The San Francisco call., 1905-08-11
Midwife. Charged With Muir
der, Says He EXtOrted $1,000
From Her While She Was
Under Suspicion of Crime
BOARD NAY TAKE
STEPS TO INVESTIGATE
Mrs. /. VI. Harrison. Who
Claims She Was HodgkinS'
Victim. Firm in Assertions
That She Gave Him Coin

idA tNut NdAt Hill OOlil
OAKLAND, Aug. lo-Chief Of Police
Hodskins has been accused by Mrs L. N
Harrison, a midwife at I772 Goss street.
Of having eXtorted $1,000 from her to
square case in which she had been
arrested under suspicion Of having been
responsible for the death If Mrs Jennie
Elrath "a this city on Nav 10. Mrs.
HARRISON declares that Hodgkins visited
Ter residence and demanded the money.
saying he could save her from proseCu-
Ion II the coin We're placed in his hands.
subsequently she Uas discharged from
custody no complaint being sworn out
against her.
The woman declares she has two wit
rcSses TO the visit Of Hodgkins To her
residence. one Of whom is her aunt. who,
she says, admitted the chief to the
mouse, and the other is her son, Charles
harrison who saw H0dgkius at the
house. was told by his mother that
The chief had demanded money and ad-
Nlsed her not TO yield. Mrs. Harrison
says she was forced 10 give the coin.
oeAe'ing such d course would save her
from Imprisonment.
SAYS CHEF DEFIED HER.
Al the time, she adds. the case was
panied as very black against her by
iiocgkns ana that he said the only way
she could prevent a prosecution and
danger Of prison was by acceding TO his
demand. Mrs Harrison asserts she was
led TO believe that Chief Hodgkins would
use d portion Of the money in channels
where III would 90 her the most good, and
that he was to keep enough Of the fund
for himself as payment for his services.
Subsequently. she declares, not being sat
tshed that the money had been used as
she understood IL was TO be disbursed,
Mrs Harrison demanded an accounting
from HOgkins, and was told that there
would be no return made.
The woman insists that the Chief of Po-
lice defed her and declared If she said
anything about the transaction he would
ruin her business. Rumors concerning
the Harrison charges have been in cir
culauon, but until tonight Mrs. Harri-
son had guarded her story against pub
Icity
That there will be an official investi-
gaticn of The charges is a certainty. In
This connection Mayor Mott, who is
president Of the Board Of Police and Fire
Commissioners, said:
MAYOR MAKES STATEMENT.
There has been much rumor afoat
concerning these charges, and in the
event they are well grounded, the board,
OF course, viii make thorough investi-
cation
Mrs. Biroth died the night Of May IS
al FabioIa Hospital. where she had been
taken by O. ". Broth, a stableman, re-
siding at 529 IWenty-second street. Her
death was from a criminal operation.
Shortly before she died, Mrs Broth
mentioned the name of a Mrs. Harrison.
The police put Mrs. Harrison under ex-
animation and after a long inquiry she
was allowed TO go. The Coroner's jury
few days later returned a verdict ac-
cusing the woman. She was arrested
and detained in Jail several days, but no
one appeared TO prosecute her, and no
evidence was obtained upon which TO
base complaint, so far as the Police
Department was concerned. The hus
band Of the dead woman refused to take
any action, the report at the time being
that he had been informed by his wife
that her injuries were self inflicted. Chief
OF Police Hodgkins has declared that
these stories Of bribery are gTOUndless
and that he is a victim Of malicious at
tacks. In her statement tonight, Mrs.
Harrison said:
Chief Of Police HOdgkins came to my house
on the Friday night following Mrs. Broth S
death and got $1,000 from me. OF this money
S9a0 was In gold and the remaining $50 was
81 paper currency HCdgkins was admitted 70
the house by my aunt, and while he was here
my son Charles came into the room. As soon
room and told me TO be very careful what
said, as he did not trust Hodgkins.
son MAKES OBJECTION.
I told my son that the chief was going TO
square The case and that was going to give
him $1,000 for doing Charlie said Wen
do you like. bat tell YOU now that Hodg,
kins VIII put the money IN his own pocket
and II the case is pressed ne VIII say thai Won
never gave him a cent and viii let YOU 90 10
when Chief Hodgkins came to me he told
] -
dict Of murder would be returned against me
Then he said, II You can get together $1,000
] can buy on the Coroner and fix everybody. -
rms frightened me 80 badly that 1 would
have given him twice the amount he asked
snd I sent my aunt 70 Jhe safe where / keep
my money, ano she brought S940 in gold
and $50 in currency. which 7 gave the C~5fef
Then he told me that had better conceal nv
self for q few DAYS until the trouble bs5 Ll[-t..,
over. and offered 10 give me a room IN ~
house, where no one would think of looking
for me I refused 10 20 there, however as I
feared that I might get him into trouble n 7
was seen az his house. Then he told me 10
go 70 san Francisco or anywhere ONT 81 +te
city and left the house.
SAYS HE MADE DENIAL.
The next day Saturday ] was arrested and
while I was IN the City Prison the Chief sen1
FOR and told that my arrest v-ae ~
work of Captain Peterson bur mas 4, ,,.IS -
come out sll right. Afte- T was released D.
cent Police officer Murray 10 see me with 9
message 40 ger out ot town but I did lsor -
and Sunday he again came 10 see M ap1
told me that he feared he could 90 NOTHING
more 20 help
Then I demanded that he return the mono,
7 had given MIN. and he denied 10 my fac
that had ever given him a cent He said
why. you have no proof that you ever CAV.
me a penny and n you try 10 prove IL I VIII
ruin Vou in this town Nv ,rG iS hetfai
than yours, for you IN trouble and I an
TOO strong with tho Police Commission Tor ~
20 get me. the best thing do Ie :,
drop this thing right now OF YOU viii have m,
- fght End ] viii Taake Oakland too hot t.
hold yop
CHIEF DENIES THE CHARGE.
] saw thai ] was helpless. So / told hin
10 keeo the money. but that ] would fin,
some way 10 make him pay for robbins ne
This was not the first time that HOdgkin
had been At my house. When there wa
scandal over the arrest ~ Grace McNaugh
ton. who was charged with theft by Mrs
3 Thomas Neiu, the Chief sent Grace TO M
place and she stayed here until she wen
he hsry RI Ir9g