
political fight have been in full action
for the past three weeks, and but for the
fact that one of their star witnesses had
not the stomach to hold to the lie they
Matched for him success might have
crowned their efforts.
The entire vile scheme in all its de-
tails transpired in this city yesterday.
when Justices of the Peace Kerrigan and
Groezinger, sitting in bank, heard the
first testimony in the contest filed by
Dennery against his successful opponent
Joseph Wood was placed on the stand
In the morning and gave damning evil
dence against Senator Ashe He was
subjected to the most rigorous cross-ex-
animation in the afternoon, when he
broke down completely and gave to the
court and the attorneys at the bar de-
tails in all their completeness of a sys-
temauc scheme Of crookedness that tends
as much as anything since this fight of
Burns began to expose to the public its
fOufness.
OuSSpn NOOQs the Witness, was placed
upon the stand 10 give testimony that
would warrant the court in reporting
against Ashe to the Senate, and upon his
ulrect examination he told a most plaus-
1ble tale. He said that when the cam
pa1gn opened he had been approached
by the Wilson brothers, who own a cigar
store on O'Farren and Stockton streets,
and asked by them to take full charge
OF Ashes campaign advertising. This he
said, he agreed to- do, and that he spent
on Ashes behalf more money by several
Aundred dollars than the law allowed.
He told other things of similar import,
but the most telling evidence he gave was
ihat on one occasion when Ashe was
talking with political friends he had
heard him put up job that resulted in
the rlotng IN the TWenty-fourth District
on election day. Ashes scheme, he said.
was TO precipitate a row In the heart
OF Dennerys stronghold in order that the
Dennery gang might be kept there while
+Ashe quietly worked the rest of the dis
.trict.
81 Wood expatiated upon every detail and
because OF his testimony Ashes friends
wired to him at Sacramento to return TO
pan FRANCISCO at once If he would save
MS case. Ashe came to the city, arriV-
ing just in time to hear from Woods lips
. the confession of his perjury and his
90 sworn statement that he was to be paid
Tor his knavery by Dan NJ Burns.
When the cross-examinatiOn was begun
an the afternoon Wood chung to his story
OF the morning for a time, but careful
questioning developed the fact that
though well drilled in the general story,
he faltered in its details, and finally he
broke away from his promise and came
: out with the bald truth.
In plainest English, and with no hitch
ing, he told that as soon as Dennery's
defeat was made certain Wood had been
approached by one Barron. an adherent
of Dennery and q henchman and faro
bank capper for. Nose Gunst. Barron
told him that he would hear something
10 his advantage by going with him to
the office of Windy Powers, an attor-
ney in the Nevada block, and Wood acted
HPOn the advice. Powers. questioned him
closely enough to learn that he was of
the sort of stuff that BURNS uses in poll
ties and sent him at once with Barron to
Burns apartments in the Palace Hotel.
There Wood found the Alcalde and
-Gunst closeted together, and upon being
Introduced by Barron the party at once
.setued down TO business. Burns did the
talking, Gunst the explaining.
e. Wood was told just what he was to
say when Dennery's suit came in the
courts. He was told that if he would tell
the tale he gave at the hearing he would
lose nothing by it. He was promised in
privilege OF rustling at the Oakland race
track"
This promise was made him by Dan NJ
Burns.
d. Wood asked his purchasers what was
meant by the term 'rustling" Both
= Burns and Gunst replied that he should
have for life and free Of all restrictions
the right TO tout during the racing sea-
son, and that he would be given ex-
traOrdinary opportunities for prosecuting
the nefariOuS concession promised him