Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-18
PROSECUTION IN GLASS TRIAL
MAKES TENDER
WOULD SHOW MANY oFFENsEs
& WERE COMMITTED
Case Hats While Attorneys Argue
AdmissIbiIlty of Evidence Bear
ing on offenses Similar to
That Charged

Louis Glass for bribery reacneu crucldi
stage today when the prosecution MADE
its first attempt to introduce the testl-
mpny of ten or more supervisors other
than Boxton, whose votes are said to
have been bought by Theodore V. Hal
sey, acting under direction of Vice Presi-
dent Glass of the Pacific States Tele-
phone company.
eSuch testimony is called evidence OF
similar offenses" and is often admitted
in. criminal trials for the purpose of
showing corrupt intent on the part of a
defendant in the commission of the act
for which he is being tried
Glass, at the present time, is being tried
for the bribery of Boxton. The prosecu-
tipn contends that 1t has the right to lay
lfefore the jury in inference of his guilt
the proof of his having bribed other SUI
pervisors to vote against the granting of
akrival franchise to the Home Telephone
company.
srhe defense denies this right, mainly
on the ground that the state is not privi-
legged to prove other crimes in an effort to
Ieatablsh the crime on trial.
The argument on this point, conceded to
Re of even more than original Importance
since the detection of Second Vice Presi-
dent thinner from the ranks of the pros
eosltions witnesses, occupied the last two
hours of the afternoon session and was
int progress at adjournment.
iHre turymen were excused at the COM
mencement of the argument and were
taken by bailiffs to a park near the Tenn
pie Israel later to be returned to their
charters at the Fairmont hotel.
Four Witnesses Called
-Four witnesses were on the stand for
tie prosecution today. Charles j. Hall,
formerly chief clerk in the general offices
of the telephone company, told of more
or less frequent visits paid to Halsey's
private office by supervisors.
w. ]. Phillips, district superintendent
for San Francisco gave testimony Of no
moment
Thomas e. Sherwin of Burlingame, who
succeeded E. j. thinner as auditor and
now fills that office, gave testimony
which served to strengthen the suspicion
that the method of voucher receipts in
regular use in the telephone offices was
departed from in the disbursement of the
$4,000 or 100000 claimed to have been paid
to the supervisors in brides, and that
book record of this money was carefully
avoided by order of Glass.
The last witness of the day, Supervisor
Thomas F. Lonergan told of visits paid
by him to Halseys office. His testimony
which was interrupted by the arguments
on the admissibility of evidence of ''simi-
lar offenses," will be resumed tomorrow
Supervisors Often Called
in the telephone company's offices and
who had charge of the preparation of
literature in opposition to rival tele-
phone concerns, proved valuable wit
ness for the prosecution, Heney draw
ing from him without trouble state
ments that various ones of the super
visors visited Halsey in the latter's Of
fees in the old building in Bush street
and subsequently in the new building
in Montgomery street.
Among those seen by Hall to enter
Halsey's private office from one to six
times were Supervisors Walsh, Loner-
gan, Boxton, Coleman, Sanderson and
Fuery He overheard none of the con-
yersations between any of these and
Halsey.
Mr.. Hall knew of no salary roll main
tanned by Halsey other than for himself
and Miss Mary Ryan, Halseys former
stenographer whose unwilling testi-
mony was a keen disappointment to the
prosecution yesterday.
DO you know from what officer or
officers of the company Halsey received
his instructions and to whom he re-
ported?" was asked.
II do not
so Glass There Also
The witness saw Vice President Glass
in Halseys office four or five times in
the period of the alleged briberies, also
Secretary-Treasurer Eaton, but not
Auditor thinner or President Scott.
Heney asked Hall to tell the jury
what were the duties of John Krause,
one of yesterdays unwilling witnesses,
who testified that he was employed I'M
der Halsey to work against opposition
telephone companies.
etsDelmas, objecting to the question,
said:
IF we are to inquire into the duties
of every employee of the defendants
company this trial will outlast the life
of all of us, for understand that there
are 10000 of them"
oo'We are not interested in those
10000" answered Heney, but we are
Interested in a few Of them, and when
Mr.. thinner, who knows best about
some pertinent matters here, refuses to
become a witness we have no choice
bat to adduce the fact of the defend
ants guilt by process of elimination,
and show the jury that no one but Hal
N say was authorized to pay bride
moneys, and that he could have drawn
hts authority from no one but the de-
ftsndant Glass"
sEDelmas objected to this statement
and assigned it as misconduct on the
hart of Heney.
ITIeney replied with a straightforward
Request of the court to instruct the jury
that his statements were not to be by
them considered as facts. Judge Law
lfir did so.
Politicians Wanted Jobs
lin cross-examination Delmas, quoting
Nom the transcript of Halls testimony
before the grand jury, drew from Hall a
S confrmation of the statement that poll
ticians frequented the offices of Halsey
ii the telephone building seeking for
t1bs.
lI"That is ALL" said Delmas.
ssDistrict superintendent Phillips was
called.
Mr.. Phillips testified that he gave NO
Instructions to Halsey nor did Halsey
report to him. He himself had moth
Ing to do with opposing rival telephone
companies nor with the disbursement
df moneys except by pay roll for labor
"Between June IL, 1905, and March
Is, 1905, did you interview or talk with
any of the supervisors regarding tele-
phone matters?" asked Heney, and to
II