The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-06-06
Lawyers Select
rial Body
Gingerly.
ProsecutionShy
of Sch1nitz's S
Friends.

The following citizens OF San Francisco
were selected yesterday in Judge Law
lor's court to try the case of Frank A.
Maestretti, member of the Board of Pub
lie Works, charged with subornation of
perjury in connection with the election
fraud cases:
Thomas NJ Bittencourt 2o5 Cough
street; Aaron S. Brilliant, 1645 Geary
street; Roy A. Price, 1918 Hayes street:
Leon ". Goldstein, 142 Central avenue:
Charles Berwin. 1910 Haight street: Leo
pold Weinstein, 2450 San Bruno avenue:
John E. Beck, 119 Park Hill avenue Ger
son Cohn. 1411 Golden Gate avenue:
Charles F. Gum. 81 Ivy avenue; John H.
Paige, S171s Larkin street; Patrick Ban
non. 1858 Twenty-frst street, and Edward
c. Dennigan, Ills Octavia street.
Nearly all these jurors were chosen at
the afternoon session. though it looked
from the way matters started out that 1t
might take a week TO select the twelve
Prosecution and defense were skittish of
so many things in the men that they
were willing should try the case that it
did not seem at the outset as If twelve
could be found without some objection
able feature The prosecution was espe-
cially shy of any one who had any busi-
ness dealings with the city, who had held
political office in any of the departments
or had a relative similarly tainted Any
one who might even have looked at the
City Hall during the present regime was
SHE'D at. and acquaintance with any ad-
minfstration favorite was bar. Know
ing Abe Ruef was not recommendation.
FIRST VICTORY FOR DEFENSE.
The defense was particularly sensitive to
Citizens Alliance, Merchants Association
or Republican League Affiliations. 1t was
even little timid about real estate deal
ers, because Bowes is in that business,
but Weinstein admitted that was his line.
Ex-Governor James H. Budd appeared
as leading counsel for the defense, and
was assisted by H. G. Dibble. District At
torney Byington appeared to prosecute,
and Deputy Robert Ferral was with him.
The proceedings were not sensational
though at the outset Budd gave promise
Of some lively fighting when taking of
testimony is begun. District Attorney
Byington measured repartee with him
once or twice, but they managed to get
along amicably during most of the pro-
ceedings.
At the morning session Governor Budd
began asking prospective jurors whether
they belonged to the Citizens Alliance.
Objection was made to the question by
District Attorney Byington, and the first
important battle of the case was on
Budd won the victory. the court allow
ing the question, and every man who en-
tered the box thereafter was interrogated
as to whether he belonged to any of the
several organizations that are supposed
to be battling for civic reform in San
Francisco
ONLY SOME SMOKE.
During the argument Budd demanded
that a subpoena issue for the secretary of
the Citizens Alliance and that he be in
structed to bring the books of the or
ganization into court that its purposes
might be shown At another time Budd
demanded a subpoena for Fairfax Wheel
an. # appearing that William Jones, a
prospective Juror had called on him to
obtain membership in the Republican
League while the morning session of the
court was In progress. Mr.. Jones' exam
fnation showing that no mention of the
Maestretti case had been made between
him and Mr.. wheelan, it is not likely that
the subpoena will be served, and the incl
dent will be but part of the smoke that
is sure to be plentiful during the trial.
John Cameron, father of a dismissed
emplove of the Schmitz Health Board.
was among the jurors peremptorily ex-
cused by the defense, though he declared
he had no bias.
Goldstefn and Berwin admitted that
Ruef was their legal adviser, but this,
they said. would cut no figure with their
findings.
The direct charge against Maestretu is
that he tried to induce c. NJ Silberstein
TO swear falsely that Suffer Wyman
voted only once at the primary at which
he did the stuffing.
The case goes on this morning at 10
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