Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-16
BoxToN SNARLS IN RAGE AT
HENEY
"EvIDENrLY PROTECTION is NOT
FOR ME-"
incensed at Probing by Prosecution,
Former Official Tells of Burns
Attitude When He
Was Caught
BY Associated Press.

tional incident marked today's close of
the Glass bribery trial. Former Super
visor DR.. Charles Boxton was asked by
Attorney Delmas as the final question in
an exhaustive cross-examination for the
defense:
did you accept the $500 offered you as
bribe by G.. M. Roy in the matter of
your vote In the skating rink ordinance"
Boxton replied sullenly: IT don't see
what that's got to do with this case"
VERY WE'LL" said Delmas pleasantly,
'T shall not insist upon the question.
You need not answer 1t, IL you do not
wish to-unless the prosecution insists"
thus adroitly passing the issue to the
other side. THAT 4s ALL"
Without hesitation Assistant District
Attorney Heney took up Delmas' question
and put it to the witness.
1.-THE question Is legal and pertinent
and the witness must answer" ruled
Judge Lawlor.
Boxton turned in his chair and glared
savagely at Heney.
"Yes," he said. between set teeth, IT
accepted 1t. And I'll tell you this, too:
Burns told me Rudolph Spreckels gave
that money to Roy and caused the bills
to be marked. And I'll tell you some
thing else, since you want it ALL"
Yes" interrupted Heney, I'VE want it
all. Go ahead"
Obeyed Burns
BURNS told me to deny that 1 took
the money and he tried to get me to sign
an affidavit to that effect. 1 told you
that, Mr.. Heney, and you said, We'll,
didn't tell you to do that 1 did deny to
the newspaper reporters that 1 had ac-
cepted money from Roy. Burns wanted
~. II Ira
wanted to protect Roy. I understood that
1 was to be protected, too, but evidently
I am not to be-"
Boxton's face was flushed, his eyes
blazed with anger at Heney and he
snarled rather than spoke this testimony.
When he had finished Heney said smiling
ly: "Well, DOCTOR all 1 wanted to get
at was the truth. What are you mad
about?"
Boxton did not reply. He was excused
without further questioning.
Earlier cross-examination elected from
Boxton the declaration that when he
signed, last fall, the affidavit that he had
been guilty of no crime he was entirely
| ignorant of what he was signing; that
| he affixed his signature at the request of
Senator George Keane. who at that time
was clerk of the board of supervisors,
on the understanding that 1t was Some
| thing to bolster up some of the weak
kneed supervisors" The affidavit was
signed by each of the eighteen members
of the board, all of whom have since
confessed their acceptance of bribes
prior to the signing.
Lonergan on Stand
The cross s-examination of former Su-
pervisor Thomas F. Lonergan by d. M.
Delmas occupied the major part of the
morning session. After detailing again
the circumstances under which he ac-
cepted $11,500 in bribes of from $500 to
$1,000 each for his votes in favor of cor
poration franchise and privileges. Lon
ergan struck a new note in his narrative
by introducing the name of Abe Ruef.
He said, answering questions skillfully
put by Delmas:
1.-The agreement was that / was to
get $500 for switching my friendship
and voting in favor of the Home Tele-
phone franchise. Supervisor Gallagher
gave me the money in an envelope in an
ante-room of Mayor Schmitz' office. l
put it in my pocket and went home.
When I counted 1t out to my wife, as 1
did in every case where money was given.
there was only $3000 Gallagher had held
out $500 on me. l went to his home that
night and demanded it. He gave it to
me.
"A few days after Roy paid me $500
at the Pavilion skating rink to vote
against an ordinance to prohibit minors
from skating within certain hours. 1
met Ruef on the street and he stopped
me. He said Gallagher had told him I
had taken $500 from Roy. I admitted it.
Ruef said My God Tom,you shouldn't
have done that. 1t may be all right, but
1 don't like 1t. For Heavens sake, don't
do it again. I'll look into this matter
He seemed a good bit worried and so was
I. knew had committed felony and
I was afraid to be caught
Lonergan then told how he was trapped
at Roys home and of the confession he
made there under promise of immunity
by District Attorney Langdon.
/ suspected Roy. l had an idea he
meant to job me and that he had been
jobbing me.
'I got up off the chair and walked to
the wall, where a picture was hanging.
Who is this, Roy?' I asked. oh, that's
my wife and kids, he said. And what
have you got here? 1 cried. taking hold
of the folding doors and trying with all
my strength to pull 'em apart, for L felt
there was somebody behind them, but
the doors were held against me from the
other side Roy spoke up then. They
work on springs, Tom,' he said, You
can go out this other way
''Then the folding doors sprung open
and Burns stepped into the ROOM
Kept Thirteen Hours
at was in that house thirteen hours,
from 9 in the morning until 10 at night
a prisoner. For three hours ! stuck to
my denials of doing anything wrong
Langdon offered me immunity If I would
come through with everything and as
sist the prosecution in getting the
bribers.
"Then Mr.. Langdon told me I didn't
have a chance on earth and my first
thoughts ought to be for my wife and
children and my old father He's dead
now. Soon after noon began my con-
fession.
'Mr. Heney said that sending few
supervisors to states prison wouldn't
clear up the atmosphere of San Fran
cisco; that the ones they wanted to get
were the men who had debauched u.s."
At the morning session the prosecution
won an important victory in a decision
by Judge Lawlor that evidence was adj
missible of acts committed after the
actual bribery-for instance, the return
of a portion of the Pacific States Tele-
phone company's bribe upon demand.
nj H. tI,n