The San Francisco call., 1905-06-10
F. A. MAESTRETTI
IS ACQUITTED.
Yelling Gangsters Create Riot
in Court Over Verdict.

Continued From Page 1, Column 1.
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Judge Lawlor scanned it carefully and
returned it to the clerk.
I'VE, the jury, find the defendant in the
above cause not guilty. read Clerk Mar
tin.
WILD SCENE IN COURT.
Instantly there was sharp outburst
Of cheers. Men jumped to their feet and
rushed toward the boss who had been
saved from States prison by the verdict.
Judge Lawlor rose in his chair and
demanded order. "Arrest every man In
the court0cm,o he thundered. "CIear
the COURT
BatIi6 Martin Welsh pounded with
his gavel until the head of 1t was
knocked OFF. Deputy Sheriff Jack HOl-
Iund and two others dashed into the
mass OF cheering men and tried TO push
the mob from the courtroom.
Those who were thrust out danced
wildly about in the corridor. s.Three
cheers; cheer like Hip was the
slogan. The tumult shook the building
and the crowd gathered about the PO-
lice Commissioners room took 1t up.
Justice has been DONE" said Maestret-
IT, THAT is all 1 have to say now"
His face was flushed with happiness.
For four days he. had been under a ter
rible strain. Three men who had been
associated with him in the work in the
Thirty-ninth District had been sentenced
to terms in the penitentiary. The prose-
cutting attorneys had declared that the
shadow Of States prison hung over him,
and evidently the words struck home.
The gang could not be restrained. They
pressed forward and shook his hand.
For the moment Frank A. Maestretti
was the rescued martyr.
The boss shook hands with his attor-
neys, Budd and Dibble and, surrounded
by enthusiastic members or his following,
left the courtroom. As he stepped out
Of the door the mob outside burst into
wild yells of triumph.
Once more Judge Lawlor commanded
the arrest of the disturbers. But the
Deputy Shcriffs could do nothing. The
boss was swept away by q crowd OF
noisy followers.
Old Edward Ewald, whom Judge Lawlor
questioned in regard to the report that
an attempt had been made to tamper
with the jury, clung to the boss like
leach. He was second in Importance at
the gangs rejoicing. I'VE got him out all
right. eh pop?" shouted the gang. and the
aged politician was slapped upon the
back and cheered, too.
Flushed with Joy and with a buoyant
surrounded by the dancing. shouting mob.
He walked into the ante-room of .Ae Po-
lice Commissioners quarters, where he
was congratulated by j. George Boyne.
The news travelled fast, and followers and
appointees Of Ruef hurried to the hall to
express their joy.
The crime with which Maestretti was
charged was attempting to induce c.. NJ.
Silberstein. an election officer in the Sew
enty-ninth Precinct, to swear falsely at
the trial of Charles Wyman, follower
of the bosses who is now at San Quentin
serving term for casting an illegal vote.
The trial lasted only four days.
BUDD BECOMES ABUSIVE.
In his closing argument for the prose-
cution yesterday morning Governor Budd
talked for nearly three hours. He scored
the witnesses Podd and Silberstein, De-
tective Bolger, who obtained the evidence
against his client, and the Grand Jury
that indicted him.
Would you take the word Of these
creatures against that of a man like
Maestretti. who has lived in the COM
munity thirty-f1ve years and against
whose life no reflection has ever been
cast?' he demanded.
The Grand Jury was denounced as
new Council of Venice sitting in back
room in the Mills building" The private
detectives were referred to as "lice
delving in the underwear of the COM
munity." The address was full of vitu-
peration of this Sort and delivered in
high key.
During portions of District Attorney
Byingtons closing argument Maestrettf
flushed an angry red and chewed his
mustache nervously. The District At
torney did not rant at any time, or re-
sort TO baseless denunciation. He talk
ed to the jury quietly and convincingly,
only raising his voice when swept away
by Indignation.
There was nothing fiery about the ad-
dress, there were few rhetorical fights. 1t
was strong statement of the case of the
people. At the start It made Maestretti
vince.
.sGentIemen of the jury" began the
District Attorney, "you remember only
the other day the cnsc of a public Of
fcial--n man who f1lcled $4,000 of the
public money. He had a family. Don't
let any juror In this box think the fact
that this defendant has a family can
weigh one iofu.
"A great number of witnesses were
called here to testify to the fact that
If Smith had been charged with his
crime year nEO lie would have
brought the same kind of witnesses to
testify as to his good reputation. Why,
Durrant, Une Of the greatest criminals
of the century, put Witnesses on the
stand mt the trial taken from his church,
who nlI testified that his character was
good. There has not been a murder
trial 10 my knowledge without witt
nesses as to the good character of the
murderer.
But let US get to the facts. All we
want is the men in the jury box 10 have
their minds clear enough to see the light
of truth shining through this testimony.
NO DOUBT ABOUT GUILT.
Judging by the probabilities not one
of you can have doubt that this de-
fendant put up the defense of Wyman.
Go back to August 8. Go to the polling
place on Bush street. You will find a
ballot-box, and over it men who are
there to do the bidding # boss.
THAT place was stuffed. Who is re-
sponsible for 1t? The defendant at the
bar glories in the fact that he was the
boss of that district. He admitted that
Wyman was on his ticket and working in
his interests. Wyman and the others
were tools put there to DO the work for
others.
"Podd and Silberstein and Foster-who
nlaced them there to do this work for