Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-01-27
BUNKERS HEARD
IN FRENCH TRIAL
TESTIMONY AIDS CASE OF
DEFENDANT
cross-Exsminstioln Brings Out state.
ments In Favor Of Defendant.
Thinks He Received No
Bride Money
BY Associated Press.

SACRAMENTO Jan. 26.-Harry
Bunkers, convicted senatorial boodler,
occupied the witness stand most of the
time in the French trial. and although
called by the prosecution he seemed TO
be star witness for the defendant
when II came to the cross examination.
In his direct testimony Bunkers did
not favor French I'm the least. and II
looked as though his testimony would
be a repetition Of what he had said in
the Emmons trial, but the cross-exam-
nation brought out an entirely diff
1erent story In the trials of Bunkers
and Emm0ns, French's name did not
occupy prominent place. but Bunkers
today admitted that French had not
been Informed that the agent of the
building and loan people was I'm the
city with the bride money, and has also
admitted that he (Bunkers) had told
Ed Short that he did not believe French
got u cent.
The most of the direct testimony was
simple repetition of the story Bunkers
told on the stand in the Emmons trial
but when Attorney Frank y. Ryan. for
the defense took the witness it was dif-
ferent.
Regarding the meeting in the office Of
Attorney Hiram w. johnson in this
city three days after the expose and
NAANAA IDullhGIS, w IlSllJ, EsllInOnS. ,IOT-
dan and French were present. Bunkers
said that French was i'm the room only
a few moments. All the rest were there
except him when he walked in and
went over to the desk where the LAWYER
was examining book. French said:
johnson, what are we here fur?"
johnson replied that he was looking
UP the law In the Jordan matter.
French said
II have nothing to do with Jordan
take no interest in him." and then
walked out.
Thought French Got Nothing
Bunkers said he told Ed Short in the
county Jail while confined there that he
did not believe that French got a cent
OF the money; that French told him
that he had nothing to do with Jordan
and got no money from MIN.
Bunhers said that at the first meet
ing of the committee on commissions
and retrenchments French brought I'D
the proposition Of Investigating build
ing aid loan concerns, because he had
received many letters from constituents
and because he had a personal griev-
ance against one such concern-the
Pacific. He said French showed him
some Of the letters he had received.
French, the witness said, was bitter
against the Pacific and told him he
would not forego investigating its af-
fairs for marbles, chalk or money.
The witness said that French had no
liking for Jordan. and had told him
(Bunkers) that he had no use for him.
he mad not voted for Jordan for secre-
tary of the San Francisco Republican
delegation and would have nothing to
do with him. The witness said that I'D
TO the time he was approached by Jor-
dan it had been his intention to In.
vestigate the concerns.
Bunkers said that when Jordan told
him that there had been a change OF
program and that there would be only
$3.50 for each senator he had told the
news to the others. He was not Ger.
tain. however whether he had told
french. There was a doubt in his
mind regarding that.
French Knew Nothing of Deal
The witness said he had told French
nothing about the agent of the building
and loan people being in the city with
the money; that when he and Emmons
and Jordan met at Hanlon's saloon at
Eighth and K streets and Emmons took
q look at the agent, French knew moth
ing of it, and finally, that when he
and Emmons got their share of the
money. French did not know that the
money was in the city. Incidentally
he said that Jordan gave him only $780,
intending to hold out the other.
And, finally, the witness said, he had
met French at the committee rooms the
night of the evening he had received his
money, but that he told French moth
ing of 1t and did not ask him whether
he had got his"
The discrimination OF Bunkers
Will be resumed tomorrow morning.
About the court house in the after
noon and evening there was consider
able comment concerning what the
spectators seemed to think was a fail
ure of Bunkers to support on cross
examination the testimony which he
started out to give against French.
District Attorney Seymour was asked
how the testimony of Bunkers in this
respect met with his expectations and
replied that it was all right, though
some of Bunkers' answers to questions
by the defense evidently were made
under misapprehension of the meaning
of words.
"Bunkers is an ignorant man and
does not always understand the pur-
port of questions, but he is all right
and l have no doubt will be able to
fully explain his testimony when he
understands the questions"
Mr. Seymour said that he Is entirely
satisfied with Bunkers' attitude in the